LITTLE THEATRE TERMS OF USE

LITTLE THEATRE TERMS OF USE The Little Theatre is a valued Humanities and Arts Drama/Theatre laboratory space where students can work towards their academic goals, exactly as they can in other labs or academic spaces on campus. As with other campus resources, there are rules associated with the use of the space. The following document presents all rules and procedures relating to the Little Theatre. All individuals using the space are expected to be aware of the general Rules of Use, as well as sections that pertain to their individual involvement with the event or production. In the event that this document references an individual or position that is not available, direct all inquiries to the Little Theatre Squad, who will resolve your need or redirect the request to the appropriate individual(s). CONTENTS All Production Staff... 3 Liaison Communications... 3 Performance Requirements... 3 Space Maintenance... 3 Producing... 5 Liaison Communications... 5 Performance Requirements... 5 Stage Management... 6 Performance Requirements... 6 Space Maintenance... 6 Reports... 6 Scenic... 7 Liaison Communications... 7 Lighting and Sound... 8 Liaison Communications... 8 Performance requirements... 8 Special Effects... 8 Liaison Communications... 8 Performance Requirements... 8 House... 9 Performance Requirements... 9 Space Maintenance... 9 1

Appendix A: Card Access... 10 Appendix B: Virtual Callboard... 13 Using Groups... 13 Scheduling Calls... 14 Uploading Files and Sharing them... 14 Discussion Forum... 15 Sending Notes... 15 Reports... 15 Contact Sheets... 15 Guidelines for response times... 15 Appendix C: Incident Report form... 16 Appendix D: Fog Protocol... 17 Normal to Bypass... 17 Bypass to Normal (Alarms Are Tripped)... 17 Bypass to Normal (No Alarms Tripped)... 18 2

ALL PRODUCTION STAFF LIAISON COMMUNICATIONS The Little Theatre Squad is responsible for care of the space and are the main point of contact between the production and the Drama/Theatre Department. A Little Theatre Squad member will be assigned to your event and will work as the Liaison. o Access, times of use, and equipment requirements must all be arranged with the Liaison. o Keep the Liaison informed of the meeting schedule, as the Liaison must be present at all production meetings. o The Liaison will be inspecting the space periodically to ensure it is being respected and used properly. o Keep the Liaison updated on any major events that occur as the project goes on. o Please direct all questions regarding space, equipment use, and issues related to the production to the Liaison. o Contact the Liaison if there is a problem or an urgent need related to the space/equipment has come up. o If any members of the production are not WPI students or employees, they must complete a WPI Liability Waiver before they may do any work on campus. This includes any assistance from others during strike. This form will be made available by the Liaison, and a binder will be maintained in the Drama/Theatre Office in Salisbury Labs 018. The Little Theatre Squad has two important email addresses: squad@wpi.edu - Space requests - Schedule updates (production meeting times, exec updates) - Design submissions - Card access requests omg@wpi.edu - Accident occurs in the space (spilling paint on the tiles) - Malfunctions in the LT (air conditioner not on) - Equipment failures - Emergencies PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS If your event includes a performance of any kind, the performance must not exceed 2.5 hours, including intermission. Curtain (start time) for any performances in the Little Theatre must be 7:00pm. Strike for your event follows the final performance immediately after the audience departs, ending by midnight. The Liaison will be the strike manager, and will file a strike report within 24 hours of the end of strike. SPACE MAINTENANCE The Ghost Light must be turned off when you arrive in the space and turned on when you depart for the health and safety of everyone. The air conditioning unit (controlled by the panel on the pillar in the southeast corner) must be on at all times. If it is not functioning, contact the Liaison immediately. No food or drink is allowed in the theatre at any time, except water in a sealed container or prop food. 3

Observe safe practices while using the space. If you are not trained in using a piece of equipment or a tool, refer to a crew head or mentor before proceeding. If there is an incident located in Drama/Theatre spaces, please fill out an incident report within 12 hours of the incident. Leave the space better than when you found it. This includes the Little Theatre, Booth, Greenrooms(s), Scenic Design Studio, etc. Production staff are not allowed to be working in the space past midnight. 4

