CLAREMONT HIGH SCHOOL
TECHNICAL THEATRE 2014
CHS THEATRE
This year we celebrate 52 years of CHS Theatre and the continuity in our program is largely due to the fact that during those 52 years we have had only two theatre instructors. Our department is home to over 500 CHS students who act, direct, design, build and tech our productions. CHS students have performed at local, state and national festivals, and we are one of the most honored theatre departments at the CA State Thespian Festival. Our alumni can be seen on stages all over world, as well as working in film, TV and production work.
CHS THEATRE COURSES
Acting 1 Children’s Theatre
Theatre Production IB Theatre
Musical Theatre Technical Theatre
ROP Stage Technology
THEATRE STAFF
You have a unique opportunity to work with many professionals during productions. Our talented staff includes:
Jessa Orr-Scenic Design/Painting
Jamie Brown - Costume Designer.
Krista Carson Elhai - Musical Theatre, Children’s Theatre, IB Theatre, Theatre Production, Technical Theatre, Comedy Sportz©,Thespian Troupe Sponsor.
Dylan Pass-Choreographer.
Joel Wilson - Vocal Music Director, Musical Director, Musical Theatre, Children’s Theatre.
Tom Evans-ROP Stage Technology.
THEATRE CALENDAR
CHS Theatre Date sheets will be handed out with this document. Dates are set in April of the previous school year and we strictly adhere to our schedule. They are available year round in the theatre.
SEASON BROCHURE
Please pick up a season brochure. These are available all year (in theatre office) and may be mailed to family and friends. Please help publicize our shows.
THESPIAN TROUPE 2129
The International Thespian Society is an honor society for theatre arts students, one of the only honor societies on campus. Once initiated, the lifetime membership gives students the opportunity to earn scholarships, attend festivals, and add to their resumes/college applications. CHS is home to one of the largest and most active Thespian Troupes in CA. Please take a “What is a Thespian” handout (available in the theatre office).
COMEDYSPORTZ©
ComedySportz© is competitive improvisational theatre played onstage with two teams of four players. CHS is a member of the Los Angeles Comedy Sportz© League. This audition-only team trains with the professionals and competes with many of the 70 HS teams in our area. This is a great way for students to learn to think on their feet and improvise. Auditions are in late September, and rehearsals are once a week. ComedySportz© matches, played throughout the school year, are G-Rated family fun.
CHS THEATRE BOOSTERS
We have a great group of parents who support our program. Please join the Theatre Boosters and find out what contribution you can make to the boosters. Booster members are available at each production, selling t-shirts, sweatshirts and production photos. They also sell leis at graduation and staff the silent auction at our spring musical.
FUNDRAISING
The Theatre Department produces over 8-10 shows a year and operates with a budget of approximately $165.000 a year. Fundraising is a necessary evil, but we are a self-supporting program, and we need parental support. One of our biggest fundraisers is selling Entertainment books. If you have any great fundraising ideas (potential profit of $2,000.00 or more), please contact Ms Elhai.
FESTIVALS
This year our Theatre students will attend the CA State Thespian Festival (March 27-29) at Upland HS, CETA Festival, and the August Wilson Monologue Festival. Each of these festivals gives students the opportunity to compete, attend workshops, view performances and earn scholarships with thousands of other Southern CA Theatre students.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Specific course requirements are listed later on in this handout. In general, all performance classes require students to attend dress rehearsals and performances outside of the school day. Performance classes have a dress code whenever a student is dancing/moving on stage.
All tech classes have an outside class requirement of working on one crew/show per semester. Tech classes have a mandatory portfolio assignment due following each production.
All classes have quizzes, tests, written assignments, lab work and in-class projects.
Attendance is crucial to successfully complete any theatre class. Students must check with teachers after a class absence to make up the work. Many students fail to do this and often get behind in their work.
All students need to come to class on time. For every two tardies a student receives a detention.
DUE TO THE NATURE OF THEATRE COURSES, AND THE MANY NIGHTS OF REHEARSAL & PERFORMANCE, GRADES ARE NOT ALWAYS AVAILABLE TO VIEW ON PARENT CONNECT.
