Production policies and technical information

Costume Storage - H0046

• Monday 10-12pm
• Tuesday/Wednesday 12-5pm
• Thursday/Friday 8:30-12pm
• Appointments for visits for rentals, returns and viewing contact: costume.storage@concordia.ca
• No walk-ins are accepted.

Download Costume Storage Rental Procedures [PDF - 194 KB]

Costume shop - GM 540

• Hours Fall 2021:
  • Monday-Friday 9:00am - 12:00pm and 1:00pm-5:00pm

For access to shop contact: laura.acosta@concordia.ca

See procedures for in-person activities. Only permitted for classes with in-person activities.

Scene shop Storage is located on the Loyola Campus, PS 145 Access for borrowing & returns is by appointment only.

Appointments:

To make an appointment, please contact the Head of the Scene Shop, Marlene Lucas at marlene.lucas@concordia.ca

All relevant paperwork must be completed, before items are removed from storage.

PLEASE NOTE:

• Appointment times are between 10am-12pm and 1pm-4pm. Tuesday – Friday. Evening appointments are not possible.
• If you need to cancel an appointment, you must get in touch with Marlene Lucas as soon as possible by email at marlene.lucas@concordia.ca. Please do not call the shop office. The phone is not heard with the shop tools are being used.
• If you are more than 10 minutes late, your appointment might be canceled.

When working in the shops please bring:

• Water Bottle
• Work Gloves (these cannot be shared due to COVID)
• Steel Toe Boots

See procedures for in-person activities. Only permitted for classes with in-person activities.

Properties Storage is located on the Loyola Campus, PS 245-2

Photos of most of our properties can be found on Theatre Department Props website at http://theatre.concordia.ca/props/

Please consult this site before requesting any items. Availability and state of items may change. Access for borrowing/pick-up & returns is by appointment only.

Appointments: 

• To make an appointment, please contact: dominique.coughlin@concordia.ca
• Be prepared with a complete list of all items required and visual references for more accurate pulling.
• Clearly indicate what production or class your request is for and the dates for which the items are needed.

PLEASE NOTE:

• If you need to cancel an appointment, you must get in touch with the Head of the Properties Shop, Dominique Coughlin as soon as possible by email at dominique.coughlin@concordia.ca. Please do not call the shop office. The phone is not heard with the shop tools are being used.
• If you are more than 10 minutes late, your appointment might be canceled.

Before any prop firearms are used on stage or for class performances at Concordia, you need approval from Faculty or Stage Management. After which, the following steps must be followed:

• You must submit a description and photo(s) of the firearm(s) – ideally from the prop shop inventory.
• Include the date and time of arrival of firearms on campus, purpose, location and dates and times of use to the Stage Supervisor of the venue, who will forward it to the Campus Safety and Prevention Services for analysis.
• Once your request has been approved by Campus Safety and Prevention Services and the Stage Supervisor, the following steps must be followed:
• Upon arrival on campus, you are required to present yourself and the prop / fake firearm at the Campus Safety and Prevention Services Control Centre (H118 at SGW campus or SP170 at Loyola campus)
• A designated security agent will escort you from the Campus Safety and Prevention Services to your event venue.
• The prop / fake firearms must be hidden from view. The prop / fake firearm should not be in a rifle bag of anything that would resemble a riffle bag
• The prop / fake firearm must have an orange tip to signify that it is not real.
• The Stage Supervisor or their representative will ensure that the prop / fake firearm will be kept in a secure and hidden location, when not in use onstage.
• The client must designate a responsible person (eg Stage Manager, Technical Director) who will, in conjunction with the Stage Supervisor, create a protocol document describing the offstage storage and onstage use of said prop / fake firearm. See attached example.
• The prop / fake firearm cannot shoot any projectiles *including water pistols.
• It is required to place a sign in the lobby area of the venue, warning the audience that a prop / fake firearm will be used during the presentation.
• You will need to contact Campus Safety and Prevention Services at 514-848-3717 when you are ready to leave the venue with the prop / fake firearm and protocol applies (no rifle bag etc).

