Hi Jim,
With 8-10 productions per year, and over 500 kids in the program we don't require kids to audition for every show. We expect them to work on at least four shows per year, and that could be as an usher, social media, program design, actor, or anyone of our running crews. This is one of the requirements for staying a Thespian in good standing and being eligible for honors at graduation.
I've found that laying out all of our policies in our constitution (see attached) is the best way to be clear with students and parents. Our constitution is on our theatre website, shared with each kid who starts collecting points, and hard copies are available in the theatre (they are very lonely right now while we are in full time distance learning.)
Creating a troupe constitution with your students will give them a voice in your department policies, and demonstrate to your administration that your Thespians are members of an international honor society on par with the National Honor Society and other honorary organizations.
------------------------------
Krista Carson Elhai
Educational Theatre Foundation National Board of Trustees
CA Educational Theatre Association, Past President
CA Thespians Director of Membership & New Teacher Outreach
Theatre Chair Claremont HS
An International Baccalaureate World School
Claremont CA
------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 11-20-2020 08:15
From: Guy Barbato
Subject: Thespian participation rules
As the troupe director, you have pretty broad discretion about how your troupe operates and what requirements you establish. Once a student is inducted, they are a member of ITS for life, however, you can create any criteria you think appropriate to remain a "member in good standing" (so to speak) of your troupe. You could make it a requirement to audition if you want to, but I do not. Speaking only for myself, I don't want to force students to audition, especially if they know they will not have the time to commit to a role etc. It also seems a bit arbitrary - are mainly "techie" troupe members required to audition as well? or only the students your MD wants to audition?
That being said, we do have a requirement in our troupe that, once inducted, every active member must contribute work equivalent to at least one thespian point to every mainstage production. We felt this was a bare minimum to expect and something that every member could easily meet in a variety of ways, depending on their skills and availability. If they don't, they are considered "inactive" and cannot participate in things like inductions/awards ceremonies, graduation honors etc. Our neighboring troupe phrases it differently, but it is a similar expectation that everyone will contribute in some way. (If they audition and are not cast, they still have to give X number of hours to a crew of their choice etc.)
Best wishes,
~Guy
------------------------------
Guy Barbato
Theatre Teacher/Director
Leonardtown MD
Original Message:
Sent: 11-19-2020 08:40
From: Jim Butz
Subject: Thespian participation rules
Howdy,
I am relatively new to the Thespian world and I have a question for those of you who have been around the block. Do you require all of your Thespian Students to audition for every show in your season? If not audition, is their a requirement that they be involved with every production on some level? I am asking because at my school we divide up our season among a few directors. I direct all of the US plays, the Choir Director directs the Musical and the MS Theatre Teacher directs the MS play/musical. I am the Troupe Director for our Thespian Troupe. Some of our Thespians have let it be known that they will not be auditioning for the upcoming musical. The Choir Director thought it was a rule that all Thespians have to audition. Our constitution is not precise about that requirement, so I'm wondering what some of you do in your own troupes. Thank you for any advice/insight you can provide!
------------------------------
Jim Butz
Drama Teacher
Town and Country MO
------------------------------