PAC Handbook
This handbook is intended for members of the Performing Arts Council.
It should provide all resources including personnel, policies and
equipment necessary to produce a show at Penn.
Updated by Ty A. Furman, Director of the Platt Student Performing Arts House, January 2008
Table of Contents
Page 2 ------------------------------------------------Intro, Meetings, Auditions
Page 3 ------------------------------------------------Rehearsals
Page 4 – 7 -------------------------------------------Production information and checklists
Page 8 ------------------------------------------------Policies (poster, alcohol, etc.), Workshops, Community Service
Page 9 – 10 ------------------------------------------Instructors, Budgeting, and Shop
What is PAC
PAC is the Performing Arts Council of the University of Pennsylvania.
What we do
PAC and the office of Student Performing Arts exist to support the ongoing activities of the member organizations of PAC including rehearsals and shows, and to provide opportunities for skill building and career exploration in a variety of performing arts related fields.
Who we work closely with
Office of Student Life
Visual Sound
Annenberg Center
Theatre Arts
Music Department
VPUL Facilities
Dunlop Facilities
Museum Facilities
PAC Meetings
Once a month the Performing Arts Council holds mandatory meetings which all member organizations must attend.
External Communication
For a variety of reasons you must use the office address for any external communication with clients and vendors. The address should always include your group name, your name if possible and all of the following:
Platt Student Performing Arts House
160 Stouffer Commons
3702 Spruce Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6026
Administrative Staff
Director: Ty Furman – tyf@pobox.upenn.edu, 215-898-2312
Program Coordinator: Laurie McCall – lmccall@pobox.upenn.edu, 215-898-7038
Peter Whinnery: Technical Supervisor – whinnery@pobox.upenn.edu, 215-898-5823
If you are having packages sent – please have them sent only in your chair/president’s name.
There is also a fax machine in room 170 available for PAC related business. You may have things faxed to 215-573-8056. Please be sure to have the sender include your name and your group name on the fax.
Our web site
email: platthouse@pobox.upenn.edu – goes to both Laurie and Ty.
Pre-Production Meetings
Early each semester the Director of the Platt Student Performing Arts House and the Technical Supervisor of Student Performing Arts will hold mandatory pre-production meetings. Each group that has a show scheduled for that semester must send at least 2 representatives to the meeting, preferably stage manager and/or technical director types. If at that point there is not at minimum a stage manager assigned for each production, that organization will lose their rehearsal space until they assign one. Light and sound board operators (if needed) must be assigned by the 6 week production meeting with the Technical Supervisor, or the group will lose rehearsal space again.
Auditions
Auditions are held at the discretion of sub-committees. Each sub-committee chair is responsible for monitoring audition and call back times to avoid conflicts. It is expected that students who audition and are called back go to each call back they receive.
Rehearsals
Rehearsal space is never guaranteed. It is possible that rehearsals can be cancelled or moved, up to the day of due to University events, inclement weather or other special circumstances.
There are never rehearsals scheduled when the University is closed. That includes all major holidays and breaks.
For groups using copyrighted material. No rehearsal space will be allocated until the Director of the Platt Student Performing Arts House receives written confirmation of rights and royalties.
Typically evening rehearsals are not scheduled on Fridays or Saturdays, access is limited.
If you have a problem with a VPUL space (Houston Hall, Williams, ARCH, IGT, Irvine) not being opened or staffed please call a VPUL manager at 215-399-6019.
Rehearsals in Irvine
1) after 5pm on weekdays and at
all times on weekends, only the one set of main doors at the corner
of 34ths and Spruce will be unlocked.
2) Those exterior doors will
be locked each night at 10pm (after which time there will be no
re-entry).
3) If your rehearsal begins at 10 pm (some Dance
Rehearsals - the doors will be locked at 10:15 pm)
4) Always have
your their PennCards with you at all times.
