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GUIDELINES FOR WORKSHOP PRODUCTIONS
About the process. Not the product.
Exploration and experimentation in the tradition of the JMU Experimental Theatre Program.
Additional production opportunities for students, without tech.
1. FUNDING THAT CAN BE PROVIDED: School funding can be made available for reasonable royalty fees. The School can also purchase/rent published scripts and copy one draft of an original unpublished script, but only enough for the director, one stage manager, and each of the actors in the cast. Workshop proposals may not be approved if royalties and/or scripts are too costly. NOTE: School copy machines CANNOT be utilized at any time for any purpose for Workshop productions, including copying scripts or making promptbooks.
2. PRODUCTION SUPPORT: There is absolutely none. Productions should utilize furniture that exists in the spaces in which performances will occur, or directors may request permission to borrow furniture from other locations. Furniture that is moved from one space to another may ONLY be moved with approval from the School Director. If temporary furniture re-location is approved, the furniture can ONLY be moved immediately prior to the start of each rehearsal/performance and MUST be returned to their original spaces at the end of each rehearsal/performance.
3. PUBLICITY: There are no funds provided by the School for publicity. Photocopies for publicity cannot be made on School copy machines (see item 1 above).
4. SPACE: Rehearsal and performance space is not guaranteed for productions, but faculty will work closely with students to secure appropriate space for each show. The mainstage and the studio theatres are not available. Suggestions include 2240, 1220, the Wayland Performance Studio, other theatrical venues on campus, outdoor productions, and other found spaces. Once a space is approved for a production, the director must work with the appropriate individuals and/or campus offices to formally reserve the space.
5. CASTING: Directors are encouraged to utilize an open audition process, but there is no formal audition or casting process that is required. Directors of all Experimental Theatre productions, including Workshops, should work together to coordinate casting whenever possible in order to ensure opportunities for the maximum number of students. Any roles that are pre-cast must be clarified in audition announcements. Cast lists must be approved by Faculty advisors and then posted.
6. CONFLICT WITH OTHER SHOWS: Workshop production rehearsal processes and/or performances may or may not conflict with other shows. Directors must use their own discretion in terms of casting actors who have conflicts due to other productions. However, one of the goals of Workshop productions is to provide additional opportunities for students; as such, directors are encouraged to cast students not already working on other productions.
7. REHEARSAL TIME/SCHEDULE: Directors must work with their faculty production advisors to determine an appropriate rehearsal schedule no more than 29 hours. Those hours include performances. The number of rehearsal hours (less than 29) should be based on the particular nature of the project at hand, but the required time commitment should not exceed 29 hours (including performances). There is no need to map out the entire rehearsal process in the proposal, but a rehearsal plan that proposes the total number of rehearsal hours is necessary to clarify the vision of the project and determine whether or not it is appropriate as a Workshop.
8. PROPOSAL PROCESS: Students proposing Workshops are required to submit a one to two page proposal that includes the following elements:
A. The title of the project, the name(s) of the proposer(s), and the faculty advisor.
B. A description of the project
C. An explanation of why the proposer(s) want(s) to pursue the project
D. A rough estimate of the personnel required
E. An outline of the rehearsal process, including the total number of hours being requested for rehearsal
F. A space or spaces that could be utilized for the performances
G. Funding that is requested for royalties and scripts (Note: any potential overages to approved funding will not be absorbed by the School.)
Proposals will be due at the same time that studio proposals are due, and the standard Faculty/Stratford voting process will be used to select Workshops that are approved for production.
9. NEW WORK: Faculty encourage students to particularly use Workshop opportunities to experiment with new work.
10. CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK: Workshop performances should be followed by Talk Back sessions in order to gather audience reactions and input. No formal postmortems will be held. Faculty are encouraged to attend Workshop productions so that direct faculty input and feedback can be provided to student artists working on the productions.
12/10/15