Welcome to Students Producing Innovative Theater
S.P.I.T. is West High club that creates a show that is student directed, student acted, and entirely student produced. To join, ask one of the student directors or teacher sponsors or simply show up to the try-outs.
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S.P.I.T.
Students Producing Innovative Theatre
Guidelines & Procedures
West High School
PREREQUISITE: Any student wishing to be a Director for SPIT must have completed at least one higher-level theater course or participated in two plays (or musicals) prior to the SPIT opportunity. Students with special circumstances may be considered who do not have this prerequisite, but have to submit a paragraph explaining why they should be considered.
CHOOSING A DIRECTOR
SPIT Directors will be chosen using the following procedure:
CHOOSING THE PLAYS
CHOOSING A CAST (AUDITIONS)
COMMUNICATION & MEETINGS
OVERALL PLANNING CALENDAR
REHEARSALS
PERFORMANCE NIGHTS
· Light Board- As our light board is an incredibly expensive piece of equipment, only those who have been trained by the Theatre West Director may use the light board in the Little Theatre. This includes even basic functions such as turning the board on and off.
o Light board operators may be trained for each production, or as the SPIT team finds necessary.
o Students will not move, fix, or refocus lighting instruments without the presence of an adult.
· Any damage to the space must be reported immediately.
· Any injury or unsafe behavior must be reported to the SPIT Sponsor, a building administrator, or building service worker immediately. SPIT Directors should have contact phone numbers of the SPIT Sponsor(s) on them at all times.
· Any student using illegal substances during the SPIT rehearsal or production period will be removed from the SPIT production. In addition, all West High policies and procedures regarding student conduct and eligibility must be followed.
Students Producing Innovative Theatre
Guidelines & Procedures
West High School
PREREQUISITE: Any student wishing to be a Director for SPIT must have completed at least one higher-level theater course or participated in two plays (or musicals) prior to the SPIT opportunity. Students with special circumstances may be considered who do not have this prerequisite, but have to submit a paragraph explaining why they should be considered.
CHOOSING A DIRECTOR
SPIT Directors will be chosen using the following procedure:
- Posting of an application for SPIT Director position on the Theatre Call Board (and around school, if necessary)
- All Applications for SPIT Director position will be reviewed by current SPIT Directors and team.
- All Applicants will be given an interview by current SPIT Directors and SPIT Sponsor(s) at a mutually agreeable time/date.
- Final SPIT Director choosing for the next year’s comedy and drama will be agreed upon between the current SPIT Directors and the SPIT Sponsor(s). If they cannot choose together, SPIT Sponsor(s) makes the final choice. However, all efforts should be made to agree together on the Director choices and team that works with them.
CHOOSING THE PLAYS
- SPIT Directors are responsible for finding their own One Act play to be performed (one drama, one comedy). They may use published, original, or unpublished pieces written by friends or students at West High School.
- Script choices must be submitted to the SPIT Sponsor(s) two months prior to the start of rehearsals (usually at the beginning of November).
- Script choices must be made that are appropriate for student and parent audiences. Appropriate content will be determined by the SPIT Sponsor(s) and, if necessary, the school principal.
- Each One Act play will not exceed one hour in performance time, for a total of two hours of performance time.
- SPIT (as a club) is responsible for paying the rights and royalties for their production, and for presenting any contractual paperwork to the SPIT Sponsor. The SPIT Sponsor(s) can detail how this is best handled.
CHOOSING A CAST (AUDITIONS)
- SPIT Directors will not precast shows.
- SPIT Directors will hold formal auditions on multiple nights, and give all audition participants an equal chance to audition.
- SPIT Directors will submit their cast choices (cast list) to the SPIT Sponsor BEFORE posting it, in order that the SPIT sponsor may confirm eligibility of the cast members chosen.
COMMUNICATION & MEETINGS
- SPIT Directors and SPIT Sponsor will meet once a week, on a mutually agreeable date and time, to discuss problems, concerns, and needs.
- SPIT Directors will communicate immediately or at the earliest possible time with SPIT Sponsor in the event that there is an emergency or significant change in plans.
OVERALL PLANNING CALENDAR
- September- SPIT Directors and team meet with SPIT Sponsor to make sure everyone is still “on board”. General dates to reserve the theatre space MUST be made in September.
- September/October- SPIT Directors meet once every two weeks with SPIT Sponsor to discuss and plan for SPIT production details and get things moving.
- November (first week)- SPIT Directors submit script choices to SPIT Sponsor(s)
- December- SPIT Directors obtain performance rights (if necessary) and begin preparation for auditions.
- December (week before break)- SPIT Directors will hold auditions to cast the productions.