Specific Rehearsal Issues
A Cappella
Because of the more flexible nature and size of A Cappella groups, PAC and SPA provide limited rehearsal space for ACK groups. Most ACK groups rehearse in classrooms or multipurpose rooms in VPUL spaces like Williams Hall or Houston Hall. These spaces can be reserved at http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/perelmanquad/reserve/reserve.php. You must request with plenty of notice – the ideal is 2 to 4 weeks in advance. In addition, many a cappella groups will reserve space in college houses. This must be done, usually by a resident, with the main office of that college house. The Platt House is available on a limited basis for a cappella rehearsals, typically one rehearsal slot per week.
Dance
The Dance rehearsal schedule is done on a semesterly basis by the Dance Arts Council Chair, approved by the Director of the Platt Student Performing Arts House in any number of suitable spaces including the Emily Sachs Dance Gallery in Irvine, Platt Rehearsal Room in Houston Hall, The Parents 2004 Studio in the Platt House, The Harnwell College House Dance Gallery, and the Studios in the Pottruck Fitness Center. All rehearsal changes, inquires etc. should be addressed to both the DAC chair and platthouse@pobox.upenn.edu.
Theatre
Theatre, Mask and Wig, and Bloomers rehearsal schedules are done on a monthly basis. Requests must be submitted to the Program Coordinator of the Platt House (forms will be emailed) by the 10th of the month prior to the requested month. Theatre rehearsal spaces available to PAC are 179 and 180 in the Platt Student Performing Arts House, Platt Rehearsal Room, IGT Stage and Rehearsal Room, ARCH room 313, and Annenberg 209 and 516. You cannot tape out sets in every room, please request permission before taping a ground plan in any space. Once a group is in their performance space for tech week they are not allocated rehearsal space.
Music and others
Most music organizations other than a cappella establish semesterly rehearsal schedules requested to the Program Coordinator to be scheduled in the Platt Student Performing Arts House.
All
If you are not using regularly scheduled rehearsal space you must cancel it with at least 2 working days notice. If you do not, it is possible that the facility will charge your group a fee. Cancellations should be sent to the Program Coordinator of the Platt Student Performing Arts House and your sub-committee chair.
It is sometimes possible to schedule additional rehearsal time. This should always be requested through the Program Coordinator.
Shows
Groups that deal with rights and royalties
You must request rights and royalties in a timely fashion. There are a few companies that cannot take either purchase order or procard and will not send materials without payment. This means that you must work significantly in advance since issuing a check from an invoice can take three to five weeks.
Dance
Student Performing Arts owns two dance floors one is regular marley the other has a harder surface for tap, ballroom, swing and Latin style dance. The floors are for shows only and must be transported by the group to and from the show location. To arrange for pick up and drop off contact Visual Sound at irvprod@pobox.upenn.edu.
Collaborations
Due to availability of adequate performance venues every PAC organization may perform up to one and a half shows each academic year. That is one solo show and one collaborative show. The collaboration must be approved by PAC Exec and the Director of the Platt Student Performing Arts House – criteria listed below. A PAC group may perform one solo show or two collaborative shows if they so desire.
PAC Collaborations must be worked out between the two organizations. Collaborative shows will receive additional tech time to facilitate the coordination, but not more than 10 additional hours. Collaborations may take the form of a true collaboration – that is two organizations producing and performing one show together, or it may be a sharing of space – that is one group does a shortened early show and the other a shortened later show.
All schedules and financial arrangements must be made prior to the show and be kept in writing. The PAC executive board or the Director of the Platt Student Performing Arts House are available to consult on financial or other arrangements. It is the responsibility of both organizations to follow-up on financial matters to be certain that revenue is divided appropriately. It is important to know that most facilities will only transfer revenue to one account; the producing organizations must follow-up with OSL financial staff to divide proceeds.
If a PAC organization wishes to perform more frequently, they may not use any SAC allocated funds for said performance - that is the space and all production costs must be secured and paid for by revenue (only if there is no SAC debt).
