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POLICIES & PROCEDURES  




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Northwest Indiana Excellence in Theatre Foundation

Policies and Procedures Manual

Revised 4/19/2009

Revisions made in April, 2009 are in blue

The Policies & Procedures manual describes, in some detail, the duties and responsibilities of the organization and its officers, volunteers, and member theatres. It is especially useful if one or several officers were to leave the organization and their duties were assumed by someone unfamiliar with the office. The P&P should be considered a guidebook for new and potentially new participants. All descriptions in this manual are linked to the appropriate article and section of the Northwest Indiana Excellence in Theatre Foundation Bylaws.

Article I Inception


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Article II Membership


Section 1. Description.

Members are defined as a current Board member, viewer, a committee member, a

viewed theatre company, an unviewed theatre, or a person who has paid the membership

fee to help support the Foundation. Board members, viewers, and viewed theatre

companies are voting members.

Section 2. Selection of Members.

    A. Viewing members are considered and evaluated on three criteria:

    1. Having experience in more than one area of theatre (directing, acting, set construction, set design, musical direction, lighting, etc.) and having developed one area of expertise.
        1. Having experience in more than one theatre in the region.
        1. Possessing an admirable level of objectivity.

  1. Board candidates are expected to agree to the following:
    1. Must be interested in Theatrical Arts.
    2. Must attend Board meetings.
    3. Must support Foundation financially.
    4. Must attend Gala and participate in its running.
    5. Must serve on at least one committee.
    6. Must be able to fulfill the duties of the office.

Section 3. Election of Board Members.


A Nominations process for officers, committee chairmen, and at-large members.

    1. Nominations are accepted online or by U. S. mail from the community at large.
      1. Nominations are accepted until two weeks after the Gala.
      1. Nominations will be accepted from the floor if no nominees for a position have

    filed before the deadline, but both the nominator and nominee must be present at

    the election meeting.

      1. Nominees must meet qualifications as described in Section 2, paragraph B above.
    1. Nominees who wish to view or to continue viewing must make their preferences (musicals, plays, or both) known.

    B. Election process: The officers, committee chairmen, and at-large members of the Board are elected at the last meeting of the calendar year by

              1. The current Board
              2. the viewing committee members
              3. the member theatre representative

  1. The four Board members representing member theatres are selected in whatever

    manner each theatre shall decide. The theatres serving on the Board shall be selected

    by lottery without replacement until the pool of theatres is deficient. When the pool is

    less than four the remaining theatres are automatically selected. To complete the

    selection the lottery begins anew. The lottery will occur at the Board elections

    meeting after the elections are concluded. The member theatres will have two weeks

    from the lottery to inform the Board President of their selection for the Board. If a

    member theatre chooses not to select a representative, there will be no replacement. .

Section 4. Election of Viewing Members.

A. Nomination process

    1. Nominations are accepted online or by U. S. mail from the theatre

    community at large.

    1. Nominations are accepted until approximately one month before the election,

      with a possible extension of one week if, in the Board’s opinion, the viewing

      nominee list is too sparse.

    3. Nominations are not accepted from the floor the night of the election.

    4. Nominees may volunteer for viewing plays, musicals, or both.

    5. Nominee preference will yield to balance between number of viewers in

    each category.

B. Election process

1. Viewers are elected by

a. the current Board

b. a representative from each member theatre company if that

company sends a representative.

2. Election is held immediately prior to the August Board meeting.

3. If more than six Board members wish to view, officers must defer to

other Board members. Deferral order shall be

a. Play Nominations Secretary

b. Musical Nominations Secretary

c. President

d. Vice President

      1. Secretary
      2. Treasurer


4. If less than three elected Board members wish to be viewers, the

President, Play Nominations Secretary. And the Musical Nominations

Secretary must agree to view in that order.

