Administrative policies are set by the Artistic Director and the Director of Operations (Staff). [Clarifying comments which are not part of the Administrative Policies look like this.]

Statement of Purpose

To promote children's theatre by offering young people the opportunity to produce and perform plays of professional quality, on a regular basis, for the public.

To provide, for young people, education in all aspects of drama and theatrical arts including, but not limited to, expression, movement, characterization, play writing, directing, set design, set construction, costuming, and makeup by sponsoring classes, and seminars, and public demonstrations.

Policies

Admissions Policy: Everyone entering a production will have a ticket regardless of age. The only exceptions to this policy shall be the current production crew members.

Audition Policy: Children are eligible to audition for the summer productions at the age of six (they must be six on the day of audition) and eligible for the school year at the age of nine. Children are ineligible to audition for the next season's productions when they have turned 19 years of age, have graduated from high school, or are attending college.

Camera/Flash Policy: No cameras will be allowed into any performance. Cameras without a flash will be allowed at final dress rehearsals. Due to copyright laws, video taping of performances, rehearsals, and auditions may be prohibited.

Class Fees Policy: All-of-us Express will pay class teachers 60% of class fees or a guaranteed minimum, as stated in their contract, whichever is larger. The remaining 40% of class fees will be used to cover class expenses, such as cost of supplies, instructors' fees for the under-enrolled classes, higher fees for special instructors, scholarships, etc.

Costume/Set Rental Policy: Costume fees charged to cast members are rental fees for that particular show. All costumes will remain the property of All-of-us Express All-of-us Express will allow costumes to be used by other theater groups, schools, and churches at the discretion of the Board or the costume coordinators, for production use only, not for parties. A deposit of the amount equal to the cost of the costume will be required for each costume. Costumes will not be rented out for Halloween.

Crew Before Cast Policy: A child's first experience with All-of-us Express may be either as a cast member or a crew member. (One may choose to work on a crew, or one may accept a crew position if one is not cast in one's first audition.)

If one's first experience is on a crew, that crew point may be 'banked' until later to be used as one of two crew points even if the child's second experience is in a cast (see examples B and C).

Once cast, a child may not be cast again until they have earned a 'crew point' by serving on a crew. Up to two crew points may be accumulated (i.e., if one works crew for two shows, one may then be cast for two shows without working on a crew between those two shows). A child may earn only one crew point per show (except that an Assistant Director earns two crew points). Cast members may not earn a crew point in the same show even if they help out on a crew.

      A         B         C         D         E
     cast      crew      crew      cast      crew
     crew      cast      cast      crew      crew
     cast      cast      crew      crew      cast
     crew      crew      cast      cast      cast
     cast      cast      cast      cast      crew

Crew Comp-Ticket Policy: Crew members get a complimentary ticket if they are given a satisfactory rating by their crew heads. Ushers and box office crews get a comp ticket for a show at which they work. The party crew get a comp ticket at their planning meeting. Comp tickets are given if you are an adult on one of the running crews (costumes, directors, lights, makeup, props, set movers, sound). Keep in mind that these people may not in fact be able to sit in the audience and watch a show.

You must reserve a ticket if you want to see a particular performance. Reserve a ticket in the All-of-us Express space no later than the Friday before load-in. A comp ticket must be used by the person who earns it, during the run of the show for which it was earned. A comp ticket may not be sold or given to another person. Each person may earn only one comp ticket for the run of the show, regardless of how many crews they work. You will receive from the crew head a coupon that you must exchange for a ticket at the door. You must have your coupon to get a ticket! Do not loose your coupon! If you lose your coupon you will not get another one. [This second paragraph was enacted during the 10th season when many full houses were expected, and is not observed in practice for every production. An announcement is made if comp tickets and/or reservations will in fact be in use for a particular production.]

Crew Head Policy: Call the kids on your crew within a week following First Read. Let Staff know if kids have dropped and you need more kids on your crew. Talk with Staff if you need information or ideas.