Production requirements
Performance groups are expected to produce their show with the funds supplied by the Student Activities Council (SAC) and any additional funds they may have from revenue. Production costs of all approved (by the Director of the Platt Student Performing Arts House) performance venues will be covered by SAC, not taken from allocated production funds. All facility charges will show as a deficit to each organization on SAC on-line until the end of each fiscal year when those costs are credited back to the organization. Any non-standard production costs (see below) will not be credited back to the organization. Such costs must be approved by the Director of the Platt Student Performing Arts House before the production, and will only be approved if the group has sufficient revenue at that time to cover said costs.
Additional information on productions, including building a staff and sample production schedules is available at http://dolphin.upenn.edu/~pacshop/SPA-Handbook/production.html.
Non Standard Production Costs:
Follow-spots
Additional staffing for video taping
Additional staffing for curtain (Zell)
Additional lighting or sound equipment beyond what is provided in the theatre.
More than 7 microphones for a cappella groups
LCD projectors and screens
Production Check List
SPA Tech Advisor: Peter Whinnery, 41st and Walnut, 8-5823, whinnery@pobox.upenn.edu
Annenberg Center Student Tech Advisor: Brian Grace-Duff, AC, 3-7287, graceduf@ac.upenn.edu
Annenberg Center Director of Audience Services: T. DeLuca, 327 AC, 8-5292, 215-783-4246 cell, tdeluca@ac.upenn.edu.
Visual Sound Technical Director: David Kerr, 200 Irvine, 573-8511, irvprod@pobox.upenn.edu
Annenberg Center Box Office Manager: David Sullivan, 427 AC, 8-9081, Sullivan@ac.upenn.edu
Assistant to the Director of VPUL Facilities –for Irvine Events: Laura Carney, 307 Houston Hall, 3-4638, lcarney@pobox.upenn.edu
Koren Martin – VPUL Facilities Assistant – for Tickets in HH, IGT, Irvine and HH set up for shows – 8-5552, korenrm@pobox.upenn.edu
Office of Student Life Financial Advisor to PAC – Jan, 200 Houston Hall, 8-0455, keedzh@pobox.upenn.edu
Please be certain to see each of these people to set up details for your show. These meetings are not optional. Note that your first stop should always be Peter Whinnery. Please note the approximate advanced time that you should see these people prior to your performance. You may be asked to see others.
Ticketing and Program Note:
All tickets for PAC recognized groups should include “Alcohol is not permitted at this event.”
All program covers will include
“Alcohol is not permitted at this event. Violators will be sent to the Office of Student Conduct.”
Meeting Schedule
All Peter Whinnery 6 weeks prior to show
Dunlop Auditorium Ty Furman, David Kerr 3 weeks prior to show
Harrison Auditorium Ty Furman, David Kerr 4 weeks prior to show
Rainey Auditorium Ty Furman, David Kerr 4 weeks prior to show
Iron Gate Theatre, Houston Hall Peter Whinnery 6 weeks prior
Irvine Auditorium David Kerr 3 & 2 weeks prior
Koren Martin 4 weeks to order tickets and if Houston Hall to discuss riser and other set up
Laura Carney 4 weeks if using Irvine
Annenberg Center Peter Whinnery 6 weeks
Brian Grace-Duff 4 and 2 weeks
Dan Tharp 4 weeks
David Sullivan 4 weeks
Thomas Ames 4 weeks and 2 weeks for any Zell Show
** Peter Whinnery can prepare you for any production meeting by explaining the expectations and assisting with design concepts and implementation.
** Dan Tharp will assist you with house management issues in all Annenberg Center spaces. You MUST speak with him.
** All shows in IGT, Irvine and Houston Hall must have tickets printed by VPUL (see checklist).
** David Sullivan will assist you in printing tickets for your Annenberg Center shows.
Other important issues:
** Any tech requests, above and beyond the lighting and sound provided by the performance space must be approved by the Platt House Director.
** All tech week schedules must not exceed the maximum tech staff hour limitations for your organization.
Theatre: 50 hours, Musicals: 60 hours, Dance: 40 hours, Comedy, ACK, Other: 20 hours
** As a standard, Zellerbach users will not be permitted to use the front curtain.
** You must provide a full student tech staff, minimum light and sound operator and stage manager. (This includes DAC, ACK, SMAC and TAC-E)
** All final production schedules and staff lists must be submitted to the SPA Director and SPA Tech Advisor 2 weeks prior to tech week.
