Production policies and technical information

Scene Shop, Costume Shop and Prop Shop, performance venues:

• You will be informed of proper behavior, standard operating procedures and safety rules when you begin working in a shop. These rules are in place to create a safe and peaceful workplace for all. Please help us to ensure these rules are respected at all times.
• As mandated by University policies, food and drink are not permitted in any shop or performance venue. When you arrive, you will be shown where you may eat and drink safely on your breaks.
• As mandated by University policies, the use of cellphones is not permitted while you are working. It is distracting for you and for the others around you. If you need to make a call or send an email, please inform the shop head at the beginning of your work shift and briefly step outside of the workspace to use your phone.
• All University policies are in place in the shop. They can be found here: http://www.concordia.ca/about/policies.html
• Please note that priority is given to students using scenic elements, props or costumes for the Department of Theatre Outcomes.
• Standard Operating Procedures in Faculty of Fine Arts labs and technical spaces: https://www.concordia.ca/content/dam/concordia/services/safety/docs/SOP_General_Fine_Arts.pdf

Costume Storage - H0046

• Hours TBA
• Appointments for visits for rentals, returns and viewing contact: costume.storage@concordia.ca
• No walk-ins are accepted.

Costume shop - GM 540

• Hours Fall 2021:
  • Monday-Friday 9:00am - 12:00pm and 1:00pm-5:00pm

For access to shop contact: laura.acosta@concordia.ca

See procedures for in-person activities. Only permitted for classes with in-person activities.

Scene shop Storage is located on the Loyola Campus, PS 145 Access for borrowing & returns is by appointment only.

Appointments:

To make an appointment, please contact the Head of the Scene Shop, Marlene Lucas at marlene.lucas@concordia.ca

All relevant paperwork must be completed, before items are removed from storage.

PLEASE NOTE:

• Appointment times are between 10am-12pm and 1pm-4pm. Tuesday – Friday. Evening appointments are not possible.
• If you need to cancel an appointment, you must get in touch with Marlene Lucas as soon as possible by email at marlene.lucas@concordia.ca. Please do not call the shop office. The phone is not heard with the shop tools are being used.
• If you are more than 10 minutes late, your appointment might be canceled.

When working in the shops please bring:

• Water Bottle
• Work Gloves (these cannot be shared due to COVID)
• Steel Toe Boots

See procedures for in-person activities. Only permitted for classes with in-person activities.

Properties Storage is located on the Loyola Campus, PS 245-2

Photos of most of our properties can be found on Theatre Department Props website at http://theatre.concordia.ca/props/

Please consult this site before requesting any items. Availability and state of items may change. Access for borrowing/pick-up & returns is by appointment only.

Appointments: via ZOOM

• To make an appointment, please contact: propstorage@concordia.ca AND dominique.coughlin@concordia.ca
• Be prepared with a complete list of all items required and visual references for more accurate pulling.
• Clearly indicate what production or class your request is for and the dates for which the items are needed.

PLEASE NOTE:

• Appointment times are Tuesday & Wednesday between 10am-12pm and 1pm – 4pm. Evening appointments are not possible.
• If you need to cancel an appointment, you must get in touch with the Head of the Properties Shop, Dominique Coughlin as soon as possible by email at dominique.coughlin@concordia.ca. Please do not call the shop office. The phone is not heard with the shop tools are being used.
• If you are more than 10 minutes late, your appointment might be canceled.

Before any prop firearms are used on stage or for class performances at Concordia, you need approval from Faculty or Stage Management. After which, the following steps must be followed:

