Casting and Production Assignment Policy
Students must accept roles in which they are cast and production positions that are assigned to them.
The theater program at Mason Gross School of the Arts prepares students for the wide variety of roles they will encounter in the professional entertainment industry: theater, film, and television. The goal is to develop highly skilled and versatile theater artists.
Theater, film, and television encompass the full range of human behavior and experience and there will be times when students may be asked to perform in roles or work on plays that may contain language and describe situations distasteful to some. Students in the Mason Gross School of the Arts Department of Theater must be able to portray characters and work on plays even if the values and beliefs therein may be at significant odds with their own.
Students in the program are not at liberty to choose the assignments or roles they are cast in according to how congruent they are with their personal belief systems. In addition, altering a text or changing the language of a play in order to sanitize language or character behavior creates an inauthentic performance of the play that falsifies the artistic integrity of the playwright's work. It also cheats the audience who came to see a legitimate performance of the play. Altering the text of a play is unacceptable in our program and will result in a failing grade for the work in question and ultimately in dismissal from the program.
Actors are required to attend all auditions for which they are called. If a student wishes to audition for a role for which he or she has not been called, the student may request an audition. At the discretion of the head of directing, the student may be granted the audition.
All issues of nudity or smoking in rehearsals and performances (including special effects) must be approved by the Executive Committee in order to make sure departmental policies are followed. The stage manager or director prepares a photocopy of the relevant pages in the script, highlighting necessary nudity or smoking and provides the Executive Committee with a copy as well as an explanation of the request.
Nudity during a performance may be permitted if it is essential to the logic of the play, but it may not be gratuitous. Actors cannot be required to perform in the nude. During casting, only the student's primary acting teacher may discuss performing in the nude with the actor. The director cannot have this conversation with the actor. The chair/artistic director is the final arbiter of taste and adherence to the Executive Committee policy. An actor's refusal to perform nude will not affect his or her casting. If nudity is to occur, the department will post a sign in the theater lobby and box office window so that patrons with sensitivity to nudity may be apprised.
Smoking during a performance is only permitted within strict limits if it is essential to the action and logic of the play. Electronic cigarettes will be used wherever possible and a sign will be posted for the audience advising of their use. If real smoking is to occur, the department will post a sign in the theater lobby and box office window so that patrons with sensitivity to smoking may apprised. If smoking is approved the ventilation systems will be run during those scenes and during intermissions to dilute the concentration of smoke in the atmosphere. This may cause noise which would affect the audience's ability to hear some of the scene. An actor's refusal to smoke or not smoke will not affect his or her casting. Nontobacco products will be used if the materials are lit.
Production Practice/Rutgers Theater Company
The
Rutgers Theater Company (which includes The Jameson Project) is a
resident company of student actors, designers, directors, playwrights,
stage managers, and technicians whose work is guided by master teachers
and other accomplished professionals. Production practice is fully
integrated with the curriculum of the Department of Theater. Theatrical productions are tightly organized and collaborative events
that require each participant to fulfill his or her responsibilities.
Rehearsal and Production Conflict Policy
Master of fine arts (M.F.A.) and bachelor of fine arts (B.F.A.) students' presence is required for evening and weekend work
throughout the production process. Some productions require commitments
during holidays, vacation periods, and/or religious holidays. Students
are not excused from any responsibilities, rehearsals, or performances
for any reason unless specifically approved in advance and in writing
by the Department of Theater Executive Committee. Under no
circumstances will students be released from a technical rehearsal,
dress rehearsal, or performance. Should a potential conflict not be
approved, the student will need to clear that conflict, and his or her presence will be required.
Outside Employment
During
the academic year (including Thanksgiving, winter, and spring break
production periods for students required during those periods), M.F.A.
and B.F.A. students may not accept paid or unpaid outside theatrical or
entertainment industry employment without written consent from the head
of the student's program. Violation of the outside work policy may
result in dismissal from the program.
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