5. The number of viewers’ votes needed to nominate a show or person for a category shall be as follows:

Number of Viewers Minimum number of Viewers Needed for Nomination Nmber of Viewers Needed that are not involved in show
18 5 3
17 5 3
16 5 3
15 5 3
14 4 2
13 4 2
12 4 2
11 3 2
10 3 2
9 3 2

 

Section 5 Selection of Committee Members.

    A. Committee chairpersons shall select their members from the current Board,

    viewers, and the community at large.

B. Committee chairpersons may remove members from their committee at their

discretion.

C. Committee members not on the Board or viewing shall be considered non-voting

Foundation members.

Section 6 Resignation of Members


A. All resignations of voting members must be sent by US Postal Service,

electronically, any other transmission method not yet invented, or hand delivered to

the President of the Board. In the case of the resignation of the President the

document must be sent or delivered to the Vice President of the Board. A copy

should be sent to the Secretary of the Board.

    1. Resignations are automatically accepted upon their receipt by the appropriate officer of the Board.

    1. A resignation may be rescinded if the president and the Board agree that circumstances warrant taking such measures.

Section 7 Replacement of Elected Board Members.

A. If an elected Board member is unable to fulfill the duties for the season for

which he/she was elected, the President may call a special meeting of the

voting members (Board of Directors, viewers, and member theatre

representatives) for the purpose of filling the vacated position.

    1. The order of business shall be as follows, with no other official Board

    business taking place.

    1. Call for nominations.

2. Election of new Board member by simple majority of voting members

present.

    1. If a majority of the Board agrees, votes for the special election may be submitted electronically, by US Postal Service , or by any other transmission method yet to be invented to the Vice President or the President’s designee 72 hours before the special meeting.

Section 8 Selection of Associate Theatres

Associate theatres are admitted by the same process as member theatres but do not

have their shows viewed. They receive website promotion.

Article III Duties of Foundation Members


Section 1 Board of Directors

A. The Board of Directors is responsible for the overall governance of the

Foundation. This includes the following:

    1. Planning, attending, and running the annual Awards ceremony,

    commonly called the Gala.

    2. Supervising the Viewing program.

    3. Supervising the printing and distribution of the program inserts to the

    member theatres.

    4. Maintaining a web site to publicize individual member theatres’

    programs and the Foundation programs.

    5. Encouraging cooperation among member theatres.

    6. Encouraging theatre attendance at the members’ venues among the

    general public.

    1. Increasing the general public’s awareness of all live theatre programs in

      the Northwest Indiana area.

    B. The Board shall hold at least six meetings a year, one of which must be open to

    the general public.

Section 2 Officers

A. President

The President’s duties include the following:

      1. Conduct all regular and special Board meeting

      2. Coordinate all Foundation programs.

    3. Represent the Foundation with other groups.

    4. Any other responsibilities deemed appropriate by the Board

    1. Vice President

    The Vice President’s duties include the following:

    1. Provide advice and support to the President.

    2. Conduct Board meetings in the absence of the President.

    3. Organize and conduct the election for viewers in August of each

    year.

    4. Organize and conduct the election for the Board at the last Board meeting of

    the year.

    5. Any other responsibilities deemed appropriate by the Board.

    1. Recording Secretary

    The Recording Secretary’s duties include the following:

    1. Record and distribute to the Board minutes of all regular meetings.

    2. Handle and archive all Foundation correspondence.

    3. Distribute copies of minute of previous regular Board meetings to

    member theatres after approval by Board.

    4. Any other responsibilities deemed appropriate by the Board.

    1. Treasurer

    The Treasurer’s duties include the following:

    1. Collect and disburse, in accordance with Board decisions, all

    Foundation funds.

    2. Prepare and present to the Board at the first regular meeting after the

    end of the fiscal year (August 31) a detailed profit and loss statement

    for NIETF for the fiscal year just ended.