Please keep in mind that the concept of responsible ownership applies to both real guns and fake guns. We recommend that the above guidelines be followed in order to avoid any legal complications or future space booking privileges

NOTE:

…firearms (refer to “la loi Anastasia”, also known as the Act to protect persons with regard to activities involving firearms R.S.Q., chapter P-38.001) or other special effects used in the Space, without the prior written description of the use of said special effects and the written and signed permission given by the Owner. The Owner maintains the right to disallow or ban any special effects in the Space, at any time, either before, upon or after signature of this Agreement.

EXAMPLE PROTOCOL FOR REHEARSALS & PERFORMANCES

In conjunction with the TD & Stage Manager, establish a protocol for using the firearm during rehearsals & performances.

N.B. The firearm should remain in its secure location until it is required and returned to this location as quickly as possible. It must never be left unattended backstage.

Outline of the Protocol Document:

• Weapons Protocol for: Title of Show
• Performance Venue:
• Technical Rehearsal: Date (0.00 pm – 0.00 pm) Performances: Date (0.00 pm – 0.00 pm)
• Date (0.00 pm – 0.00 pm)
• Date (0.00 pm – 0.00 pm) Description of weapon(s):

PROCEDURE DURING REHEARSALS & PERFORMANCES:

1. Weapons Master unlocks the weapon & takes it backstage.
2. Weapons Master remains with the weapon until handing it to the actor just before their entrance.
3. At the end of the scene the actor returns the weapon to the Weapons Master. (If the weapon is required for a subsequent scene, it can remain back-stage but must NOT be left unattended – include additional steps as required).
4. Weapons Master returns the weapon to the secure lock-up.

The above procedure is a basic outline. Your document must include names of all personnel involved; each step should also clearly indicate when it takes place – e.g. 1. During Act 1, Scene 2…, & include details on locations.

Before committing to the use of a stage weapon or bringing any rehearsal props resembling a firearm on campus, please contact Head of Props to clarify the protocol and advising the appropriate people.

Each performer in a Department of Theatre Public Performance Project (PPP) must purchase a basic stage makeup kit at least one week before stage rehearsals begin. For our purposes, a basic kit (also known as a show kit) will suffice and includes the following:

Makeup items

• Creme foundation in your skin tone
• Creme highlight
• Creme shadow
• Lipstick & liner
• Eyebrow pencil
• Translucent setting powder

Makeup tools

• Makeup remover
• Application sponge
• Stipple sponge
• Makeup brush(es)
• Powder puff
• Makeup bag

The recommended brands are Ben Nye, Kryolan, and Mehron. 

Purchase the kit that feels right for you. You are welcome to purchase a different but similar kit as long as it has the necessary items. This is an investment in your career on stage. It is highly recommend to go in-person for your kit so that the makeup experts can see you skin tone and help you match your kit accordingly. They are very helpful and take pleasure in showing student performers how to use stage makeup! 

Visit Imagine Le Fun, our preferred supplier!

Only staff will be driving the van during COVID.

The SVPP must approve all requests for van use. The van may only be driven by an employee or work-study employee of the University for insurance reasons.

As its primary goal, The Concordia University Centre for Creative Reuse collects both conventional and unconventional material out of the Concordia’s waste stream. The collected items are made available for free. For more information, visit their website:

Concordia University Centre for Creative Reuse

For each production-related course they enroll in, students are required to pay a $25 fee. These help us to offset the cost of “consumables”—defined as “goods that that may be destroyed, dissipated, wasted, or spent.” In our case this applies to items such as: specialized lamps for theatrical lighting and projection equipment; gels and gobos; elements of cabling, and lost or damaged connectors; various kinds of tape; fabric, thread, and notions for costumes; wood, wire, metal, and other materials for sets and props; paper and programs; photographs; various kinds of classroom supplies, lost or damaged hand tools, etc.

The job of Stage Manager at Concordia University is performed by a student as part of their learning process. The Student Stage Manager will have access to a Stage Management Supervisor throughout the rehearsal process and the run of the production. This will include the preparatory work done before rehearsals begin. From time to time and on an individual need basis, the Supervisor may attend a part of certain rehearsals as well as Tech Week Rehearsals to help guide the students in their role. The supervisor will be meeting with the Stage Manager regularly outside of rehearsals and will be cced on all email communication, including rehearsal notes and schedules, preset and running cue paperwork and communications with the Production Team.