You may contact the teachers at any time to check for missing assignments/ask questions. The code word for the first assignment is #TechTheatreRocks.
CONTACT INFORMATION
The CHS theatre has a 24 hr answering machine. The number is 909-624-9053 ext 30463. Please use this number to obtain information on any theatre classes. The CHS Vocal Music extension (Mr. Wilson) is 30462.
Please use the following emails:
Krista Carson Elhai
Joel Wilson
Tom Evans
TECH THEATRE / PRODUCTION CREW
This course is designed to give students the opportunity to design, construct, and decorate the sets for CHS productions, as well as experience all aspects of technical theatre through “on the job” experience in CHS Productions.
This is not a performance class THERE ARE OUTSIDE HOURS REQUIRED OF YOU TO FULFILL THE REQUIRE-MENTS OFTHIS CLASS. You will work as part of a crew or as a crew head, which will require you to be at Dress Rehearsals and Performances of one production each semester. A specific schedule of dates and times are in this handbook. THIS POLICY IS CLEARLY STATED IN THE CHS COURSE DESCRIPTION BOOKLET.
CLASS RULES
FOLLOW FOR SUCCESS
•Know the correct Theatre doors to use.
•Be on Time (seated when the bell rings) Start each day in your assigned seat.
•NO food or drinks in the Theatre, except for water in a bottle only.
•Leave class when bell rings - Don’t wait by doors. NO ONE leaves until clean up is complete.
•Stay out of Office/Other Rooms, unless you belong there.
•Must have a pass to leave the theatre.
•Do not speak when the teacher/other students are talking.
•Use common sense while in the Theatre. No jumping off the stage, running in Theatre, or any other unsafe behaviors. Breaking safety rules can result in referrals and other disciplinary action.
•Use courtesy when dealing with anyone in this building - students or adults!
•Power tools will only be used by students who have passed a SAFETY TEST.
•Closed toe shoes are strongly suggested. Loose clothing is not recommended.
•Hats ARE NOT allowed in class.
•Long hair will be pulled back while operating power tools.
•Work clothes (sweats, shorts, whatever you wish) may be brought and kept in theatre lockers - bring your own lock. NOTE: lack of proper clothing will not allow you to get out of messy work/painting; don’t get those nice clothes ruined because you weren’t prepared.
•Don’t use any power saws unless you have passed the written tests and returned the parent permission form.
•Do not talk to or touch a person operating a power tool.
•Violation of a safety rule can result in a student being pulled from projects and assigned to bookwork.
•Be respectful to all staff, directors and guest artists who are in our theatre.
NO CELLPHONES OR ELECTRONIC DEVICES ARE ALLOWED IN THE CHS THEATRE!
THEATRE COURSES ATTENDANCE POLICY
To obtain a passing grade in a theatre course, a student must spend a great deal of time involved in group projects and activities. Attendance and punctuality are important elements in the assessment of class lab points. Students who are frequently absent or tardy cannot adequately contribute to group projects, such as performances and/or set construction or painting in a theatre course.
Points and graded activities are earned on a DAILY BASIS. Students who have excused absences/tardies must make up the work immediately following their absence. No make up work will be accepted for days in which a student has an unexcused absence.
The following will be referred to the Asst Principal's office:
2 unexcused absences = detention served with the Discipline office
2 unexcused tardies = detention served with the Discipline office
Since everyone is a vital part of the production, your presence is required for all of us to be successful. If health/personal issues cause your attendance (or lack thereof) to be a problem, consider another Arts course.
The CHS Theatre phone number is 624-9053 ext. 30463 for absences and emergencies.This is a 24 hr message machine.
When we are rehearsing, it is vital that you call in to Ms. Elhai when you are absent. This isn't an algebra class where your empty seat does not affect other students. You (or a parent) can call anytime before the class and leave a message on the machine. You only need to call the first day of absence. Do NOT confuse this call with the one to the attendance office.