    3. Prepare and present to the Board at the first regular meeting after the

    annual awards Gala an event profit and loss comparison which will

    provide ticket sales, expenses by line item, and net profit/loss for at

    least the last three years. If all bills have not been received by the first

    meeting, an updated comparison will be provided at the subsequent

    Board meeting.

    4. File all required reports and other paperwork associated with

    incorporation and tax exempt status of the Foundation with the county,

    state, and Federal governments in a timely manner. Archive a copy of

    all such filings.

    5. Help maintain the web site and post office box by paying the necessary

    fees in a timely manner.

    6. Any other responsibilities deemed appropriate by the Board.

    1. Play Nominations Secretary

    The Play Nominations Secretary’s duties include the following:

    1. Record, track, and tally all viewer nominations for plays.

    2. Maintain a record of shows seen by each viewer on a separate page of

    the web site accessible to viewers and Board members only.

    3. Contact theatres concerning questions about categories of nominees and

    eligibility of shows.

    4. Co-chair any viewer member meetings.

    5. Prepare ballots for preliminary voting round at September meeting.

    6. Conduct preliminary voting at September meeting.

    1. Tally preliminary vote and prepare and mail final ballot and stamped

      preaddressed envelope to viewers after September meeting.

    1. Any other responsibilities deemed appropriate by the Board.

    1. Musical Nominations Secretary

    The Musical Nominations Secretary’s duties include the following:

    1. Record, track, and tally all viewer nominations for musicals.

2. Maintain a record of shows seen by each viewer on a separate page of

the web site accessible to viewers and Board members only.

    3. Contact theatres concerning questions about categories of nominees and

    eligibility of shows.

    4. Co-chair any viewer member meetings.

    5. Prepare ballots for preliminary voting round at September meeting.

    6. Conduct preliminary voting at September meeting.

    1. Tally preliminary vote and prepare and mail final ballot and stamped

      preaddressed envelope top viewers after September meeting.

      8. Any other responsibilities deemed appropriate by the Board.

    Section 3 Committee Chairpersons

    A. Outreach

    The Outreach Chairperson’s duties include the following:

    1. Administer Project C.A.S.T.

    a. write and post inquiries for projects from member theatres.

    b. collect all project proposals.

    c. present proposals to the Board for a vote before the Gala. A

    majority of Board members are required for selection.

    2. Administer the Outstanding Achievement Award.

    a. write and post invitations for nominations to member theatres.

    b. collect nominations.

    c. present nominations to the Board for a vote before the Gala. A

    majority of Board members are required for selection.

    3. Administer High School Grants

4. Administer regranting.

    5. Contact theatres about meetings to which theatre members are

    invited.

    6. Administer the creation, printing, and distribution of program

    inserts, advertising the upcoming shows and auditions at member

    theatres, to member theatres as needed. The minimum printing

    will be bimonthly.

    7. Any other responsibilities deemed appropriate by the Board

    B Development Chairperson

    The Development Chairperson’s duties include the following:

    1. Administer grant writing.

    2. Solicit financial support for the Foundation programs from local

    businesses and individuals.

    3. Administer collection of such support.

    4. Coordinate such activities with the Treasurer whenever necessary.

    5. Contact theatres about annual dues.

    6. Any other responsibilities deemed appropriate by the Board.

      C. Marketing and Public Relations Chairperson

    The Marketing and Public Relations Chairperson’s duties include the

    following:

    1. Administer publicity releases for the Foundation.

    2. Devise strategies for publicizing the Foundation’s programs and the

    programs of the member theatres.

    3. Any other responsibilities deemed appropriate by the Board.

Section 4 Viewing Members

    A. Viewers must see a minimum 75% of viewable shows. This show must be a

    scheduled public performance or a legally sanctioned recorded unedited copy of such

    a single performance. Theatres will provide documentation of the sanction if

    requested. Viewers shall neither request or accept recordings of performances where

    such recordings or their use would be in violation of copyright laws and/or the

    performing company’s royalty house agreement.

