International Thespian Society Constitution
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Article I. Name and Purpose
Article II. Induction, Nomination & Membership Article III. Troupe Leadership/ Organization Article IV. Meetings and Participation Article V. Dues and Fees BYLAWS 4 |
Article 1. Casting and Staffing
Article 2. Attendance & Conflicts Article 3. Thespian Points and Induction Article 4. Troupe Activities Article 5. Negligent Behavior Article 6. Conflict Resolution Article 7. Adoption |
Article I. Name and Purpose
Section 1- This organization shall be called Troupe # 6968 of the International Thespian Society, a branch of the Educational Theatre Association.
Section 2- The goals of the troupe, and the entire Beacon Theatre Department, are to create a safe place to grow and learn in a thriving artistic community. We are dedicated to promote unity throughout and within all of the arts. We aim to maintain a caring atmosphere where student artists of all levels can hone their craft. The Beacon Theatre Department distinguishes excellence through demonstration of dedication, cooperation, integrity, positive attitude, and not strictly on the basis of talent.
Section 3- The organization discourages exclusion; membership is given as recognition for meritorious work in the theatre arts.
Article II. Induction, Nomination & Membership
Section 1- All nominees for active membership shall be regularly enrolled as students of the Beacon School, New York City Department of Education School located at 227 West 61st Street, New York, NY 10023.
Section 2- All active members must have fulfilled the following requirements:
- Participated in at least two (2) full-length productions at Beacon, or another public or private high school with an official ITS Troupe.
- Earned a minimum of ten (10) points, i.e., 100 hours of superior work
- Earned the recommendation of Beacon School Theatre Arts Faculty
- Have paid $25 Induction Dues
Article III. Troupe Leadership/ Organization
Section 1- Troupe Director will act as the liaison between Beacon theatre students and the governing agency, the Educational Theatre Association (EdTA).
Section 2- The ITS Student Leadership Team (ITS SLT) will be established at the beginning of each academic year with two outstanding thespians from the 10th, 11th, and 12th grades. Two representatives from the 9th grade will be chosen at the beginning of the 2nd semester when it is evident that they will achieve induction status by the end of their freshman year.
Section 3- Representatives on the ITS SLT will be chosen by the Troupe Director on the basis of artistic merit, academic stability, demonstrated responsibility and a submitted written application.
Section 4- ITS SLT will fill leadership positions in school productions, will act as mentors to all Beacon theatre students, liaison to all Beacon clubs, and assistant to faculty and community members as requested by the School Administration or Troupe Director.
Section 5- Officer Titles; President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Clerk, Historian, Webmaster, Dramaturge will be appointed by the Troupe Director from within the ITS SLT no later than January of each academic year.
Section 6- ITS SLT will hold their position on the board through the termination of each school year. Students may reapply for reinstatement in September.
Article IV. Meetings and Participation
Section 1- ITS SLT meetings will be held weekly at the director and board’s discretion such that no student will be expected to skip class, advisory or other school obligation. Every effort will be made so that both under and upper classmen can be present at all meetings. In the event that this is not possible, Troupe Director takes on the necessity to have two meetings with shared notes.
Section 2- Troupe #6968 will host Departmental Theatre meetings for all Beacon theatre students at the beginning of each semester, in preparation for Festivals and in preparation for the annual ITS induction. All Departmental Meetings will be advertised with more than 24 hours notice- via virtual announcement, hallway advertisement & school announcements.
Section 3 - A quorum shall be fifty percent of the active ITS membership and must include two members of ITS SLT.
Article V. Dues and Fees
Section 1- There will be a one-time ITS induction fee of $25 to cover membership dues established by EdTA including but not limited to purchase of pins & Dramatics Magazine Subscription.
Section 2 – Students may be asked to pay their individual registration fees for participation in EdTA Troupe Sponsored Festivals. Every effort will be made to keep costs low. No fewer than two scholarships will be made available from Departmental Funds for students unable to pay for local and Regional Festivals. Students are encouraged to apply for scholarship for the International Festival through EdTA.
Article VI. Amendments/ Bylaws
Section 1- The ITS SLT with the permission of the Troupe Director reserves the right to suggest additional or alter existing bylaws on a production by production basis.
Section 2- Bylaws are affirmed by a majority vote of the ITS SLT in conjunction with the approval of the Troupe Director.
Section 3- Temporary bylaws specific to the requirements of an individual production may be agreed upon in advance, in writing, with the majority vote of the ITS SLT in conjunction with the approval of the Troupe Director.
BYLAWS
Article 1. Casting and Staffing
Section 1- All Beacon students are invited to audition for all roles and crew positions in the after-school production schedule regardless of age, ITS status or experience.
Section 2- All Beacon students in grades 10-12 are invited to participate in production class by requesting courses in their schedule.
Section 3- If a student does not accept the role/job assigned it is required that he/she notify the production director within 24 hours of casting announcement.
Section 4- Students who do not report without previous arrangement with production director, to first read-through/ rehearsal forfeit their role/job.
Article 2. Attendance & Conflicts
Section 1- Accepting a role or job is a contract with the production. Once the production begins students must attend required rehearsals for their position. All participants must check rehearsal schedule for changes each morning & lunch period.
Section 2- Students must submit requested conflicts, in writing, to stage management for review no later than two weeks into the production period. Students will be notified by stage management, if their conflicts have been approved no later than three weeks into the production period.