The responsibilities of a Stage Manager in the Concordia University Theatre Department include:

• Maintaining a prompt book, which contains all cues, technical notes, blocking and other information pertinent to the production.
• Helping establish a rehearsal schedule and ensuring that rehearsals run on time. The stage manager typically documents each rehearsal in rehearsal notes. The cast should be informed of the rehearsal call times for the following day’s rehearsal as soon as possible after being released from their rehearsal day.
• During Tech Week and after Opening, the Stage Manager controls all aspects of the performance by calling the cues for all transitions, lighting, sound and acts as the communications hub for the cast and crew. Large productions may utilize a stage management team in which the Stage Manager is responsible for calling the show while other team members operate backstage to ensure actors and crew are ready to perform their duties. The Stage Management team will be responsible for the presetting of the props and costumes or overseeing the crew in running the show. 
• Create and track all of these elements in paperwork throughout rehearsals and Tech Week and distribute to all team members and supervisors involved.
• Create and issue a Show Report after each public performance and distribute it to the following list of team members and faculty: The Chair, Artistic Director, theDirector, the Design Supervisor, the SVPP and the Stage Supervisor, the Shop Heads, and the Stage Management Supervisor.
• Create a daily rehearsal schedule according to the requirements of the director as well as an over-all general rehearsal schedule that will be distributed to the cast and production team prior to the first day of rehearsal.
• Create and distribute rehearsal notes after each rehearsal up until Preview, at which point Show Reports will replace this form of communication.

Rehearsals are scheduled during the class time allotted to your outcome with the exception of the time surrounding the public performances. A rehearsal and Performance schedule will be determined by the Department and the Faculty member responsible for the public outcome (PPP’s) and class room outcome presentations in consultation with the Performance Production Department.

Invited Professionals are expected to make reasonable time demands on student performers, who will be attending a full load of classes as well as rehearsing.

Stage Management is expected to produce Production Notes as needed. This document is also referred to as Rehearsal Notes in some theatres. These notes should include all new and relevant information that arises from rehearsal. All Costume, Set, Prop, Production, Technical, Sound, Lighting, Multimedia and general information should be included and copied to all of the various shops, as well as the SVPP. Information pertinent to the next scheduled rehearsal should also be included. When available, timing for run-throughs should be included.

Stage Managers should produce a show report for each performance that would include the performance date, start and finish times, weather, audience size, general audience response, and any notes for the various departments. Copies should go to the Chair of the Department of Theatre, the Director, the Design Supervisor, the SVPP, the Shop Heads, and the Stage Management Supervisor.

Show reports must also include a report of any equipment problems that might have occurred. The Production Team should be notified of any problems with the theatre equipment, props, costumes or scenery. This should happen as soon as possible in order to allow time for the staff members to correct the problems.

Shop Heads, Designers and their Assistants, the Director, the Design Supervisor, the SVPP, Technical Coordinator Multimedia, Technical Coordinator Lighting, and the Stage Manager are normally expected to attend and help take notes

Production meetings are limited to one hour, and generally take place in a design studio or another location and a specific date and time determined by the Director and Design Supervisor and the SPPV.

The deadline for program credit information is 15 days prior to the preview. All persons assisting in all the departments should be included. Acknowledgements or Special Thanks and content warnings should also be included. This is usually compiled by the Stage Manager and sent to the faculty member Raymond-Marius Boucher.

Stage Managers must provide the run times of the Public performance outcomes to the Front of House Coordinator prior to the Dress Rehearsal. This is done in the form of a Front of House Information Sheet. See Stage Management coach for details.

Included in this document, the Stage Manager is also responsible for informing the Front of House Coordinator if there is any fog, strobes, gunshots, firearms, loud noises, coarse language, nudity etc. in the production. Front of House will have a warning sign posted in the Lobby informing the audience.

Technical Rehearsals for the productions and Public Performance Presentations are normally held the week before Opening Night. This is referred to as “Tech Week”. The designers and director will normally be scheduled for level setting sessions for Sound, Lighting, Video or Projections. Outcomes with complex scene changes may also schedule additional time with the running crew to rehearse outside of technical rehearsals with the cast. Requests for scene change rehearsals or paper techs (a cueing meeting without cast and crew) should be made prior to Tech Week and submitted to the SVPP.