    1. Nominations or notification of intention to view a sanctioned recording for a show should be received within 72 hours of the viewing. In all cases nominations from live performances shall not be accepted more than two weeks after the show closes. Nominations from sanctioned recordings should be received within 72 hours of viewing and, in no case, received later than August 31st of the viewing season. The Foundation is not responsible for obtaining, returning, or paying any expenses regarding such recordings. Viewers may appeal for acceptance to the Board.

    1. Viewers must attend the voting meeting in September. Failure to do so will

    result in loss of voting privileges for the preliminary ballot. Attendance is

    requested at other meetings which may be called to decide the correct

    category of nominees.

    1. Questions about categories may be politely directed to the appropriate

    theatre or the appropriate Viewing Secretary.

    2. Viewers must be aware that the opinions of viewers are seen by the

    public as the opinions of the Foundation. Therefore viewers shall not

    make derogatory comments or references to nominations to anyone.

    Such comments include, but are not limited to, the quality of any

    production, theatre, or participants therein.

    1. Viewers may add comments or critiques of a show to their nominations form. These comments will be shared with the directors of the shows after the Gala if the directors desire such feedback. No viewer names or other identifying marks of any kind will be attached to such comments.






Section 5 Committee Members

Committee members shall perform any duties assigned to them by the chairperson

that pertain to the duties of their particular committee.

Section 6 Code of Ethics

A. Intentionally left blank.

    1. This provision in no way constitutes a responsibility of NIETF or its members to enforce any laws, nor does it bestow on NIETF or its members any authority to determine violations of any law.

    C. Intentionally left blank.


    Article IV Theatre and Show Award

Section 1 Theatre Eligibility

    A. Based in one of the listed counties means that the theatre’s venue is located in

    one of the three counties.

    1. The theatre may be a private company, a company associated with a church or

    school or with a community or governmental organization.

    1. Two seasons shall mean twenty-four months from the production of the first

    show. Viewing shall begin two months after the Board votes to accept the

    theatre as a member.

Section 2 Show Eligibility

    A. Publicity for performances and auditions may appear in newspaper, be

    broadcast on radio or television, be posted on The Foundation’s web site

    audition listing, or by any combination of these.

    1. A show is defined as a scripted musical or play intended as part of a

    member theatre’s regular season.

    2. A show must have several performances scheduled for different dates.

    3. Ineligible shows shall include, but not be limited to

    a. Single performance fund-raisers

    b. Shows intended primarily to be acted or viewed by children

    c. Educational workshops

    d. Staged readings for “works-in progress”

    e. Unscripted revues (works written for performers already cast).

    1. Open auditions means that all roles must be open to auditioners. No roles

    should be preselected by the director, producer, or others in the company.

    1. No actor or actress shall be offered or accept any financial compensation for

    performing. This includes any payment for mileage traveled.

    D. Intentionally left blank.

Section 3 Award Categories

    A - D. Principal Actor or Actress: An actor or actress whose storyline is the primary

    focus of the show or who narrates the entire principal story, such as Saliari in

Amadeus or the Narrator in Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

Such narrators take part in the action onstage.

    E - H. Featured Actor or Actress: An actor or actress whose storyline is secondary

    focus of the show. This person may only appear in several scenes.

    I. Musical: A show with musical numbers, usually involving singing and/or

    dancing, incorporated into the script to help tell the story. Music added as

    background or for scene changes shall not necessitate classification as a

    musical.

    J. Play: A show without musical numbers incorporated into the script to help

    tell the story. A character or characters who sings, hums, or dances without

orchestral accompaniment or orchestral interludes without singing shall not

necessitate classification as a musical.

K - L. Director: The person or persons who casts the show and conducts or

    arranges the rehearsals for the show.

    M. Vocal Director: The person or persons who teaches the music to the cast for

    a musical.

    N. Orchestral Director: The person who conducts the orchestra for a musical.

    If no Vocal Director is listed separately, this person may also assume the

    vocal direction for the show.

