Theater-by-the-Grove (TBTG) is the name under which all productions produced by the Department of Theater and Dance reside. That is, if the department in any way sponsors a play or a concert, it is presented by TBTG. So, in reality, TBTG is the producing arm of the Department of Theater and Dance. TBTG has no direct bearing on academics or faculty evaluation; for example, the Department of Theater and Dance confer your degree, not TBTG.
The TBTG Mainstage Season consists of five to six productions. These are three to four plays, one musical, and one dance concert, which are produced in this season during the regular academic year by the Department of Theater and Dance. They are usually directed by faculty or guest artists and provide the fuller stage and production experience many students desire. Play selection is done by the TBTG Production Committee, who try to program the season so that the department presents as wide a variety of theater and dance as possible over a student's tenure at IUP. Selection occurs during the latter part of the fall semester for the next academic year. Students are encouraged to submit plays for consideration during the first two months of the semester and have an elected representative on the Production Committee. Play Selection Worksheets are available in the department office.
Auditions for the TBTG Mainstage productions usually are scheduled the first day of fall classes for the fall productions and later in the fall semester (usually in October or November) for the spring productions. All positions, both in terms of casting and in production support, can be filled by any student at IUP who either auditions or interviews successfully for these positions. Information concerning the audition and interview processes is available on the Callboard in the Lower Lobby of Waller Hall as well as in The Penn. In addition, further information on upcoming TBTG auditions can be found at Theater-by-the-Grove Audition Updates.
Production positions are open in stage management, dramaturgy, carpentry, costume construction, wardrobe, lights, makeup, props, running crews and house management. If interested in pursuing any of these production options, please contact Brian Jones at brjones@iup.edu or 724-357-2969.
Academic credit is available for all IUP students involved in TBTG Mainstage Productions. Again, please contact Brian Jones if you would like to work on a production for academic credit.
Our dance performance company, IUP Dance Theater, is composed of 20 members who perform two concerts annually on campus, including works of guest artists. The company also performs at various dance conferences and tours regionally.
Membership is by audition only. These auditions occur the first week of the fall semester in Zink Auditorium. Auditionees will be asked to perform a short combination in modern, jazz and ballet. Each genre will be observed separately by the adjudicator panel and an overall score will be given. Leotards and tights, unitard or comfortable clothes in which to move are required for the audition. Ballet or jazz shoes are recommended. Auditionees are advised to arrive at least 15 minutes early to warm-up and prepare. Please read the Callboard, The Penn, and flyers placed around campus to find out the date, time and place for the auditions.
The IUP Dance Theater is a yearlong commitment involving class and rehearsal three to five evenings per week. All students must audition for the company on an annual basis.
C. The Acorn ProjectThe Acorn Project, performed in the Studio Theater in Waller Hall, is a series of mounted productions or staged readings with minimal technical demands. It showcases new plays, provides experimental productions of older plays, and acts as a laboratory for new and developing talents. Students’ work is showcased in the Acorn Project. There is a Studio Theater Committee comprised of faculty and students who handle the scheduling and facilitating of Acorn Project productions as well as any other Studio Theater events.
Auditions for all mainstage productions are, open to the entire university community. Normally, all casting for shows for a given semester are held simultaneously to assure that students get the best possible casting in any given semester. In the fall, auditions usually occur during the first week of classes; spring auditions are usually held toward the middle of the fall semester. (Occassionally the fall productions are cast the Spring before due to a need for the cast to come back early from summer break.) Consult the Callboard, The Penn, the student newspaper at IUP, or the Department office for specific dates. Auditions are held in a professional manner that includes proper dress, preparation of appropriate materials, and reporting to the stage manager at the appointed time. If cast in a mainstage season production, students can receive academic credit for their work. [If a student is not a theater major when cast, s/he should go to the department office (104 Waller Hall) to get an over-ride to register for the appropriate section of THTR 486 Practicum in Production.]