A make–up session may be scheduled, as needed, at an appropriate time during the time leading up to Opening. This make-up session will serve as a workshop in which either the designer, and or faculty member and or staff will guide the performers in applying specialized stage make-up specific to the production. A request for this workshop should be identified prior to Tech Week and submitted to the SVPP.

Cast and Crew are expected to be ready for rehearsal and to come prepared to start work on time and in the appropriate clothing for the job. Crew members should be prepared to take notes. This may require a small flashlight. Please note: Water with a lid or cap is the only beverage allowed backstage. No other food or drink is allowed.

On the following page is a sample Set-up and Technical Rehearsal Schedule, or “Tech Week Schedule”. Please note that this is a basic format. Each Public Performance Outcome will follow its own detailed schedule that meets its individual needs. modifications should be proposed well in advance to the SVPP.

The Performer’s first technical rehearsal onstage generally begins with a Safety Walk. The Safety walk should include the full cast and crew and will be led by a member of the Staff. At this time a Fire Safety session will also take place so that everyone involved is familiar with the fire procedures and fire exits. After the Safety Walk is complete, the Stage Manager will take over and run the Technical Rehearsals for the duration of Tech Week.

The Costume Run usually takes place on the Sunday before Opening. Please note that this is a change to the day off. At this point, all show costumes will be available and must be worn by the cast during the run. After the costume run, some costume pieces may need to be returned to the Costume Shop for final adjustments. The costumes will then be returned in time for the Dress Rehearsal on the Tuesday before Opening.

Quick-change rehearsals may be needed for certain PPP’s or outcomes. A quick-change rehearsal is a rehearsal in which the cast practice changing from one costume to another backstage under specific time constraints dictated by the circumstances. The changes sometimes involve assistance from members of the Stage Management team, other cast members or student crew members. The Stage Manager together with the Head of the costume shop, in advance of Tech Week, must provide the SVPP with a schedule of quick-change rehearsals that need to take place prior to the costume run.

With prior notice given to the SVPP and Director, archival photos may be taken during the Costume Run or Dress Rehearsal. The photographer may request to attend the Tech Run on the Saturday before Opening in order to familiarize themselves with the production or outcome.

Time demands on student performers, designers, directors, assistants, technicians during tech week should be kept reasonable – students are not released from classes during this time. Some of the students working on the production will have had little prior experience or training (the production itself is the training). It is important to allow sufficient time to practice and set complex sequences of cues.

A paper tech in advance of Tech Week is recommended. In a paper tech, the Stage Manager, Director, Sound designer, lighting designer, video/projections designer (and set designer if there are fly cues) sit down and talk through the show cue by cue. This is to ensure that everyone is in agreement about when the cues will be happening.

Once the rehearsals are in the theatre, the operators are encouraged to observe rehearsals and become familiar with the production. Student crews and performers are, at all times, expected to work in a disciplined and professional manner during rehearsals.

The Tuesday before Opening is generally the Dress Rehearsal. Occasionally, Theatre Department students and faculty are invited to attend this Dress Rehearsal. This rehearsal may be declared “closed” at the discretion of the Director.

In most cases, the Wednesday before Opening is a Preview. Tickets will be sold to the public for this performance and there will be Front of House staff present to deal with the public. A brief meeting should occur between the Stage Manager and the Front of House Manager prior to Preview to discuss the procedures for opening the house to the public, fire procedures, and medical or other emergencies. At this time, the Stage Manager may set a specific “late comer” call, as specified by the Director. The Stage Manager will call the cues for this performance from the booth. The production table in the house must be removed.

Usually, Thursday Night of Tech Week is Opening Night. The curtain is generally at 20:00. The Stage Manager sets actor and crew call times.

Room bookings outside of class time are allowed, but a member of faculty or staff must be present. These bookings must be completed by Staff. Please email the Performance Production Assistant, or Supervisor, Performance Production and Venues to coordinate.

The Custodial Staff at the University have a very busy workload, which does not include constant cleaning of all rehearsal spaces. The cast and Stage Management should make every effort to keep their rehearsal space tidy, since it may not receive constant custodial attention. Food or drinks are not permitted in the rehearsal spaces or Theatre. Water containers with secure tops are permitted. Please remember that all of our spaces are “shared spaces” used for classes, rehearsals and performances. You must leave a room in the same clean and neat condition that you find it. Rehearsal spaces used for the productions and public outcomes are not for the exclusive use of the company. All valuables must be locked up. This should include all rehearsal props and costumes. All spaces should be treated as “insecure” for valuables and “potentially unsafe” after hours. All personal belongings should be removed at the end of each rehearsal period. Stage Management should carefully follow all procedures regarding room and building lockup in all rehearsal and performance spaces. No one should walk unaccompanied after hours.