• You must submit a description and photo(s) of the firearm(s) – ideally from the prop shop inventory.
• Include the date and time of arrival of firearms on campus, purpose, location and dates and times of use to the Stage Supervisor of the venue, who will forward it to the Security Department for analysis.
• Once your request has been approved by Security and the Stage Supervisor, the following steps must be followed:
• Upon arrival on campus, you are required to present yourself and the prop / fake firearm at the Security Control Centre (H118 at SGW campus or SP170 at Loyola campus)
• A designated security agent will escort you from the security office to your event venue.
• The prop / fake firearms must be hidden from view. The prop / fake firearm should not be in a rifle bag of anything that would resemble a riffle bag
• The prop / fake firearm must have an orange tip to signify that it is not real.
• The Stage Supervisor or their representative will ensure that the prop / fake firearm will be kept in a secure and hidden location, when not in use onstage.
• The client must designate a responsible person (eg Stage Manager, Technical Director) who will, in conjunction with the Stage Supervisor, create a protocol document describing the offstage storage and onstage use of said prop / fake firearm. See attached example.
• The prop / fake firearm cannot shoot any projectiles *including water pistols.
• It is required to place a sign in the lobby area of the venue, warning the audience that a prop / fake firearm will be used during the presentation.
• You will need to contact Security at 514-848-3717 when you are ready to leave the venue with the prop / fake firearm and protocol applies (no rifle bag etc).

Please keep in mind that the concept of responsible ownership applies to both real guns and fake guns. We recommend that the above guidelines be followed in order to avoid any legal complications or future space booking privileges

NOTE:

…firearms (refer to “la loi Anastasia”, also known as the Act to protect persons with regard to activities involving firearms R.S.Q., chapter P-38.001) or other special effects used in the Space, without the prior written description of the use of said special effects and the written and signed permission given by the Owner. The Owner maintains the right to disallow or ban any special effects in the Space, at any time, either before, upon or after signature of this Agreement.

EXAMPLE PROTOCOL FOR REHEARSALS & PERFORMANCES

In conjunction with the TD & Stage Manager, establish a protocol for using the firearm during rehearsals & performances.

N.B. The firearm should remain in its secure location until it is required and returned to this location as quickly as possible. It must never be left unattended backstage.

Outline of the Protocol Document:

• Weapons Protocol for: Title of Show
• Performance Venue:
• Technical Rehearsal: Date (0.00 pm – 0.00 pm) Performances: Date (0.00 pm – 0.00 pm)
• Date (0.00 pm – 0.00 pm)
• Date (0.00 pm – 0.00 pm) Description of weapon(s):

PROCEDURE DURING REHEARSALS & PERFORMANCES:

1. Weapons Master unlocks the weapon & takes it backstage.
2. Weapons Master remains with the weapon until handing it to the actor just before their entrance.
3. At the end of the scene the actor returns the weapon to the Weapons Master. (If the weapon is required for a subsequent scene, it can remain back-stage but must NOT be left unattended – include additional steps as required).
4. Weapons Master returns the weapon to the secure lock-up.

The above procedure is a basic outline. Your document must include names of all personnel involved; each step should also clearly indicate when it takes place – e.g. 1. During Act 1, Scene 2…, & include details on locations.

Before committing to the use of a stage weapon or bringing any rehearsal props resembling a firearm on campus, please contact Head of Props to clarify the protocol and advising the appropriate people.

Only staff will be driving the van during COVID.

The SVPP must approve all requests for van use. The van may only be driven by an employee or work-study employee of the University for insurance reasons.

As its primary goal, The Concordia University Centre for Creative Reuse collects both conventional and unconventional material out of the Concordia’s waste stream. The collected items are made available for free. For more information, visit their website:

Concordia University Centre for Creative Reuse

For each production-related course they enroll in, students are required to pay a $25 fee. These help us to offset the cost of “consumables”—defined as “goods that that may be destroyed, dissipated, wasted, or spent.” In our case this applies to items such as: specialized lamps for theatrical lighting and projection equipment; gels and gobos; elements of cabling, and lost or damaged connectors; various kinds of tape; fabric, thread, and notions for costumes; wood, wire, metal, and other materials for sets and props; paper and programs; photographs; various kinds of classroom supplies, lost or damaged hand tools, etc.

The job of Stage Manager at Concordia University is performed by a student as part of their learning process. The Student Stage Manager will have access to a Stage Management Supervisor throughout the rehearsal process and the run of the production. This will include the preparatory work done before rehearsals begin. From time to time and on an individual need basis, the Supervisor may attend a part of certain rehearsals as well as Tech Week Rehearsals to help guide the students in their role. The supervisor will be meeting with the Stage Manager regularly outside of rehearsals and will be cced on all email communication, including rehearsal notes and schedules, preset and running cue paperwork and communications with the Production Team.

