Productions

MainStage Production Manual: Rehearsal and Meeting Guidelines

Supplies
Meetings
Rehearsal Schedule
Technical Notes
Performance Schedule

Rehearsal Schedule
Mainstage productions typically rehearse for five (5) weeks preceding technical rehearsals (approximately forty-two (42) days). Slight variations may occur to allow for ASU scheduling student holidays or semester start or end dates.

Productions may rehearse no more than thirty-two (32) hours in a non-technical rehearsal week. Tech week rehearsal guidelines are noted below.

There shall not be more than eight (8) consecutive days of rehearsal and/or performance without a day off.

Unless you are running a scene or act non-stop, there should be either a five (5) minute break after every fifty-five (55) minutes of rehearsal, or a ten (10) minute break after every eighty (80) minutes of rehearsal. If you are running a scene or act, there shall be a minimum five (5) minute break at the conclusion of the scene or act.

Warm-ups before and notes after rehearsal shall be counted within the total span of the rehearsal.

The School of Theatre and Film shall make best efforts to ensure at least twelve (12) hours off between the end of a rehearsal or performance and the first call of the next rehearsal or performance.

Student Stage Managers shall not be expected to arrive more than fifteen (15) minutes prior to the start of rehearsal to set up, and shall not be expected to remain more than fifteen (15) minutes after the end of rehearsal to clean up.

No student shall be excused from class for any rehearsal, photo call, costume call, meeting, or performance, with one (1) exception. If a Mainstage production has a scheduled weekday student matinee, generally with a 10:00 a.m. curtain, the School of Theatre and Film shall excuse participating students from affected Theatre classes and will write letters asking for an excused absence from affected non-Theatre classes. Students shall be informed of weekday matinee performances at the time of auditions.

Weekend (Saturday and Sunday) rehearsals may not begin before 9:00 a.m. and may not continue past 11:00 p.m. They may not last more than seven (7) total hours of rehearsal daily. The total span of day may not be more than eight and a half (8 ½) hours.

There shall be a meal break of no less than one (1) hour after no more than five (5) hours of rehearsal. Breaks may be up to one and a half (1 ½) hours long, and may be given after at least three (3) hours of rehearsal. On weekends, at the students’ discretion (by secret ballot vote), and for their sole benefit, the rehearsal may extend to six (6) hours without a break, if that is the only rehearsal call of the day.

There shall be no more than six days without a day off during regular rehearsal weeks.

There shall be a run-through of the entire play scheduled during the rehearsal schedule. The run-through may occur over more than one day; i.e., act one on one day, and act two the next day. Designers and crew are encouraged to attend this and any other rehearsals.

The design and technical staff shall try to guarantee a minimum of one (1) rehearsal in the performance space, after load-in of the scenery, on the set, or as much of it as is possible and practical. In addition, there shall be a minimum of two (2) rehearsals in the performance space before load-in, at the Director’s discretion and pending space availability.

Individual coaching may occur outside the regular rehearsal schedule at a mutually agreeable (between Actor and coach) time. Stage Managers are not expected to attend individual coaching sessions.

Sample rehearsal schedule: Monday through Friday, 6:00 - 11:00 p.m.; Saturday, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., and 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.; Sunday, dark; for a total of thirty-two (32) hours. These times must include all calls - warm-ups, fight call, etc.

NOTE: Students who miss one (1) costume fitting without notifying shop staff in advance shall receive a written reprimand. Students who miss more than one costume fitting without notifying shop staff in advance shall be removed from the production, and may not be allowed to audition for future Mainstage productions.

During technical rehearsals, the day off shall be Monday (unless ASU or School of Theatre and Film scheduling requirements mandate a different day off).

During technical rehearsals, there may be one (1) weekend rehearsal of ten (10) hours within a twelve (12) hour span of day and one (1) weekend rehearsal of eight (8) hours within a ten (10) hour span of day. Regular break guidelines apply; e.g., one (1) hour minimum break after five (5) hours of rehearsal.

Typically, costume quick changes shall be rehearsed during the Saturday technical rehearsal, and Sunday shall begin full costume rehearsals.

Similarly, set shifts shall be rehearsed during the Saturday technical rehearsal, and shall be run during the Sunday technical rehearsal.

The maximum weekly rehearsal hours during technical rehearsals shall be no more than thirty-eight (38). This includes four (4) weekday rehearsals of five (5) hours each, and one (1) ten-out-of-twelve (10 out of 12) technical rehearsal and one (1) eight-out-of-ten (8 out of 10) hour technical rehearsal. This does not include the opening performance call.

Sample technical rehearsal schedule: Friday, 6:00 - 11:00 p.m.; Saturday, 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 - 10:00 p.m. (10 out of 12); Sunday, 12:00 - 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 - 10:00 p.m. (8 out of 10); Monday, dark; Tuesday - Thursday, 6:00 - 11:00 p.m., for a total of thirty-eight (38) hours. These times include all calls - costume calls, warm-ups, fight calls, notes, etc.