Basic Olympia Little Theatre Policies and Information

“Etiquette”

· OLT is a non-smoking facility. Smokers must go outside the building and be responsible for removing their debris from the grounds. Smoking must occur away from entry doors to prevent any smoke from drifting into the theater and to prevent exposure to patrons entering and exiting.

· OLT is an alcohol-free facility. Please do NOT bring or consume alcoholic beverages on our property. Alcohol is only permitted during receptions and special events – with the prior written permission of the Board of Trustees. Being intoxicated at OLT is not acceptable; volunteers serve as official OLT representatives while on duty.

· OLT strives to be a fragrance-free facility. In order to help protect the health and breathing environment of all individuals visiting or working at OLT, we ask volunteers to refrain from wearing any scented personal products prior to arriving at OLT. Ours is a close-quartered facility, and ensuring we and our clothing are fragrance-free means we all can do our part to keep our breathing air clean and show respect for others with breathing sensitivities.

· OLT has a sexual harassment policy to protect all individuals. If you use good sense and show respect for other people’s privacy and feelings, you will have no problems here.

Membership

OLT requires that all persons working on our productions become members of the theater. There are four classes of membership: Associate Members, Limited Associate Members, Voting Members, and Lifetime Members.

Ø Associate Members: Associate Membership is open to any person without regard to age or other qualification. Associate Members are entitled to receive all Theatre mailings, to participate in Theatre productions, and to participate in all social functions. Associate Members will not be afforded voting privileges. An Associate Membership is $5/year.

Ø Limited Associate Members: For a reduced membership fee, a Limited Associate Membership is valid through the rehearsals, performances, and other related activities of the specific production for which the membership was secured. Limited Associate Members will not have voting rights in the business of the Corporation, and Limited Associate Membership does not count toward fulfilling the prerequisites for becoming a Voting Member.

Ø Voting Members: Voting Membership is open to any person who is at least 18 years of age and who in the preceding two (2) years:

- has maintained a valid Voting Membership; or

- was an Associate Member and participated in at least one Theatre production (includes serving as Downstager), and

- has not had a break in yearly membership.

Ø Lifetime Members: The Board of Trustees may bestow a Lifetime Membership on any individual in recognition of exceptions service to OLT. A Lifetime Member enjoys the privileges of Voting Membership and is exempt from paying annual dues.

The Rehearsal Facility

OLT is very fortunate to own our own rehearsal space on the theater grounds; even better, it roughly approximates the playing area of the stage. The rehearsal space is located on the second floor of the Annex (the building behind the theater.) It shares the Annex with our scene shop, costume closets, and props storage area.

Please:

· Do not “go exploring” outside the areas where your activity is happening. During the season, the Annex gets a bit “chaotic” and you might get lost or potentially injured in the mess.

· Do not “play” with the tools or equipment in the scene shop, costumes in the closets, or the props in the downstairs area. Anyone found doing so can expect to be “volunteered” to “play” with tools required to “shovel” out the Annex each year!

· Remove any trash you create while using the space. The old saying, “Pack it in, pack it out” pertains to activities at OLT. You can deposit all litter or trash in the appropriate trash bin located by the Miller Avenue entrance nearest the Green Room.

Ticket Policies

Even though OLT is a non-profit organization, we must cover our expenses and good theater is expensive to produce. OLT supports itself primarily through ticket sales (memberships and donations typically comprise less than 3% of our annual operating budget.)

For each production, there are typically 1568 seats available over the 14 performances. Season tickets account for about 1100 seats, leaving around 468 seats available for the general public.

OLT currently has two ticket vendors: Yenney Music and BrownPaperTickets.com. Yenney Music sells tickets (cash and checks only). Tickets are delivered to Yenney Music the Tuesday after the previous production closes (typically the week a new production moves into the theater). Yenney Music is located at 1404 Harrison Avenue NW, Olympia, WA 98502. To check ticket availability, you can call (360) 923-7500.

BrownPaperTickets.com is OLT’s on-line vendor. Tickets can be purchased at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/producer/23136 using a credit card. A $1.99 service fee is added to the regular single ticket purchase price. You can easily access the on-line ticket purchase page through the OLT website. From the homepage, click on the “buy tickets here” link at the top of the home page.

Tickets are available at the door on the night of each performance if the performance is not sold-out. We do offer a Wait List for walk-ins. The list is made available for sign-up about a half-hour before each performance. OLT’s office manager provides the House Manager with a count of available seats prior to the lobby’s opening, and we sell from the wait list at 7:55pm evenings; 1:55pm matinees.

NOTE: Company members are not allowed to sign someone else up for the Wait List. This policy was initiated because the Wait List was being posted with names already listed in the top slots and community members arriving and waiting to sign up complained.

Comp Tickets

Company members will receive two (2) complimentary tickets to a performance of their production. These must be reserved at least 24 hours in advance with the OLT office manager. Additional tickets may be purchased at Season Ticket Holder prices, and are subject to availability. These purchases must be coordinated with the OLT office manager.

Cast Parties

Cast parties are old and fine theater traditions. In regards to those parties (which we encourage), OLT has two things to say:

1. Cast parties are not OLT-sponsored events. While it is terrific that they occur, OLT is not responsible, culpable or liable for the actions or behaviors or individuals at a Cast Party. Such issues are between the host and/or the various individuals involved.

2. We recommend that minors (under the age of 18) be accompanied to Cast Parties by a parent/legal guardian or a designated responsible adult who has been approved by the parent/legal guardian of the minor in question.

Miscellaneous

· Please report any damaged furnishings or facilities to your Director or Stage Manager immediately upon discovery – even if you only discover them and did not cause the damage.

· Please always check in with other OLT personnel (staff and volunteers) that are in the facilities when you are. As a courtesy, also inform them when you leave.

· It May Seem Trite but… Please treat other volunteers, whether they be Cast, Crew, Technicians, Downstagers, or members of the board, with the same respect, patience, and consideration with which you would wish to be treated. We are all here because we LOVE theater. Help everyone else have an enjoyable experience and your own will follow suit.

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