PRODUCING LIAISON COMMUNICATIONS Card Access o The Producer, Stage Manager, and Production Manager will receive full card access (provided they have a current WPI ID card) allowing entrance to the space as well as control over all door settings. Other card access requests will be approved as the Administrator of Theatre Technology sees fit. o Request for Card Access to the Little Theatre must be submitted to the Administrator of Theatre Technology through the Liaison. Requests must include: name, production position, and student ID number. The Little Theatre Squad will set up the live feed system to the Booth, Green Room, and Riley Commons by the preview performance. If other areas are desired, you must speak with the Liaison. Requests for the live feed to be set up sooner than the preview performance must be directed to the Liaison. The Little Theatre Squad will set up clear com to the Booth, Green Room, and Vestibule by Cue-to-Cue. If other areas are desired the Producer must speak with the Liaison. Painting the floors: o Speak with the Liaison to schedule a coat of fresh black paint on appropriate areas prior to performances. The show is responsible for the floor within 6 inches distance of set elements and squad will paint the rest of the floor. It is recommended that production staff be present at the time of painting. o If you paint the floor anything other than black, it is your production s responsibility to repaint it black after your performance. o Do not paint the tiled or carpeted floors under any circumstances. If paint accidently ends up on these surfaces, contact the Liaison immediately and await further instructions. Approval for use of the space allows extended use of technical elements only during final rehearsals and performances during production week. Use of technical elements for anything other than work sessions before cue to cue is only permitted with approval of the Liaison. Special effects (including smoke, fog, water, sugar glass, etc.) or unusual requests MUST be approved by the Liaison with the specific dates of intended use. Several special effects have specific protocols that must be followed, ask the Liaison for more information. The Squad Liaison will hold a strike meeting prior to strike for your event that the Producer and Crew Heads must attend. PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS If your event requires licensing, it must be acquired and filed in the licensing binders in the Booth and the Resource Library. Scripts must be properly acquired for the performance being produced. 5

STAGE MANAGEMENT PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS If your event is the production of a play of any kind that is open to the theatre community to work on, one copy of the script must be kept on file in the Resource Library. This script is to be delivered to the Resource Library before the start of auditions. If the script is to be edited or adapted, the final performance script must be made available as soon as final alterations are made. The Stage Manager must electronically provide an estimated run time to the Director of Theatre and the Administrator of Theatre Technology by no later than noon on the Monday of production week. Prior to that, read time from the first read-through must be electronically provided within 24 hours of the read-through. If the performance requires the use of prop weapons, campus police and the Little Theatre Squad must be notified of the schedule of movement of the prop weapons at least two weeks before the intended use dates. SPACE MAINTENANCE REPORTS Work lights for rehearsals may be any and/or all of the house lights in the theatre, as well as the base plot. Only by special arrangement (made with the Liaison) may the theatrical lights be used for anything other than technical rehearsals or performances. There are 13 bent wood stage chairs located in the Little Theatre Green Room that have been provided for rehearsals and stage use. Movable audience seating is not to be used for rehearsals or meetings. If spike tape is used, when the Little Theatre Squad paints the floor black they will paint over any spike tape. It is the responsibility of the production to retape the floor after painting and remove any remaining tape during strike. On performance nights, the Little Theatre sign must be turned on half an hour before the Riley Commons house area opens (typically 5:30 pm). On performance nights, the light in the stairwell to the Little Theatre Green Room must be turned off before the Little Theatre house area opens (typically 6:30 pm). The Stage Manager must electronically submit the designated Virtual Callboard report to the Director of Theatre and the Administrator of Theatre Technology immediately following tech preview, cue to cue, tech rehearsals, dress rehearsals, and performances. Should the Stage Manager utilize Rehearsal Reports throughout the production it is the responsibility of the Stage Manager to create and implement that report. Guidelines for information to be included in each report can be found through the Administrator of Theatre Technology or the Director of Theatre. 6

