DRAMA 1911 and 3910: Rehearsal and Production
The Rehearsal and Production (R&P) enrollment is required in Drama major programs. Most Drama majors will enroll once in 1911 for one credit. DRAMA 3910 must earn a total of two credits either by enrollment in Section 001 in two separate terms or by enrollment in Section 002 in one term. Students in Section 001 will be assigned crew head responsibilities, and students who secure permission and enroll in Section 002 will serve as stage managers or ASMs for productions in the Jones or Weitzenhoffer theatres. Students who enroll in the course will receive assignments to production support, either in the form of running crews or in the audience development area. Students will receive a variety of assignments during their enrollments, except in special emphasis cases. The course has one formal meeting, usually the Wednesday afternoon following casting. This may occur in the second week of the fall semester and the first week of the spring semester. At this meeting there will be a brief explanation of the course intention followed by a sign-up period during which students will indicate the productions that best fit their schedules for the semester. A Production Calendar prepared by the Stage Management faculty will be posted to assist students with planning.
Following the course meeting, usually the next Friday, production faculty and staff will meet to determine crew assignments for the semester based upon the forms submitted by the students. The assignments will be posted on the callboard soon after the meeting, and students must check the posting and initial their acceptance of the assignments.
If special problems/conflicts arise that make it impossible to meet the required assignment, the student must take responsibility to inform the coordinator of the R&P course in writing. If reassignment is possible, the R&P coordinator will make the changes and post a revised crew assignment. If the conflicts are such that reassignment cannot be made, the student must drop the course for the current semester. No “Incompletes” will be given in this course except in the event of genuine unforeseen circumstances. If an “Incomplete” is arranged, a contract will be executed between the student and the School of Drama for timely completion of the course requirements.
Please Note: The R&P assignments are part of a complex arrangement of people and resources necessary to the success of the total production program in the School of Drama. Failure of the individual to honor the assignment or communicate about circumstances that prevent honoring the assignment results in a breakdown of the production system. There are no “automatic Incompletes” given in the course for students who do not meet the expectations of the production programs as a whole.
All students in Drama, Musical Theatre, and Dance are expected to develop time management skills that will assist them to assume backstage responsibilities throughout their undergraduate training.