When we have our outside rehearsals and you are sick, leave your message prior to the rehearsal you'll be missing. State the date, what you're missing, and when you will be back. Simply not showing up for a rehearsal, and then trying to clear it as excused after the fact, is not how we operate (except in true emergencies!). For off campus rehearsals/shows, we may have an Assistant Director's cell phone number to call to excuse absences.
TECH THEATRE / PRODUCTION CREW
GRADING POLICY
•Many areas are taken into consideration to arrive at a grade for this course. Remember: a “C” grade is for average work. If you are interested in earning a higher grade, then you must work for it!
•Attendance, participation, quizzes, tests, effective utilization of construction work time, work habits, lab work, clean up, portfolios, individual student projects, execution of course content in productions and hours accumulated in Out-of-Class projects all make up the points towards your grade.
•90% = A; 80% = B; 70% = C; 60%=D.
•Points will be added up at the end of each grading period, and A STUDENT’S SPECIFIC GRADE WILL NOT ALWAYS BE AVAILABLE. However, the instructor’s always willing to discuss missed and makeup work and/or how the student is progressing at any time.
•Cleaning up at the end of each period is a group effort. No one is ready to leave until all tools/materials are put away, all cabinets are locked up and the work areas are swept.
•The Tech Theatre Portfolio project is vital to passing this course. The portfolio is a document of all of the hands on work done in this class. Portfolios are due the Wednesday following a Production’s closing, and are cumulative throughout the year. Students who fail to complete portfolios rarely pass this course.
HOW TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THIS CLASS
This is very much a hands-on course. You will have the opportunity to learn many new skills, as well as to get up and move around (after a long day of sitting). Although you may not enjoy cleaning up your own messes, you will be making a significant con-tribution to some very fine productions. Keep an open mind about learning, cooperate, and be a team player.
DRESS REHEARSAL POLICY
Dress rehearsals always begin at 5:00 p.m. We utilize our time as effectively as possible, but it is the first time we bring together all elements of the production: orchestra, tech, costumes, makeup and the cast. Usually we have only three rehearsals to integrate these elements into one whole. Our goal is to end rehearsals by 9:30 p.m., plus time for clean up.
Students must participate in dress rehearsals in order to work on a show. It is a huge safety issue if students are ill prepared or under-rehearsed. ONLY TRUE emergencies excuse anyone from dress rehearsals -- and they can only be cleared through Ms. Elhai. A true emergency is a severe illness/injury/family emergency. DO NOT expect to be excused because the student and parents did not communicate about our schedule. Tickets to shows or concerts, Dad’s birthday, or a sudden trip to Tahiti are NOT excusable absences. Don’t make this the director’s issue the week of a show. Know your schedule of rehearsals/shows shows. If you have a wedding or other scheduled event the week of the show you should not sign up for that particular show. Non-running crew jobs do not have to attend dress rehearsals.
The directors and production team have high expectations from their students and they expect the same commitment from the cast, crew, and their families.
CHS Theatre Season 2013-2014
FOOT
(Friends of Our Theatre)
Auction
Featuring selections from MATILDA
A Coney Island Christmas
The Miracle Worker
Disney’s Jungle Book
The Odyssey
IB Showcase
Addams Family
FUNDRAISING
The CHS Theatre Department is a self-supporting program. We have an annual budget of approximately $165,000 per year. Listed below are some of the expenses of a typical production year:
Royalties (fee to produce the play)$13,000
Lumber & Paint$38,000
Costumes/Props$20,000/$3,500
Bridges Rental Fees$15,000
Tools/Hardware$8,000/$8,500
Batteries for Body Mics$1,500
Accompanist$8,000
Choreography$25,000
Sound/Lighting $13,200
Festival fees$10,000
Orchestra/Printing$4,000/$8,000
Light Designer/Light rental$5,000
Bridges Set Rental/Trucking$16,000
We raise these expenses through show proceeds, Fall Entertainment Book sales; face painting, CHS Theatre Booster funds, program ads, concessions at shows, etc. Fundraising is a drain on all of us. It is not Ms. Elhai’s favorite activity. If everyone participates, it is less painful for all us all. You can help by bringing any fundraising ideas to Ms. Elhai and by encouraging parents to participate in Booster activities.
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