SCENIC LIAISON COMMUNICATIONS Scenic designs must be submitted to the Liaison for approval 5 academic weeks before Cueto-Cue of that production, unless an alternate timeline has been approved by the Drama/Theatre Program. The designs must be approved prior to any scenic work beginning to ensure the plans meet the safety requirements and regulations of the Little Theatre, as well as for general feasibility. o Please allow five days from the initial design submission before obtaining final approval. Adjustments to the initial design will be requested within this five-day period if they are required. o Submission requirements: Floor plan (a view from above) with dimensions. Front elevation of the set with dimensions. Grid plot over the floor plan, noting anything that interacts with or is attached to the grid. If a scenic element will be attached to the grid the grid plot must also include weight information. Indication of the preferred seating capacity. o If the production wishes to paint the floor in any pattern, this must also be included in the design submission. o A design that indicates stapling into the floor will not be approved. o The washing of brushes or other paint supplies in the LTGR sinks is prohibited. Paint supplies should be washed in the paint sinks in the bathrooms off Riley Commons. Squad reserves the right to request detailed additional documents regarding the construction of unsafe designs. 7

LIGHTING AND SOUND LIAISON COMMUNICATIONS Lighting and sound plots must be submitted to the Liaison for approval and approved prior to any work beginning to ensure the plans meet the safety requirements and regulations of the Little Theatre, as well as for general feasibility. Grid strip may be permitted before a design has been approved through special permission from the Liaison. o Please allow five days from the initial design submission before obtaining final approval. Adjustments to the initial design will be requested within this five-day period if they are required. o Submission requirements: Instrument list Grid plot that includes fixtures and anything touching the grid. If the design includes fixtures beyond what the Little Theatre owns include weight information. Log in for the sound computer must be requested from the Liaison. PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS All lighting and sound effects must be presented at least in part at Cue-to-Cue. Adjustments to these effects are allowed during production week, however no new effects may be introduced after Cue-to-Cue. No movement is allowed in black out conditions. Blue outs are required if there is movement during the performance. If the base plot is to be changed, only fixtures without gels or gobos can be plugged in to that channel. SPECIAL EFFECTS LIAISON COMMUNICATIONS Lighting and sound designs must be submitted to the Liaison for approval and approved prior to any work beginning to ensure the plans meet the safety requirements and regulations of the Little Theatre, as well as for general feasibility. o Please allow five days from the initial design submission before obtaining final approval. Adjustments to the initial design will be requested within this five day period if they are required. Fog requests must be submitted to the Liaison two weeks before intended use and campus police must be notified one week before intended use via the Administrator of Theatre Technology. PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS All special effects must be completed and presented at Cue-to-Cue prior to the first Tech Rehearsal. Any effect not present at this time will not be allowed in the performance. 8

HOUSE PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS The House Staff must include a House Manager, a Box Office Manager, and Ushers. Programs for the production should be in typeface 11 pt. or larger to allow the audience to read in dim light. Seat Reservations o You must provide at least 99 seats for audience members for the event, not including the usher benches. There are 67 permanent seats and 45 upholstered moveable chairs for a total of 112. No more than 111 seats may be used without the approval from the liaison, the Administrator of Theatre Technology, and the Director of Theatre. o Each Humanities and Arts Drama Theatre led production must provide the Director of Theatre with tickets for each performance night: 5 (Thursday), 10 (Friday), 7 (Saturday). o For each Humanities and Arts Drama Theatre led production, four of the reserved tickets each night should be associated with reserved seats. These seats, commonly known as the Berkey Seats, are the four seats at the southern edge of the front row of the East bank, starting with the corner seat with the adjustable armrest, and should be reserved until used or released by the Director of Theatre and the Administrator of Theatre Technology. The House Manager must provide a seat count to the Director of Theatre and the Administrator of Theatre Technology by no later than noon on the Monday of production week. SPACE MAINTENANCE The upholstered chairs, both permanent and moveable, provide seating for the audience. o The permanent chairs are not to be used during technical work, but may be used for seating during meetings and rehearsals. Whenever not in use, the permanent chairs must be covered with the provided covers. o The movable chairs are not prop chairs or chairs to sit on during rehearsal, technical work, or other non-performance activities. At all times, the moveable upholstered chairs must be covered with the supplied tarps. The 45 moveable chairs are stored in the corner next to the east (long) seating bank and should stay there until the seating is being placed. o If chairs are brought out of the space for performances, they must be returned to the space at the end of each night. 9