Section 3- Students are granted one weekly excused absence per production as to be requested and confirmed via the student’s individual conflict sheet.
Section 4- Faculty Stage Director, Music Director, Choreographer are the only persons permitted to excuse lateness, early dismissal or absence. Stage Management and SLT Board Members do NOT have the ability to waive a student’s obligation to a production.
Section 5- Lateness & early dismissal are prohibited, unless excused via each student’s personal conflict sheet. If participant is late or dismisses themselves early three times, this will be equivalent to one absence.
Section 6- Absences are prohibited, unless excused via each student’s personal conflict sheet. Three absences are grounds for replacement.
Section 7- An excused absence is defined as an absence agreed to via the conflict sheet. Students may not request an excused absence unless it is a legitimate emergency beyond the completion of the conflict sheet.
Section 8- A legitimate emergency is just that, an emergency. A death in the family, a grave illness or the legal requirement for a student’s presence in a court of law are grounds for emergency absences. A hair cut, a science test, a date with your significant other, or forgetting to get your mother a birthday present is not.
Section 9- Students who remain home from school due to illness should contact stage management or Troupe Director no later than 10 AM if he/she cannot attend that afternoon’s rehearsal. Failure to do so jeopardizes the productivity of the rehearsal and will automatically be considered an unexcused absence. If a student contacts stage management accordingly and provides written letter of illness from parent and/or medical professional student’s absence will be excused.
Section 10- No student is excused from the technical rehearsal period, two weeks before the production opening, through the strike without written documentation from a medical professional.
Article 3. Thespian Points and Induction
Section 1- Induction Ceremony shall be held once each year in conjunction with end of term performances in either January or June and at the discretion of Beacon School Theatre Faculty.
Section 2 – ITS SLT will accept the responsibility of coordinating the annual induction including but not limited to the notification of eligibility of new members, collection of dues, arrangement of ceremony speakers and ordering documents & pins as needed for annual induction.
Section 3 – Students earning ITS points for Production Class plays & musicals will do so at an approximated 50% rate, as they are also earning academic credit for their efforts.
Section 4 - Beacon School Theatre Faculty will calculate on the scale that each 1 point is equal to approximately 10 hours of quality work for after school, or outside of class work in the department.
Article 4. Troupe Activities
Section 1- The troupe is not a secret organization. So, faculty and students interested in theatre, as well as honorary members and alumni, shall be invited to ITS or departmental meetings and activities.
Section 2- The troupe shall make every attempt to see live theatre as often and as cheaply as possible.
Section 3- The troupe shall offer priority invitation to active ITS members to participate in EdTA Troupe Sponsored festivals on the State, Regional, and National level.
Section 4- The troupe shall cooperate with all other departments and clubs in the school in helping them with their programs in any way it can.
Article 5. Negligent Behavior
Section 1- All active members of both ITS and the Beacon Theatre community are expected to respect all school rules at all times- with the exception of the cell phone ban- as theatre students use cell phones in the studio during production in lieu of walkie- talkies and/ or headsets.
Section 2- A student who earns a C- or below on two or more major course subjects will be automatically placed on academic probation and asked to temporarily resign their role/ job.
Section 3- A student will be released from probationary status at the onset of the next academic quarter when evidence of academic redemption in confirmed by Beacon Faculty.
Section 4- Students who report to rehearsal/ performance under the influence of drugs and or alcohol will be expelled from the production immediately.
Section 5- Observation of substance abuse must be confirmed by two adults; i.e. if two adults see/ smell booze or weed on you- you’re out.
Section 6- Public displays of disorderly conduct (Photo/ video images of underage alcohol consumption & drug use made public via social networking websites) brought to the attention of the faculty and/or administration is grounds for behavioral probation. Repeated offences are grounds for expulsion.
Section 7- Any form of behavioral misconduct, including but not limited to disrespectful mistreatment of cast, crew, faculty or guest artists, uncooperativeness during rehearsal, and a negative and unprofessional attitude are grounds for probation or expulsion at the discretion of the ITS SLT, Troupe Director and Beacon School Administration.
Section 8- A quorum may suggest the suspension of an active member by bringing their concerns to the SLT and Troupe Director.
Section 9 – A quorum may request the re-instatement of a suspended member by bringing their defense to the SLT and Troupe Director.
Article 6. Conflict Resolution
Section 1- In the event that issues or conflict arises between a Thespian and a Troupe Director or Faculty Member which can not be solved through communication between the two parties, the issue should be referred to the school administration for resolution.
Article 7. Adoption
Section 1- Beacon Theatre Faculty, Dale Lally, Jo Ann Cimato and the complete ITS SLT 2009 are required to adopt the Constitution and Bylaws of the Beacon School Thespian Society Troupe #6968.
Section 2- Adoption: In agreement with the attached eight pages we the undersigned present on this day the Constitution and Bylaws of Thespian Society Troupe # 6968 and declare that this Constitution and Bylaws has been adopted by a majority of all the organizing members present.
Rudy Bamenga ‘09
Luke Eisemann ‘09
Hayley Wright‘09
Elishiva Maxman ‘10
Razghiem Golden ‘11
Anuradha Golder ‘11
Cosmo Scharff ‘12
Lucy Tomb ‘12
Jo Ann Cimato, Troupe Director
Dale Lally, Beacon School Faculty