** You must submit a written show report form to PAC exec within two weeks after the show has ended. The form can be found here - http://dolphin.upenn.edu/~pac click producing a show. Then click forms.
** You must provide your own ushers: IGT-6, Houston Hall-4, Rainey-4, Dunlop-6, Harrison-6, Irvine-6, Zellerbach-6. In the Annenberg Center one additional student will be needed to serve as dressing room post.
** You are responsible for not exceeding the seating capacity of any space. If you are not sure of the seating capacity check with The Platt House Director.
** If you are using Iron Gate Theatre, loading and unloading must happen from the rear driveway off Sansom Street. You may NOT use the small parking area in front. The rear gate must be kept locked at all times. You may NOT park any cars inside the gate.
** If you are in a VPUL Space (IGT, Stouffer, Irvine or Houston Hall) and there is no staff person to unlock the space call 215-399-6019.
Production Expectations
Provide basic advisement on the requirements of using a particular space.
Provide a basic sample and overview of a production schedule, and the student tech staff needed.
Discuss appropriateness of initial design concepts.
Review the production schedule hourly limitations. (Mandated by the Provost’s Office)
These are the maximum number of hours your group may use tech staff. Work light rehearsals with no tech staff will not count. Meal hours will not count.
Theatre - 50 tech hours including shows (approximately 38 non show hours)
Musical - 60 tech hours including shows (approximately 48 non show hours)
Dance – 40 tech hours including shows (approximately 28 non show hours)
A Cappella & Other – 20 tech hours including shows (approximately 12 non show hours)
If the maximum tech hours are exceeded your organization will lose performance privileges for the following semester or year.
Advise on collaborative projects prior to scheduling.
Provide ongoing support and advisement when necessary.
What the students will do:
Schedule and attend 6, 4 and 2-week production meetings with the appropriate staff person. (See production check list)
Provide a complete list of production and technical staff needs to Ty Furman, Peter Whinnery and your facilities staff (Irvine Production or Annenberg Center).
Provide AT MINIMUM a light and soundboard operator and stage manager for each performance in IGT, The Prince, The Studio and Houston Hall Auditorium.
NOTE: For Dunlop, SAC will pay for sound equipment (ordered and approved by the Director of Student Performing Arts, but groups must provide a student to run it.)
Have a full production staff (see above) (dependant on type of performance and location) 2 weeks prior to tech week. If the minimum production staff is not met the show will be cancelled.
Provide the minimum ushers per space requirements
Irvine – 6 or 7
Zell – 6 or 7
Prince - 4
IGT - 6
HH Aud - 4
Rainey - 4
Dunlop - 6
Harrison – 6
Usher names should be submitted to the facilities staff 1 week prior to the production. If the minimum number of ushers do not show the facility will provide ushers for that show and the next show at the organizations expense. (SAC will not cover this expense)
Your organization must adhere to the tech hour restrictions listed above.
Submit to the post show evaluation for to PAC exec.
Have any technical costs above and beyond equipment already in the theatre approved by The Performing Arts Director prior to rental or purchase.
What the technicians/facilities staff will do:
Work in an educational and considerate manner with all students. Serve as mentor, teacher, advisor.
Schedule and attend 4 and 2 week production meetings
Provide written templates of standard tech schedules
Alert Peter Whinnery and Ty Furman of ongoing problems/concerns
Produce a written cost estimate 2 weeks prior to the performance to be approved by Peter Whinnery or Ty Furman. Any costs above and beyond technical staff must be approved by Peter Whinnery or Ty Furman prior to commitment.
Enforce hourly limitations for student performance groups during tech time, while considering emergency and unforeseen situations.
Alert Peter Whinnery and Ty Furman when a student group approaches or exceeds their allotted tech time in a space.