The University does not provide parking spots to visiting artists (Directors, Supervisors etc). There is on-the-street parking and several paid parking lots around both the Loyola Campus and the Downtown Campus. Everyone is responsible for paying for their own parking. Public transit is readily available and recommended, as finding parking spots and feeding meters throughout a lengthy rehearsal or performance is time consuming and can interrupt the work process.

If you are Injured or are involved in a “near miss” incident:

You must fill out an injury / near miss report and send it to your supervisor at the time of injury / incident. e.g. Faculty member, Instructor, Director, Coach. The form should be filled out by the injured party and their supervisor (Professor, Instructor, Coach etc). If it is impossible for you to complete the form, your professor who is onsite at the time or your supervisor can complete both sections for you.

If you are a Supervising Faculty or staff member at the time of an incident:

It is your responsibility to inform Campus Safety and Prevention Services at the time of the incident. It is also your responsibility to inform the injured party that they must fill out the injury report and direct them to the link on the Concordia EHS website. 

Once an injured party completes section A & B of the form, they must submit it to you for you to fill out section C. After the whole form is filled out, you must submit it to Environmental Health and Safety. It should be completed within 24 hours of the incident. If the injured party cannot complete the form for themselves, it is your responsibility to complete the whole form for them to the best of your ability. A form missing a few small details is better than none at all.

In the event of an emergency, dial ext.3717 (internal) 514-848-3717 (external) to alert Campus Safety and Prevention Services of the issues and to request immediate assistance.

Detailed procedures on how to manage various types of emergencies can be found on Environmental Health and Safety

Concordia Health Services:

Loyola Campus (GM-200) SWG Campus (AD-131)
Urgent care and after hours

Resources for sexual assault and prevention training:

Sexual Assault Resource Centre (H-645)
Sexual Violence Prevention Training

Policies:

The Office of Rights and Responsibilities
Environmental Health and Safety

If a person is in imminent danger to others or themselves:

• On campus, call Campus Safety and Prevention Services: 514-848-2424, ext 3717
• Off campus, call 911

For other health concerns, here are additional resources available on campus:

Students should know that there are resources available.

• For mental health issues, there are counselors and psychologists at Counseling and Development. There is also a “crisis” counselor on duty each day on both campuses for students who are feeling overwhelmed and need a quick appointment. These are short (~ 15 min.) appointments aimed at helping students contain whatever is overwhelming them and identifying next steps. Often a follow up appointment is booked. To book an appointment, students can call reception (SGW 3545, Loyola 3555).

For support of staff:

If you are seeking support for one of your students, you can have them contact Counseling and Psychological Services in Counseling and Development at CPS.info@concordia.ca Please remind them to include their full name, student ID and a preferred phone number and email. Our Service Assistants will contact them to set up a triage appointment with a counsellor.

At Health Services, there is a psychologist, GPs and psychiatrists. They have walk-in times every day to access their services. To book at appointment, call 3565.

• Health Services and Counseling and Development are not crisis centres. If the student is in crisis (i.e. in danger of harming him/herself), call Campus Safety and Prevention Services immediately.

Get as much information as possible.

As the case proceeds, it is helpful to have details. What happened? When? Is this the first time? What was going on beforehand? Does the student have a prior history? Write these details down right away.

Email a report to the Chair, with a CC to the Department Administrator and Department Assistant.

For all cases, notify The Office of Rights and Responsibilities so that a file can be opened. If coordination between departments is required, they may assign an advisor. In conflicts between parties, that office will sometimes moderate.

All official university policies are available by visiting: http://www.concordia.ca/about/policies.html

You can browse this website by Themes such as Behaviour policies, Human Resources Policies, Student Life and Academics, Heath and Safety and Campus Safety and Prevention Services policies.

Here a few other helpful links:

Travel outside of Quebec

Human Resources

The Office of Rights and Responsibilities