- January (first week back from winter break)- SPIT Directors will begin rehearsals
- Production is usually the last week in January or first week in February, and will be for two nights (Friday and Saturday nights).
REHEARSALS
- Submit a typed schedule of rehearsal times/dates, and performance times/dates to the SPIT Sponsor (ex: Ms. Meinel), so he/she can reserve the Little Theater and let building services know when students will be in the building.
- Ask the teacher occupying the attached classroom if his/her space may be used for costume changes in the evenings during Tech Week and Performance night (ex: Ms. Halvorson).
- Schedule of Tech workdays- an adult must be present when ladders, power tools, or other potentially hazardous activities are being undertaken. Submit a schedule of workdays to the SPIT Sponsor(s) so an adult can be present. The adult does not have to be the SPIT Sponsor, but the sponsor must know and approve the supervising adult.
PERFORMANCE NIGHTS
- Reserve a cash box for tickets for each performance from Val Donohoe in the main office (Business Secretary). Make sure to get plenty of $1 and $5 bills.
- Reserve a cash box for concessions for each performance from Val Donohoe in the main office (Business Secretary). Again, make sure to get plenty of $1 and $5 bills.
- Ask building services for two folding tables and chairs for the commons area to sell tickets and concessions before the show and during intermission.
- Make sure building services knows the hours you plan to be in the building prior to and after each performance (for example: Friday night from 5pm to 10pm, for a 7:30pm show). This allows them to schedule building service coverage.
- There must be a supervising adult at each performance (probably the SPIT Sponsor or another approved adult).
- Students will not handle money without adult supervision.
- Posters and any advertising postings must be approved by the SPIT Sponsor prior to printing or posting of information.
- Ask the Sponsor to email the school webmaster to post the SPIT performances on-line on the school’s website and main page.
- Programs are limited to one page, two sided, black-and-white, unless discussed with the SPIT Sponsor. Programs should be submitted to the SPIT sponsor two weeks prior to opening night for approval.
- Students may ask the SPIT Sponsor to print programs and posters at school, or may take posters and programs to be printed (often in color) at an outside resource (ex: Copyworks or Zephyr Printing). Both places do offer a teacher/school discount, and Copyworks has an account with West- so they will submit an invoice to the school that the school will then pay out of the SPIT account.
- All receipts and reimbursements must be signed for by the SPIT Sponsor before Val Donohoe will cut you a check. Please see your SPIT Sponsor or Val Donohoe for the necessary paperwork that must be attached to receipts.
- PROPS
- Purchase and acquisition of props is up to the SPIT Directors and team.
- Borrowing props from the Theatre West Prop Library is permitted and encouraged, but ONLY with prior approval of the Theatre West Director.
- SPIT must submit a written inventory of what is borrowed.
- Any borrowed props that are damaged or lost must be replaced or paid for.
- Props may be kept backstage in the Little Theater in the Props closet. Props will be picked up and put away each night after rehearsal.
- BUILDING MATERIALS
- Building materials and paint for sets may be purchased through a vendor of the SPIT Director(s) choosing. SPIT Directors will have to pay out of pocket and be reimbursed.
- Menards has an account with West High and will deliver wood products (for a fee). You will need a purchase order from the main office (see Val Donohoe), signed by the SPIT Sponsor before going to Menards.
- Students will not attach building or set materials to the floors, walls, or other permanent surfaces without the express permission of the SPIT Sponsor, Theatre West Director, and Building Services.
- COSTUMES
- SPIT Directors and team are responsible for acquisition of, purchase of, or rental of all costumes for their productions.
- Costumes may be borrowed from the Theatre West costume loft on several conditions:
- SPIT Sponsor is present at costume pull day (from the loft)
- SPIT Directors will clean, replace, or fix any costumes borrowed from Theatre West.
- A list of costume pieces borrowed is typed and submitted to the Theatre West Director.
- Costumes will be kept on a rack backstage or in a dressing room in between rehearsals and performances.
· Light Board- As our light board is an incredibly expensive piece of equipment, only those who have been trained by the Theatre West Director may use the light board in the Little Theatre. This includes even basic functions such as turning the board on and off.
o Light board operators may be trained for each production, or as the SPIT team finds necessary.
o Students will not move, fix, or refocus lighting instruments without the presence of an adult.
· Any damage to the space must be reported immediately.
· Any injury or unsafe behavior must be reported to the SPIT Sponsor, a building administrator, or building service worker immediately. SPIT Directors should have contact phone numbers of the SPIT Sponsor(s) on them at all times.
· Any student using illegal substances during the SPIT rehearsal or production period will be removed from the SPIT production. In addition, all West High policies and procedures regarding student conduct and eligibility must be followed.