Make every effort to keep all costs, equipment and staffing at a minimum.
Complete a written post-production evaluation form within 2 weeks of the performance date. Collected by the Performing Arts Director.
Complete budget transfer/billing transactions within 2 weeks of the performance date.
Poster Policies
You may not poster over other university organizations
You may only post two posters on each kiosk.
You may not poster on the ground, poles, signs, benches or buildings.
You may chalk Locust Walk and Wynn commons and only on uncovered ground where rain will wash it away.
You man not chalk buildings, building steps or any decorative item (like the compass).
You may not use spray chalk or hair spray over the chalk.
You must have permission to post in any university building – particularly college houses.
Additional polices are found at:
http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/osl/postpol.html
Other important Polices
The University takes very seriously
its own and the state anti-hazing policies and laws. Please
familiarize yourself with these policies
at:
http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/osl/hazing.html
For
other important university policies
see:
http://dolphin.upenn.edu/~oslaf/manual/policies.html
http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/alcohol/policy.html
Under no circumstances is alcohol or other illegal substances to be present in any rehearsal or performance facility. If students are identified with alcohol or other illegal substances in a rehearsal or performance space they will be subject to investigation and possible repercussions as determined by the office of Student Conduct. In addition the group will immediately lose all rehearsal and performance space for the remainder of that semester.
If alcohol or other illegal substances is logically presumed to have been present at a show or rehearsal, either in connection with students or the audience, additional security will be mandated for that organization on subsequent shows at their cost.
All tickets for PAC recognized groups should include “Alcohol is not permitted at this event.”
All program covers will be required to include “Alcohol is not permitted at this event. Violators will be sent to the Office of Student Conduct.”
All posters should say “This is an alcohol free event”.
If problems of this nature persist
individual facility managers have the right to refuse facility use
for specific organizations.
Other events.
PAC groups may not serve as sponsoring agents for all-campus, large performances unless 1) they can prove that all costs will be covered with no loss to the organization. AND 2) they partner with one or more committees of SPEC (social planning and events committee). SAC allocated funds may only be used towards performances of the funded organization.
Workshops
On a regular basis and often in collaboration with other University organizations Student Performing Arts and the Performing Arts Council provide master classes and workshops in skill building related to the performing arts. These are available to all students and sometimes community members, and can be found at: http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/parts/calendar.php or by contacting the Platt Student Performing Arts House at 215-898-2312 or platthouse@pobox.upenn.edu.
Community Service
PAC has a community service coordinator whose responsibility it is to assist, if needed, those groups who do community service as part of their mission, and to provide opportunities working with the Center for Community Partnerships and the Civic House for performing arts groups and their members to serve the greater Philadelphia community. Information on service activities can be found by calling the Performing Arts Assistant at 215-898-7038.
Performing Arts Council
Ticket Donation Guidelines
Performing Arts
Council
Ticket Donation Guidelines
PAC’s
Community Service Chair as well as the Program Coordinator of the
Platt Student Performing Arts House are continuing a new community
service initiative. This initiative is to give our community
members who have limited resources the opportunity to see live
performance art. The Community Ticketing Program will allow PAC
groups to donate a portion of their tickets to the community for
their show. The Platt Student Performing Arts House Program
Coordinator, Laurie McCall, is the main point person for PAC group
leaders as well as the community organizations we are working with.
To make this experience a positive one for all involved we have
decided on some guidelines to clarify the process of ticket
donations.
PAC groups interested in donating
tickets should:
Decide the
number of tickets you want to donate. There is no minimum or
maximum amount, but a suggested range would be from 5-20 tickets for
one performance.
Choose the performance date(s) your group would like to donate tickets.
Once these two decisions have been made, e-mail Laurie McCall at lmccall@pobox.upenn.edu. The e-mail should include ALL of the following information:
The name, date and time of the performance.
The location, both the auditorium name as well as the address.
A description of the show’s content and what audience it is appropriate for (e.g. general admission, children, teenagers, or adults only).
Please note the length of the performance and if there is an intermission.
