Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies Roadmap

Download and review the TDPS Producer’s Packet.

• This is the time to start hashing out what you want the set, lights, and seating arrangement to do. It isn’t necessary to make final decisions at this stage, but it will be helpful to have a few strong ideas about what your team wants when you fill out your CPA application. Bring the application to the meeting and make sure you leave with all of the information you need. Be sure to include the budget in your discussion.
• Confirm that performance rights are available for any copyrighted material included in your show. This process is often initiated by the executive producers. Check to make sure things are on track before you apply for funding.

If you plan to include staged combat in your production you will need to complete and submit to UP a Prop Weapon & Stage Combat Request Form by the CPA deadline at the beginning of the semester in which the production will occur. If you plan to include prop weapons in your production you will need to complete and submit the form at least 6 weeks prior to your first performance.

• Set up a file sharing system that all of your team members can access, including the TDPS TD and PM. You should create folders for each department as well as for budgeting, recruiting and basic show information.  This should be complete by the first time you meet as a group. 
• Using the Production Calendar Guidelines, create a production calendar with deadlines tailored to the needs of your production. Distribute this calendar to your design team as soon as possible, as many deadlines will be earlier than they expect.

• Schedule a meeting with Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies Technical Director and Production Manager to discuss your contact sheet, calendar, and budget worksheet.
• If using prop weapons, complete the Prop Weapon & Staged Combat Request Form on the UP website.
• Note the date of your design presentation (scheduled during the Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies 4901 seminars), generally four weeks prior to load in.

• Make sure the stage manager and director have a plan to distribute rehearsal reports to the members of your production team and the Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies TD and PM after each rehearsal. This is an essential tool for fostering and maintaining communication between artistic departments and your support staff. 

  Download and view a sample Rehearsal Report. 

  Download the Rehearsal Report template (MS Word).

• Schedule a practice design presentation for all members of the design team to present their designs to the Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies TD and PM.
  • Ask each designer to bring some kind of research (images, sounds, objects) that gives a sense of what they mean to do. After the Director presents a brief overview of the project for the group, ask each designer to present their ideas.
  • Be prepared to present the production schedule, noting major design deadlines, an outline of the rehearsal schedule, the first run-through, and any other production-specific benchmarks, such as recording, costume fittings, special materials acquisitions, etc.

Ensure that as many members of your team as possible can attend the TDPS 4901 Design Presentation. Using the practice meeting as a model, assist the executive producer in presenting the production to the class.

• Once the design is set, continue to schedule weekly production meetings. This should be with all of your department heads if scheduling allows, but if not you should check in with each design team at least once a week.  Make sure everyone is following the same plan, knows what their deadlines are, and that groups with overlapping needs are effectively communicating with each other. For guidelines on running meetings, see Notes on Notes: How to Run a Production Meeting.
• Read and respond to rehearsal reports as appropriate. Look for issues that may affect more than one department. Think about ways that you can assist in problem-solving.

Schedule a meeting with Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies TD to discuss plans for load-in and to ensure you have an adequate crew, some of whom will need training. Your plans should include call times, duties and crew assignments, as well as times and lengths of breaks.  

Distribute the load-in and tech schedule to all confirmed crew members. In your email, include reminders about proper clothing, tool and scaffolding training, and general safety procedures.

• All construction, rigging, and overhead work must be scheduled with and supervised by the Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies technical director.  The producer is responsible for not only coordinating this work with the TD, but for acting as their primary aide and manager of the work force.  A specific list of activities that require supervision can be found here.
• For calls that don’t require TD supervision, the producer acts as primary supervisor. The producer is solely responsible for ensuring that all work areas are left clean and safe and that no work occurs after midnight. 
• If prop weapons are needed, fill out the Prop Weapon Chain of Custody form and submit to the UP at least 24 hours in advance, so that their officer has adequate time to notify the Yale Police. Download and print the Prop Weapon Check-In Log and post it on the weapons cabinet. Though you may delegate the task of maintaining this log to the Stage Manager or other appropriate person, the responsibility for making sure it’s done is yours.
• Make a plan for managing front-of-house activities during performances:
  • Confirm with the TDPS TD that a House Manager has been assigned to each performance and invited dress, and send their names and which performances they’re managing to the stage manager.  
  • Meet with the director and stage manager to determine where the audience will gather before the show, when the house will open, and at what point it will be appropriate to admit latecomers.
  • Recruit ushers, keeping in mind that you’ll need at least two ushers for the first 50 audience members and one for every 50 after that.
  • Before opening reservations on YDC, confirm the approved number of seats for your production with the TDPS TD. You must reserve 5 seats for TDPS faculty and 4 seats for Front of House staff in addition to any you want to hold for production members and VIPs. 
• Print the poster, playbill and any other publicity materials. Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies sets certain content requirements for senior projects (See the producer’s packet, Appendix J, for a detailed description). Download a playbill template. 

• Technical rehearsals and unsupervised work calls may be scheduled at the Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies Black Box any time before midnight during your residency in consultation with the technical director. As with load-in, the producer is responsible for ensuring that the space is left clean and that all work, rehearsals and meetings end by midnight.
• Technical rehearsals may require TD supervision if the production includes complicated rigging or fight choreography. This time should be scheduled by you in advance and at the discretion of the TD.
• Lead the notes sessions (midnight meetings) following each technical rehearsal. These meetings should begin no later than 11:45 pm. Ask for a brief report from the director and each department head. This time is best used for issues that affect multiple departments- encourage breakout meetings for one-on-one issues. Consider yourself to be an active agent in solving any problems that arise. More guidelines for how to run effective meetings may be found in Notes on Notes: How to Run a Production Meeting.
• Before the Fire Inspection, make sure that all scenic materials have been tested and that swatches are available for inspection by the fire marshal. Make sure the Fire Drill Log and a ground plan are available as well. Attend the inspection, and ensure that all requests are addressed as soon as possible.

• Though the producer isn’t required to attend every performance, it is ultimately their responsibility to ensure that the theater is clean and orderly when the audience enters the house, that the proper number of ushers is in attendance (the producer may be required to stand in for no-shows), and that the light booth, tool room, and storage areas are locked at the end of the night.
• Ensure that all prop weapons are accounted for both before and after each performance.
• Ensure the stage manager generates and distributes timely performance reports. Read them and respond as appropriate.

• Schedule a strike meeting with the technical director once the show is open. Email the cast and production team to ensure that they’ll be there on the final night of the performance, dressed appropriately and prepared to work. Make sure that the crew includes several ladder/scaffolding-trained individuals.
• The technical director will oversee the strike but again will rely on you as the primary aide and supervisor of the work force. On the night of the final performance, a generous 20 minutes should be given to after-show socializing. After 20 minutes, turn on the work lights and politely request that the audience members exit the theater so that strike can begin. 
• Strike must conclude by 1:00 am. In the case that strike cannot be completed in time, the producer is responsible for coordinating its completion with the technical director and, if necessary, the incoming producer. This includes props set aside for return to the warehouse.

• Ensure that all rental items are returned on time.
• Schedule a meeting with the production manager to finalize production accounting and facilitate reimbursements.