Gateway Theatre Charter

1. NAME
   The name of this organization shall be Gateway Theatre.
   
   
   
2. PURPOSE
   The purpose of Gateway Theatre is to provide a non-professional, recreational community theatre outlet to students. This directly implies providing opportunities for performance, for growth in theatre knowledge and skills, and for attendance of live theatre.
   
   In keeping with this purpose, Gateway Theatre shall not charge admission or request donations for any events.
   
   
   
3. MEMBERSHIP and PARTICIPATION
   Membership in Gateway Theatre is determined solely by participation. Any student who participates in any Gateway production will be considered a member of the organization for that semester and the two semesters following. Only members of Gateway Theatre may run for offices and vote in officer elections.
   
   
   
4. ADMINISTRATION
   Gateway Theatre is administered by a steering committee. The steering committee consists of all the officers of the organization and any other interested members. Assistantships may also be added to the offices to relieve overextended duties. Only officers may vote on issues before the steering committee, although any member may contribute to discussion and bring up issues before the committee. The duties of the steering committee include: evaluation and approval of production proposals, budget allocations to productions, and administration of all productions. Except where this Charter states otherwise, all meetings of the steering committee shall be run by Parliamentary procedure. The steering committee may amend this Charter by a two-thirds vote of all officers.
   1. General Manager (GM). Also known as president. The GM is responsible for the administration of the entire organization and all of its activities. Duties include running all steering committee meetings, attending SAFC budget hearings, and performing all central administrative duties. With the treasurer, the general manager establishes an annual budget for the organization.
   2. Treasurer. Also known as financial manager. The treasurer applies for all appropriate grants from the several available finance commissions and program boards. Duties include applying for SAFC funding, attending SAFC budget hearings, and collecting receipts during productions for subsequent reimbursement. With the GM, the treasurer establishes an annual budget for the organization. The treasurer works with the production team in finalizing a complete itemized budget for each production. The treasurer also advises the steering committee and production team of budget considerations when establishing the budgets of individual productions. The treasurer is responsible for all receipts and moneys for the organization.
   3. Artistic Director (AD). The artistic director oversees the artistic aspects of each production and keeps an eye out for problems, keeping shows running smoothly. Duties may include finding (or assisting in finding) a stage manager and house manager for each production, as well as stage crew; accounting for all furniture, properties, scripts/scores, copyrights, and costumes and makeup for each production; serving in an advisory position when issues or problems arise; and acting as liaison between the production team and the steering committee.
   4. Technical Coordinator (TD). The technical coordinator (also known as technical director or TD) oversees the technical aspects of each production, perhaps evaluating other interested students in order to delegate the technical aspects of each production appropriately. Duties may include finding (or assist in finding) a technical director, set designer, set construction manager, lighting designer, sound designer, light-board operator, sound-board operator, and surplus techies for each production. The TD trains all interested techies in the proper use of equipment. The TD also contacts Environmental Health and Safety to schedule the fire-inspection appointment required of every production.
   5. Publicity Manager (PM). The publicity manager advertises every Gateway event; this includes workshops as well as productions. Scheduled times/locations are sent to the PM from the production team. Production duties include advertising auditions, callbacks, and performances. Publicity may include chalking, newspaper advertisements, posters and quarter-sheets, sandwich-postering, and skywriting, among others. The PM works with the computing associate to advertise online.
   6. Historian. The historian keeps all records of Gateway Theatre events, including videotaping performances whenever possible. The historian may work with the computing associate for online storage of materials and attempt to fill alumni requests for historical materials.
   7. Secretary. The secretary takes minutes at Gateway meetings and sends them to the Steering Committee listserv, sends periodic Newsletters to the general Gateway listserv, and insures that Gateway is run according to the policies of this Charter.
   8. Members-At-Large. Up to two members-at-large shall represent the body of members as a whole as officers of the steering committee, and may help any other officers in filling the responsibilities of their offices as appropriate.
   9. Social Chair (SC). An optional position. The social chair organizes all Gateway parties. Duties include determining party locations and budgeting for party supplies. The SC receives cast party information from the production team, and may work with the treasurer.
   10. Computing Associate. An optional position. The computing associate maintains the Gateway listservs and updates the Gateway webpage on a regular basis. Listserv maintenance duties include insuring that all board members, directors and stage managers are subscribed to the Steering Committee listserv, and that all new persons working on Gateway shows are added to the general Gateway listserv. Webmastering duties include updating production information and maintaining online records. The computing associate receives production information from the production team and PM, and might additionally work with the historian to catalogue online materials. (If necessary, this position may be filled by two persons, a webmaster and a listserv manager.)
   
