 TROUPE
CHARTER
Adopted Unanimously by the Membership
1/31/09
Statement
of Purpose.
In keeping
with our commitment to break away from the elitism and closedmindedness that
stultifies so many commercial theatres, Subversive Theatre's Board of
Directors hereby authorizes the creation of a "Production Troupe."
The purpose of this body is to allow the artists and volunteers of our
organization an opportunity for a greater say in and involvement with the
theatre's overall activities.
While the Board of Directors retains authority over matters of policy
(long-term contracts, fund-raising campaigns, fundamental business
arrangements, etc.) and the Artistic Director retains final say over the
choice of productions and directors, the "Production Troupe" is empowered
to act on all matters relevant to STC's individual productions.
The intention is for the "Production Troupe" to serve as both a
forum for members to express their ideas for upcoming productions as well as
an active body that attends to organizational tasks involved in mounting these
productions (promotion, soliciting sponsors, postering, ushering, etc.).
Eligibility.
To be eligible for membership in the Troupe,
individuals must be in general agreement with Subversive Theatre's Mission
Statement and have participated in some capacity with at least two Subversive
Theatre productions.
Admittance.
To become a member, individuals may apply at
any meeting of the Troupe and have their membership confirmed by a majority
vote.
Rights
of Members.
Members have the right to vote at all meetings of the Troupe. Votes shall be conducted through an open show of hands and
decided by a simple majority of those in attendance (no quorum required).
Members also have the right to advanced notification of all of the
theatre's upcoming events including auditions, scheduling plans, and so
forth.
Furthermore,
members shall receive first consideration over non-members with regards to the
casting, contracting, and planning of all of the theatre's productions.
This does NOT guarantee that members will always be cast over
non-members (THAT decision will lie with the director of each given project),
but it definitely improves their odds.
Lastly, members
have the right to access to all information regarding the Troupe's records,
plans, and activities.
Requirements
of Membership.
Members will pay annual dues of $10.00 to be collected on or about May
1st of each year. Dues will be
waived for all members of Subversive Theatre’s Artistic Staff (this does not
include actors) since these individuals are already graciously contributing
their labor for much less compensation than they deserve.
Members
will participate in some capacity (either as a performer or as a volunteer
through ushering, postering, soliciting sponsorships, set construction,
theatre maintenance, etc.) with at least two Subversive Theatre productions
per year. Members will attend at least one meeting of the Troupe per
year.
Failure to maintain the above level of involvement
will cause membership to lapse. Lapsed
members may apply for re-admittance at anytime.
Expectations
of the Membership.
While not required, it is hoped that members
will attend all Subversive Theatre productions and take an active role in the
solicitation of contributors to our annual fund-drive.
Organizational
Structure.
The membership will elect the following
officers to help conduct its business:
1)
Troupe
Organizer
The Troupe Organizer will be the main contact point for members to enlist
them in ongoing activities, inform them of upcoming meetings and events, field
questions, and generally maintain the overall work of the Troupe.
2)
Financial
Officer
The Financial Officer will take responsibility for the collecting and
maintaining records of the annual membership dues.
3)
Recording
Officer and/or Officers
The Recording Officer(s) will take responsibility for documenting all
decisions reached at Membership Meetings and making such information available
to all interested parties.
Officers
will be elected to terms of one year with no limit to terms served. Annual elections will be held on or about February 1st of
each year. In the event that
officers cannot complete their term an interim replacement will be chosen
through ad hoc elections at the earliest possible meeting of the Troupe.
Regular meetings of the Troupe will be held roughly
once every two months. Whenever possible, these will take place during the first
weekend of each new Subversive Theatre full production. The Troupe Organizer will have the authority to cancel, add,
or reschedule meetings as necessary.
Meetings will be
chaired by the Artistic Director who will present a proposed agenda at the
outset of each meeting. When
necessary, the Artistic Director may appoint an interim chair to oversee the
meeting in their stead.
Amendments.
Subject to the approval of the Board of Directors, the membership
retains the right to amend any of the structural elements of this Charter as
necessary. In such cases, a
simple majority vote will be required.
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