Scripts and audition materials for each show are ordinarily available in the Department of Theater and Dance office several weeks before auditions begin. These scripts may be signed out for a restricted period of time determined by the director (usually twenty-four hours). Again, refer to the Callboard for information regarding each production’s audition process.
*****GOOD LUCK! *****
Mainstage productions are generally rehearsed five evenings a week. Weekend rehearsals may also be scheduled. Except for extraordinary cases, productions usually rehearse four to six weeks. The director schedules rehearsals in collaboration with the rest of the production team.
Rehearsal demeanor and practices are outlined specifically under the job description for actors and stage managers (found in the Department Handbook). Directors will advise the Rehearsal Company as to what will be expected of them at the beginning of the rehearsal period.
A professional attitude and commitment to productions are expected at all times. As is true in the professional theater, if the director believes that a cast member’s participation in the production is unsatisfactory, it is his/her prerogative to replace that person.
All rehearsal areas must be cleaned up and readied for their next use following each rehearsal. Stage managers and cast members are responsible for maintenance of the space used.
Students will be given sufficient notice for crew and rehearsal calls. Calls or changes in calls should be made at least 24 hours in advance, if at all possible. Actors/dancers are required to provide their own rehearsal clothes (shoes, tights, undergarments, hosiery, dance shoes, etc.) unless otherwise specified by the director or the costume designer. If rehearsal clothes are issued, the actor/dancer is responsible for storing and securing said garments for the duration of the rehearsal period. They are also responsible for returning any loaned rehearsal clothing at the appropriate time. Rehearsal costumes for any non-mainstage production may be obtained through the departmental costume designer or costume shop supervisor, under specific conditions of their use.
Unless otherwise indicated, all performers are required to provide their own makeup. This usually does not extend to any special effects makeup, such as hair or prosthetics. It is a good idea to consult the costume designer prior to the first dress rehearsal so that all necessary items can be acquired. Professional Ben Nye make up kits are available at The Costume Shop located at 33 North Sixth Street here in Indiana. These kits are also used in the TH 223 Makeup for the Stage class.
All students who earn academic credit in THTR 486 Practicum in Production may receive one complimentary ticket voucher for one TBTG mainstage production each semester they are enrolled in practicum. These complimentary vouchers are available from the department office one week prior to the opening of each TBTG production. The complimentary vouchers must be exchanged for a ticket and should be obtained as early as possible, no later than thirty minutes before a performance. In other words, the passes do not guarantee a seat until they are exchanged.
Any theater major or minor may see any performance free if they volunteer to usher or to sell refreshments during intermission. Also, most final dress rehearsals are open to theater majors and minors. Check the Callboard for times and dates.
These are displayed in the inner lobby of the main theater space. The rehearsal company will be given a form sometime early in the rehearsal process which can be used to provide all pertinent biographical information. This form is also used to determine the exact format and spelling of names appearing in the program. A similar form will be distributed to design and technical staff as well. In addition, photo sessions will be scheduled for those individuals who need to have a head shot taken. Unless you already have professional headshots, you should get one taken during one of these sessions. Please consult the Callboard and respond accordingly when these sessions are announced.
The purpose of a photo call is to provide a photographic record of the productions. It is usually scheduled following a Sunday matinee performance.
A brief production meeting should be called by the stage manager specifically to determine a list of shots at least 72 hours prior to photo call. The meeting should include, but is not limited to, the director, all designers, choreographers, and the stage manager. It is the responsibility of these individuals to assure that the photographs will provide an accurate and mutually acceptable record of the production.
The stage manager, director, or a designer will conduct the photo call. Anyone with a camera wishing to take pictures may do so at that time.
All students connected with a given production are required to attend strike. This includes all actors, dancers, technicians, designers, and crew. The technical director will assign tasks for each individual in sets, lights, and props. The costume designer will run the costume/makeup strike. The Dance Theater director will run dance theater strikes. Please be advised: There are NO exceptions to this policy. Those students who are excused by faculty from the official strike time due to medical or family emergencies will makeup their strike obligations at a later date.
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