Mailing List Policy: All-of-us Express's membership list and/or any other All-of-us Express mailing list shall not be released or sold to any other organization or company.

Membership Policy: Membership is for All-of-us Express's fiscal year, September to August. Membership paid in June, July or August will be applied to the next fiscal year. Fees are set by the Board.

Newsletter Policy: The All-of-us Express newsletter is published monthly. The deadline for articles is the fourth Thursday of the month prior to publication.

Makeup Policy: Cast members' makeup fee is included in the participation fee. All cast members are provided with makeup as needed.

Parent Meeting At The First Read Of All Plays Policy: There will be a parent meeting at the first read through, which all parents are required to attend. At this meeting the fees, rehearsal schedules, policies of the Theatre, and responsibilities of being in the play will be discussed.

Production Season: All-of-us Express's production season begins with any performances on or after September 1, and runs through the summer production(s).

Receipts Due Policy: If you have out-of-pocket expenses for which you want to be reimbursed, you must turn in receipts and fill out a Reimbursement Form within 14 days of the last performance of a show. Ask Staff what your budget is before you spend any money for which you expect to be reimbursed. If your receipts are not submitted within the time period, your expenses are considered a donation (for which we are very grateful). If this is a problem, please talk to Staff before the deadline.

Show Miss-Out Policy: Any uninformed tardy or unexcused absence is a miss-out. All actors and crews may have up to two miss-outs per show without further action being taken. After the third miss-out, a person must prove their reliability before being eligible to be cast again:

1. After a third miss-out all crew points accumulated will be banked until the student can prove reliability, and must work on a large crew before being cast again. Students under 11 may do one of the following to regain trust:
   1. usher at least three shows over two weekends
   2. serve on Costume crew
   3. serve on Set Construction crew
   Students 12 and over may do one of the following to regain trust:
   1. work Box Office at least three shows over two weekends
   2. serve on Set Construction crew
   3. serve on a running crew, e.g., Costumes, Lights, Makeup,...
   [Where 'serve on' is understood to mean successfully serve on according to the requirements of the crew or guild.]
2. After a fourth miss-out all crew points accumulated will be lost and the student must work on a large crew (as defined above) for two shows to prove reliability.
3. After a fifth miss-out the student will face possible removal from the current production.

Absolutely no one will be excused from any tech week rehearsal without consulting the Director. Tech week is a very important time. All members of the cast and crews should be present.

Storybook Story Theatre (SBST) & ACTORS Participation Policy: Participation in SBST and/or the ACTORS troupes is by the producing director's invitation only. Participants will be chosen from people who have been observed in productions and/or classes. Attitude, commitment, and ability will be considered when observing possible participants.

SBST & ACTORS Troupe Mileage Allowance Policy: The reimbursement of mileage costs for drivers of SBST and the ACTORS troupes will be the current Federal rate.

Show Program Ads/Donations Policy: Donors for a particular show shall be listed/mentioned in that show's program. Ads are to be paid for (i.e., full-page ad, half-page ad, or inserting a business card).

Winter Storm Policy: Rehearsals, classes, and performances will not be held when weather reports are advising people to stay off the streets. If schools and/or businesses are closed for the day, the condition of the streets will be evaluated by the Artistic Director and a decision to continue or not will be made within three hours of the event. A participant deciding not to attend a rehearsal, class, or performance due to bad weather conditions, will not be penalized for their decision.

[Most recently updated 27 June 2008.]

It is the mission of All-of-us Express Children's Theatre to offer young people of all backgrounds, cultures, and lifestyles the opportunity to produce professional quality plays, study many aspects of the dramatic arts, and develop valuable life skills while providing outstanding entertainment to the community.

All-of-us Express Children's Theatre is an Equal Opportunity employer and provides programs and services without regard to age, color, creed, gender identity, disability, height, membership in any labor organization, national origin, parental status, political identification, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or weight.

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