APPENDIX A: CARD ACCESS Little Theatre Card Access System Details and Instruction Door and Reader Details A. Main Entrance Glass door that leads to the entryway to the Little Theater and Riley Commons B. Front of House: East Door from Little Theatre performance area to the vestibule near handicap bathroom Separated from Entry vestibule by set of double doors C. Front of House: West Door from Little Theatre performance area to entryway with glass door D. Stage Door Double doors from Little Theatre Green Room to walled courtyard adjacent to Institute Rd. E. Emergency Exit Delayed egress door to outside On stairs between Little Theatre performance area and Green Room Not card access, but monitored through card access system Alarm can be silenced by brass key Contact Administrator of Theatre Technology to request use of this door F. Booth Control Booth G. Command Pad Reader and keypad located just to right of Stage Door in Green Room A C B E F G D 10

To Use Key Pad Little Theatre Card Access System Details and Instruction 1. Present card to card reader 2. Wait for light on reader to turn green 3. Press button on number pad associated with desired mode Key Mode F1 F2 F3 F4 F3 + F4 Closed or Secure Mode Small Group Pre-Rehearsal Rehearsal Performance/Load-In Modes Modes Door States * Main Entrance Front of House East Front of House West Stage Door Booth Emergency Exit Closed/Secure C C C C C L Small Group C U C C C L Pre-Rehearsal C U C U C L Rehearsal U U U C C L Performance/Load in U U U U C L *Access to Card Only doors is determined by access level granted Card Access Request To request card access to doors and reader involved with the Little Theatre Card Access System, the following information is required: Name 11

Position on production or in organization ID Number Email Address Information must be submitted to the Liaison (through the Producer/Production Manager), who will check the request and pass on information to the Administrator of Theatre Technology. Information will then be submitted via official card access request to Campus Card Access. Little Theatre Card Access System: Access Roles Doors/Reader Access Roles Main Entrance Front of House East Front of House West Stage Door Booth Command Pad RH Exterior South East RH Exterior South West Alden Loading Dock Little Theatre Production Crew Little Theatre Production Crew -Member Little Theatre Production Crew -Crew Head Academic Little Theatre Production Crew -Manager Little Theatre Squad Theatre Tech Admin Theatre Tech Work-Study Student Org - Masque Executive Board Executive Board - Stage Door Executive Board - Little Theatre Control Room Other Alden Loading Dock Custodial Note: Requests for card access are approved at the discretion of the Administrator of Theatre Technology. Card access is a privilege and must be earned. Failure to properly care for or secure the space may result in removal of access and will be considered with future requests. 12

APPENDIX B: VIRTUAL CALLBOARD USING GROUPS There are many groups that are listed in VCB to make it easier to send things to the correct users. These should be used only if you are sure everyone in the group needs to be aware of what is being communicated. The most common group that will be used will be the Exec group. Group Members: o Exec: Director Administrator of Theatre Technology Producer Stage Manager Production Manager Technical Director Any assistants to the above positions o Crew Heads: Box Office Manager House Manager Master Electrician Costume Coordinator Props Coordinator Publicity Coordinator Master Carpenter Set Dresser Charge Scenic Artist Sound Engineer Any assistants to the above positions o Designers Lighting Designer Costume Designer Props Master Graphic Designer Scenic Designer Sound Designer Special Effects Designer Any assistants to the above positions Those are the main groups that encompass everyone that isn t general crew. These have many people on them, so should not be used much. The Exec group should be included on anything that Exec should be made aware of. There are other, more specific groups, which have the people in each department. For each department, there is the department group, which has the crew heads/designers, and there is the department-crew group, which has its crew. There is an example one listed below, but it will be the same for each. Lighting: o LD, ALD, ME, AME, Lighting-Crew: o any Lighting crew 13