The responsibilities of a Stage Manager in the Concordia University Theatre Department include:

• Maintaining a prompt book, which contains all cues, technical notes, blocking and other information pertinent to the production.
• Helping establish a rehearsal schedule and ensuring that rehearsals run on time. The stage manager typically documents each rehearsal in rehearsal notes. The cast should be informed of the rehearsal call times for the following day’s rehearsal as soon as possible after being released from their rehearsal day.
• During Tech Week and after Opening, the Stage Manager controls all aspects of the performance by calling the cues for all transitions, lighting, sound and acts as the communications hub for the cast and crew. Large productions may utilize a stage management team in which the Stage Manager is responsible for calling the show while other team members operate backstage to ensure actors and crew are ready to perform their duties. The Stage Management team will be responsible for the presetting of the props and costumes or overseeing the crew in running the show. Proper tracking paperwork of all of these elements will be
• created and updated throughout rehearsals and Tech Week and issued to all team members and supervisors involved.
• Create and issue a Show Report after each public performance and distribute it to the following list of team members and faculty: The Chair, Artistic Director, theDirector, the Design Supervisor, the SVPP and the Stage Supervisor, the Shop Heads, and the Stage Management Supervisor.
• Create a daily rehearsal schedule according to the requirements of the director as well as an over-all general rehearsal schedule that will be distributed to the cast and production team prior to the first day of rehearsal.
• Create and distribute rehearsal notes after each rehearsal up until Preview, at which point Show Reports will replace this form of communication.

Rehearsals are scheduled during the class time allotted to your outcome with the exception of the time surrounding the public performances. A rehearsal and Performance schedule will be determined by the Department and the Faculty member responsible for the public outcome (PPP’s) and class room outcome presentations in consultation with the Performance Production Department.

Invited Professionals are expected to make reasonable time demands on student performers, who will be attending a full load of classes as well as rehearsing.

Stage Management is expected to produce Production Notes as needed. This document is also referred to as Rehearsal Notes in some theatres. These notes should include all new and relevant information that arises from rehearsal. All Costume, Set, Prop, Production, Technical, Sound, Lighting, Multimedia and general information should be included and copied to all of the various shops, as well as the SVPP. Information pertinent to the next scheduled rehearsal should also be included. When available, timing for run-throughs should be included.

Stage Managers should produce a show report for each performance that would include the performance date, start and finish times, weather, audience size, general audience response, and any notes for the various departments. Copies should go to the Chair of the Department of Theatre, the Director, the Design Supervisor, the SVPP, the Shop Heads, and the Stage Management Supervisor.

Show reports must also include a report of any equipment problems that might have occurred. The Production Team should be notified of any problems with the theatre equipment, props, costumes or scenery. This should happen as soon as possible in order to allow time for the staff members to correct the problems.

Shop Heads, Designers and their Assistants, the Director, the Design Supervisor, the SVPP, Technical Coordinator Multimedia, Technical Coordinator Lighting, and the Stage Manager are normally expected to attend and help take notes

Production meetings are limited to one hour, and generally take place in a design studio or another location and a specific date and time determined by the Director and Design Supervisor and the SPPV.

The deadline for program credit information is 15 days prior to the preview. All persons assisting in all the departments should be included. Acknowledgements or Special Thanks and content warnings should also be included. This is usually compiled by the Stage Manager and sent to the faculty member Raymond-Marius Boucher.

Stage Managers must provide the run times of the Public performance outcomes to the Front of House Coordinator prior to the Dress Rehearsal. This is done in the form of a Front of House Information Sheet. See Stage Management coach for details.

Included in this document, the Stage Manager is also responsible for informing the Front of House Coordinator if there is any fog, strobes, gunshots, firearms, loud noises, coarse language, nudity etc. in the production. Front of House will have a warning sign posted in the Lobby informing the audience.