   
   
5. ELECTIONS
   Officers are elected annually to serve during the following academic year. Any member of Gateway Theatre may run for an office and/or may vote for candidates. A student desiring to run for an office may announce her/his intentions in advance, or may nominate him/herself at the elections. Before they are nominated, each candidate shall receive a written copy of the officer duties outlined in Section IV above.
   
   Each candidate shall give a brief presentation of her/his goals and qualifications; this will be followed by a brief question and answer period. When all candidates for an office have presented themselves, a secret ballot will be held. Votes should be tallied immediately and the result announced. If an unsuccessful candidate desires to run for another office, s/he may then nominate him/herself for that office.
   
   The officers shall be elected in the order that they are described in Section IV of this Charter.
   
   
   
6. PROPOSAL AND PRODUCTION
   Anyone may apply to direct a play, musical, or other theatrical performance. Applications to produce using the name and resources of Gateway Theatre must be submitted in a timely matter at a date determined by the steering committee. The application should include the following in the order given:
   1. Director. The director's qualifications and specific self-determined duties must be listed. If an assistant director is involved, her/his qualifications and duties must also be listed. The director may be considered as the person whose ideas will structure the production and who has the final say in artistic decisions. Directors who are also officers may not participate in the evaluations of their own proposals.
   2. Synopsis. This must include a general overview of the production concept, plot, setting, cast size, and all characters.
   3. Budget. The itemized budget should be as detailed as possible to ensure sufficient grant funding. This includes costs for properties, scripts/scores, copyrights, costumes and makeup, set materials (include a set design if possible), publicity, and any technical requirements beyond standard theater fare.
   4. Timeline. An anticipated schedule of audition, rehearsal, and performance dates should be provided. Applicants may also submit preferred locations for each of these events.
   5. Crew. Any additional predetermined crew and their qualifications and duties must also be listed. This includes a stage manager, technical director, set designer, set construction manager, lighting designer, sound designer, light-board operator, sound-board operator, stage crew, and surplus techies.
   6. Script/Score. A copy of the full script must be provided.
   
   
   
7. PRODUCTION TEAM
   Once a production team has been approved by the steering committee, they take on the responsibilities of booking times/locations for and holding auditions and callbacks, casting the production, developing and implementing scenic design, and performing. The production team is expected to carry out their duties to the steering committee roughly in this order:
   1. work with the AD to finalize logistic/artistic aspects for the budget
   2. work with the TD to finalize technical aspects for the budget
   3. send the finalized budget to the treasurer
   4. send the schedule of auditions to the PM
   5. if applicable, work with the AD to find a stage manager and stage crew
   6. if applicable, work with the AD to acquire furniture, properties, scripts/scores, copyrights, and costumes and makeup
   7. if applicable, work with the TD to find a technical director, set designer, set construction manager, lighting designer, sound designer, light-board operator, sound-board operator, and surplus techies
   8. if applicable, work with the TD to acquire building tools/materials; create the scene!
   9. send the times/locations of performances to the PM
   10. send production receipts to the treasurer for reimbursement
   Once a budget and production dates have been jointly determined by the production team and the steering committee, the production team will be expected to produce within these boundaries. The production team has full responsibility for achieving their proposed goals. The steering committee will take any necessary corrective action if it feels it has adequate cause, but normally plays only an advisory role in daily production activities.