Include the number of tickets you are donating for each date (especially if you are donating tickets for multiple shows).
PAC groups must e-mail this information minimally 4 weeks before the show. The more advanced notice your group gives increases the chance all of the tickets will be used. The advanced notice is so the Laurie can have enough time to contact our community partners to make them aware of the tickets. *Some of our community partners need at least a month prior notification to be able to use the tickets.
If there is a certain community organization you would like to reach out to, include that in the e-mail as well. If your group already has a contact person within a community organization, you do not need to go through our process to donate tickets to them.
There are two options to have the tickets available for the audience members you are donating tickets to:
A. One PAC group member drops off the donated
tickets to Laurie’s office 134 Platt House by Noon Thursday
(one week) before the performance. OR
B.
(used in most cases) Will Call- PAC group will be notified by
Laurie the week of the show as to how many tickets to have available
at the box office for each group coming to the performance.
After the show, a member of your group must drop of the ticket stubs that have a mark on them which indicate they were a donated ticket. This allows us to keep track of who has taken part in our program.
If you have questions or concerns, please contact Laurie at (lmccall@pobox.upenn.edu ). Thank you!
Instructors – paid or guest artists
All instructors or Directors must have signed letters of agreement with the Director of the Platt Student Performing Arts House. They will only be paid according to the stipulations of that letter. Additions or changes must be approved by the Director.
Your SAC budgets
All SAC recognized organizations have a SAC executive board liaison.
Your treasurer must attend a PAC treasurer meeting – check the PAC web site or the digital sign for dates and times.
You may pay most invoices through your SAC account, but be aware that requesting a check for payment of an invoice can take three to five weeks time. Some invoices can be paid with a procard and that should be discussed and arranged with Jan – your OSL financial advisor.
Any overspending in the categories given to you by SAC will put you in debt. You cannot move allocated money without requesting to from SAC.
Any PAC organization carrying a SAC deficit of $5000 or more at the end of the academic year (to be determined by the Director of the Platt Student Performing Arts House and the Associate Director of Student Life) will only be allowed one solo show or two collaborative shows for the next academic year.
Tours/Trip
SAC does not fund trips or tours.
The Shop
Theatre and musical theatre groups may use the shop to design and construct sets and costumes or design lights and sound. All sets must be approved by the Technical Supervisor (Peter) and by any necessary staff for the performance facility (Annenberg, Visual Sound) before construction begins.
Dance and other organizations may schedule up to 10 hours only in the shop as available (Theatre and Musical Theatre take precedence) to create drops or very simple set elements.
The costume area is available to be schedule by any PAC organization.
All work sessions must be scheduled through the Technical Advisor's office. Failure to do so will result in denial of use. Repeated failure may result denial of any future use.
Unsupervised work is not allowed.
It is expected that safety goggles and appropriate hearing protection will be worn when working with any kind of power equipment.
If you are not thoroughly familiar with the operation of a piece of equipment obtain the necessary instruction from the Shop Supervisor, your instructor, or other qualified person before proceeding.
All tools are to be returned to their proper storage area at the end of a work session. Clean up at the end of a each work session. This includes: disposing of scrap lumber and materials, returning unused material and stock to its proper storage area, and sweeping the floor. All trash must be taken to the compactor daily.
Tool Time! The last 15-30 min. of each work session will be devoted to clean-up so allow for it (even if you plan to return the same day).
No tools are to leave the shop without the permission of the Technical Advisor or Shop Supervisor. All tools must be signed out and inspected upon return. Lost tools must be replaced by the group responsible.
Report any damage or breakage of equipment to the Technical Advisor or Shop Supervisor immediately upon discovery. By doing so, the item can be repaired or replaced quickly without interfering with the work of everyone using the shop.
Groups must clean up all areas and materials used for painting at the end of the work session. This includes brushes, rollers, buckets and unused paint. All unused paint must be disposed of or stored properly.
For more information on the PAC Shop including materials and equipment available go to:
http://dolphin.upenn.edu/~pacshop/shop.html