Scenic: o Scenic Designer, MC, Set Dresser, Charge Scenic Artist Sound: o Sound Designer, Sound Engineer House: o House Manager, Box Office Manager Props: o Props Coordinator, Props Designer Wardrobe: o Costume Designer, Costume Coordinator, Assistant Costume Coordinator Publicity: o Graphic Designer, Publicity Coordinator In addition, there is the Squad group, which can be used to let squad know anything they need to be aware of. SCHEDULING CALLS Choose the desired date, time, and location. Ensure that the location is not going to be double booked, and if so, check with whoever has it booked to be sure you will not interfere if you work as well. Add the desired people to the call. For tech calls, call the necessary crew members that you have, as well as the member of exec that you report to, just so that they are aware of the call. For most calls, this will be the Production Manager. Do not CALL general crew, but rather if additional help is desired, send a note to general crew (see Notes). Check the Send Notification box to alert appropriate people to the call. That s it! If you feel the need to explain the call further, or let additional people know, send an appropriately worded Note to the desired group. UPLOADING FILES AND SHARING THEM When you go to upload a file, a box will pop up. Make sure the production is set to the current production. Choose the file to be uploaded. Give it an appropriate name, so that it can be distinguished easily Choose the correct folder to save it to. To highlight: o Budgets go in the budget folder, not the department folder o Cue lists go in the cue lists folder, not the department folder o Beyond that, upload documents in your department s folder Add a description for what the file includes. Make sure the Share with All Users box is checked. DO NOT CHECK the Send Email Notification box. This will send a message to all users, spamming them with information they do not need Instead, after the file is uploaded, send a Note (see Notes) or Discussion (see Discussions) out to the applicable users who would need to know that the file has been uploaded. For instance, if a Scenic Design gets uploaded, then a note should be sent to the PM, Squad Liaison, TD, and MC. Another example, if Lighting Cues get uploaded, then a note should be sent to the Stage Manager and Board Op. This also goes for if a file is modified, or an updated version is uploaded. 14

Discussions can be used in place of Notes if there is likely to be conversation regarding the file that was uploaded. This would be used for if the file requires feedback. DISCUSSION FORUM Discussions are great means of communication for any conversation or feedback that needs to occur. When creating a discussion, make sure the Production is set to the current production. Create a subject that is appropriate to the topic of the discussion. Write whatever you will be posting. For selecting users, select the appropriate groups and users that need to be notified. Include Exec on all discussions. If attaching files, do so, or reference the file by folder and document name Check the box for Send email notification to users, so that people are aware of the update to the discussion. When expecting a response from a specific person, directly say so. For instance, if the Master Carpenter requires feedback from the Scenic Designer about how something is built, they would address them by name in the message: <Name>, let me know about how this works. This clears up any discrepancy about who is required to respond. SENDING NOTES REPORTS Make sure the production is set to the current production. Enter an appropriate subject. You do not need to put the production heading in the subject line, as VCB will do this for you (though it doesn t actually show it). Enter the message. Select the appropriate groups and/or users that need to receive the note. The note will be sent out via email to the people selected. Check reports as necessary, and fill them out as you do work. After a work session, make a work report that catalogues the work done, any issues, etc. Send the email notification to the appropriate users. CONTACT SHEETS VCB allows you to generate contact sheets for a Production. Click the contacts tab, then Create Contact sheet. Select the production, then the desired information to include. You can either save a copy or just open it in the browser. This will allow you to get anyone s phone number or email. If having trouble getting in touch with someone, this would be when you would want to look up their phone and use it. Therefore, always make sure you have a phone number on file in VCB to be contacted at. GUIDELINES FOR RESPONSE TIMES Ideally, a response should be given within 12 hours of the previous communication. Absolutely no longer than 24 hours after a response is requested. For any questions regarding this document, please contact Nick Shannon (npshannon@wpi.edu). Thanks, and hope you found it useful! 15