O - P. Set Designer: The person or persons who designs the set of the show. If a

    set is predominately (51%) borrowed from another theatre company, credit

    should be given to the designer at that theatre. If the set is predominately

    (51%) rented, sets are ineligible for nominations.

    Q - R. Lighting Designer: The person or persons who designs the lighting plot for

    the show. Light operators are not always designers. If no lighting designer

    is named, the operator may be considered the designer.

    S - T. Costume Designer: The person or persons who designs or coordinates the

    costumes. Borrowed costumes are considered designed. If costumes are

    predominately (51%) rented, costumes are ineligible for nominations.

    U. Choreographer: The person or persons who arranges the dance sequences in

    a show. If dances are unchanged from the original choreography of a show,

    the original choreographer should be credited. An example of this would be

    if the director chooses to use the choreography book provided with the

    Fiddler on the Roof script. Fight choreography in a play is eligible as a

    Viewer’s Choice nomination.

    V. Outstanding Achievement: Award given by the Board for outstanding

    achievement in community theatre to an individual or group. It may or may

    not be given in any year.

1. Nominations, with accompanying justification are solicited from the

general public and the theatres every August 1st prior to the Gala.

2. Nominations may be made by email or the United States Post Office.

3. Nominations are submitted to the Board for a vote.

4. A majority vote of sitting Board members is necessary for the award to

be presented.

5. Recipient is contacted so that a biography of the individual or group

may be inserted in the Gala program.

6. Award is presented at the Gala.

W. Cameo Actor or Actress: An actor or actress who appears in a role significantly

smaller than featured.

    X. Viewers’ Choice: Award given for any category not covered by the listed

    awards that particularly impressed the viewing members. This may

    include, but is not limited to, sound, special effects, and best ensemble.

    Y. Project C.A.S.T.: Award given by the Board to a member theatre to help

    defray the cost of a theatre improvement.

    1. Proposals may be submitted by member theatres each year

    after August 1st explaining how the monies will be used and

    outlining the proposed project.

2. Proposals may be submitted by email or the United States Postal

Service.

3. Proposals are submitted to the Board for a vote.

4. A majority vote of sitting Board members is necessary for the award to

be presented.

5. The award in the form of a check is presented to the recipient theatre at

the Gala.

Z. An ensemble is a cast in which the actors or actresses take multiple roles or a group

of actors or actresses within a cast who perform as a unit.

    Article V Awards Procedure

Section 1 Eligibility for Nomination


Multiple Casting:

1. If more than one person is cast for a particular role, viewers will consider

only the person who is assigned the majority of the performances for

nomination.

2. If each person is given the same number of performances, viewers may be

required to see the show several times.

3. Second and subsequent viewing will only be for nominating the multiple

cast role.

4. Viewing for additional performances will be arranged by the appropriate

viewing secretary.

Section 2 Nominations and Voting


    A. Initial Voting

1. Ballots, listing in alphabetical order all nominees, are distributed at the

September viewers’ meeting.

2. Voting is conducted after all questions about correct categories for

nominees (i.e. Principal or Featured) are resolved by viewer vote.

3. Secretaries have the option of resolving these conflicts if all but a few

viewers have nominated in one category.

    B. Initial Tallying

      Intentionally left blank

C. Final Voting

1. Each viewer receives his /her ballot and a preaddressed stamped

envelope to mail the ballot to the independent consultant.

2. Viewers have approximately a week to vote and mail their ballot.

. Postmark must be on or before the deadline, the deadline being

determined by the Secretaries and the Board.

    D. Final Tallying

      Intentionally left blank

Section 3 Awards Presentation


Location of the ceremony is left to the discretion of the Board.


Article VI Meetings


All Foundation meetings shall be governed by the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order except that a quorum shall consist of 51% of the current Board or Board, viewers, and member theatre representatives as appropriate.

Article VII Changes or Amendments to Bylaws


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