Hi Nancy!
We also use contracts at my school. I'm not sure what yours looks like, but for ours, they are allowed 1 or 2 unexcused absences (depending on the length of the production). Once they hit that mark, consequences set in. Typically it is losing a performance. That means we use understudies from the get-go. Everyone is aware of the set up, and the understudies work pretty hard to be ready.
It has been awhile since we've had a major issue. A couple of years ago we had a couple of performers lose a performance, but the understudies were ready.
Something else that we have done the past two years is hold a parent meeting for the show. They can be held either as part of a pre-audition/callout meeting, or as a meeting after the show has been cast. This would be another opportunity to emphasize with parents the importance of the rehearsal schedule and for scheduling things outside of that time.
Oh, something else we do (and you might already do this), is have students list what conflicts they have with the rehearsal schedule before they audition. This goes on their callout form that lists all the other particulars about themselves. Our rule is that if we cast you and you have put those conflicts on there, those absences will be excused. Otherwise, they will be unexcused. This is good especially for those pesky ortho appointments!
I hope this has helped!
Ray
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Raymond Palasz
Schererville IN
Original Message:
Sent: 10-20-2015 07:13
From: Nancy Curtis
Subject: Holding Students Accountable to Rehearsal Schedules
Our production program is extracurricular. Increasingly, parents make last minute appointments and pull students out of rehearsal or refuse to allow students to stay until the end of rehearsal because it doesn't meet their schedules. I have contracts in place but those are largely un-enforceable. I would appreciate any suggestions of tactics anyone uses to handle these problems.
Nancy Curtis
Director of Theatre Arts
www.patriotplayhouse.org
State Board: Virginia Thespians
www.vathespian.org
Member: USITT/Chesapeake Region
An amateur rehearses until he gets it right.
A professional rehearses until he can't get it wrong.