APPENDIX C: INCIDENT REPORT FORM INCIDENT REPORT FORM TYPE OF INCIDENT (INJURY/PROPERTY DAMAGE) OCCURRED ON: DATE / / TIME REPORTED ON: DATE / / TIME LOCATION: (Specify Area) If human injury was involved: STUDENT STAFF/FACULTY OTHER Name: Complainant Details Name: Victim Details Address: Address: Tel: Tel: Particulars of Incident: WAS ANYONE CONTACTED? WPI POLICE Yes No Date / / WORCESTER POLICE Yes No Date / / WORCESTER FIRE Yes No Date / / MEDICAL PERSONNEL Yes No Date / / Name of Person Sending Report Signature Contact Number Date Office Use Only Received and Reviewed: Initials Date / / 16

APPENDIX D: FOG PROTOCOL NORMAL TO BYPASS 1. Two weeks before alarm bypass will be needed, notify the Administrator of Theatre Technology of what effects will be used, when, for how long the system will need to be silenced, and the name of the performance Stage Manager. 2. The Administrator of Theatre Technology will get approval from the WPI Police department at least one week in advance of the need so that WPI Police are aware of what effects will be used, when, for how long the system will be silenced, and the name of the Stage Manager. 3. The night of the event, the Stage Manager should call Campus Police at 508-831-5433. Give them your name and say you are at the Little Theatre and are switching the alarms into bypass mode for the show or demonstration previously approved. Also give them a contact number to reach you just in case, such the stage manager s cell phone number. 4. Countdown with the dispatcher Switching to bypass on three, one two three. 5. They will silence the alarms on their computers. Make sure there are no issues with the police, and then you may hang up. BYPASS TO NORMAL (ALARMS ARE TRIPPED) 1. A tripped alarm is indicated by a solid light on the fire alarm (see photos). If you know the cause of the alarm getting tripped (blowers took in haze, fog aimed at an alarm, etc) then call the WPI police department at 508-831-5433, introduce yourself and explain that you are in the Little Theatre and a fire alarm has been tripped, but you know the cause. Make sure that any fog or haze effects in the air have cleared entirely, by dissipating or clearing out through the side door on the staircase to the green room. This way the alarms will not continue to trip once returned to normal. Figure : If either of these lights are solid red, this indicates an alarm has been tripped. 2. Because the system is silenced, the alarms will not sound until it is switched back to normal. A police officer needs to respond here and manually reset the alarms on the panel. The dispatcher will be able to direct an officer on duty to respond. Hang up with the dispatcher so as not to tie up the police phone. A production member must stay in the theatre until an officer can respond. 3. Once the officer has reset the alarms, call the dispatcher back and countdown Switching to normal on three, one two three. 4. If no alarms sound, then you may hang up. 17

BYPASS TO NORMAL (NO ALARMS TRIPPED) 1. Make sure that any fog or haze effects in the air have cleared entirely, by dissipating or clearing out through the side door on the staircase to the green room, and that no alarms have solid red lights as shown in above photos. 2. If none have been tripped, call the WPI police department at 508-831-5433. Introduce yourself and say you re from the Little Theatre calling to switch back into normal mode. 3. Countdown with the dispatcher Switching to normal on three, one two three. 4. If no alarms sound, then you may hang up. IF THE FIRE ALARMS SOUND, EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY OUT ONE OF THE EMERGENCY EXITS AND WAIT FOR WORCESTER FIRE BEFORE REENTERING Originally compiled in June 2007 by Lauren Ferrechio. Updated January 2013 by Erika A. Stone, Administrator of Theatre Technology. 18