Minutes: 10th December 2012

Minutes of STaG Board Meeting, 10th December 2012

The STaG Room, 62 Oakfield Avenue, 5:40pm

In attendance were H. Allan, A. Cameron, A. Ciupka, N. Donald, W. Foote, M. Godden, S. Linsley, A. McCallum, Sophie McCormack-Gow, A. Rutherford

Apologies from  Jack Cameron, C. Goldstone, D. Hahn, R. Tildesley, Z. Williams

Also present was Harriet Bolwell (director of History Boys)

Agenda

1. MS1 Post-Mortem
2. NW
3. FS - Inver
4. MS2
5. Inter-Uni
6. NSDF
7. LGBT
8. PerfA
9. Socials
10. Board Trip
11. AOB

1.  MainStage 1 Post-Mortem

1. Positives:
   • Fun, loved every minute
   • A really good cast who were also committed and organised
   • Production Week was great, so many people helping out
   • Lighting was very good and the Tech team was always ‘on it’
   • Board supportive and helpful
2. Negatives: 
• Booking rooms - in future it may be better to set up a rehearsal schedule between the cast and director, and book it all beforehand
• A warmer venue than SWG3 would have been nice - even a couple of heaters would have helped!  Mixed reviews about the temperature
• One cast member was threatened for not attending rehearsals enough - the rehearsals policy worked though
3. Advice: 
• Be super organised
• Get a good SM who knows what he/she’s doing
4. L. Gasson has already approached H. Bolwell in anticipation of the next MS, but it is worth forwarding the email address of the previous MS director to the next to pass on advice and ideas.
5. SM - enjoyed it, it was a good learning experience.  Communication with the venue and the panic about finding a venue were the only problems, and cast attendance.
6. SN booking issue about poor turn-out was not so much of a problem here, partly because it seemed better plugged on the day.
7. Tech team members on the Board - especially for a MS, the President being involved should be avoided, and also especially in 3rd Year as uni work on top of STaG proved rather difficult.  S. Gow expressed how useful an experience being both backstage and on the Board was, seeing the different sides of production at once.
8. H. Bolwell was congratulated on such a high-quality, successful show.
   *H. Bolwell left the meeting.
9. Job roles were pushed to the limit - the Board is effectively the Producer, therefore the roles set out in the Board structure can be made the most of.  Tech, publicity and venues, for example, should be the responsibility of those dedicated to these elements; in future a meeting with the Director at the start of the season would be useful to explain exactly what support is where from the Board, perhaps especially if the director is new to STaG.  We should arrange a meeting with L. Gasson as soon as possible to underline the Board roles [ACTION: Aidan].
10. Audience - the play's length, the temperature and the uncomfortable seating really required more than one break in the middle.
11. Chairs - a different number were found in the venue and we took all the chairs from the STaG Room, which resulted in more than 100, so it was agreed we may as well use them.  However effectively this went behind the Board (see next point).
12. Overall it seems the Board needs a more authoritative presence, more of a system and some form of protocol, to define its role.  Essentially there are good reasons behind Board decisions and it is most useful if functioning as a cohesive support which takes care of the various aspects of productions in order for the director to concentrate on their main concerns.
13. The Board Rep role in the past was more as a producer; as the BR has to sit on the Board as well as go to rehearsals, and he/she may not know as much about publicity or venues eg. as the relevant Board members, however, it was decided to treat the Board itself foremost as the producer, then the BR being the director's focal point and there to relate the director's views.
14. Instead of a Post-Mortem at the end only, the director should come to a few meetings during the rehearsal process, once a month or after important stages.  
15. The last few points are only really relevant for the large-scale MS works.

2.  New Works

1. C. Goldstone is absent, however it was announced that another judge has been secured - Gary McNair.
2. Proposals shall come in over Christmas; there is a blurb to share on Facebook and for the newsletter.
3. M. Godden would like the artwork to forward to The S.P.A.C.E. [ACTION: Sinead].

3.  Found Spaces - The Investigation (Inver)

1. Production Meeting - arranged.
2. Venue - visit this week.
3. Script - ideas have been organised.

4.  MS2

1. BR - S. Gow.
2. Production Meeting - after Christmas.
3. The director's contact details shall be emailed round [ACTION: Aidan].

5.  Inter-Uni
The submission shall be sent tonight.

6.  NSDF

1. Venue - the Debates Chamber looks promising [ACTION: Mabs].
2. Application - to be sent [ACTION: Aidan].

7.  LGBT History Week

1. Application - sent on Friday.
2. Response - 17th December.

8.  Socials

1. January Social trailer to be filmed in Northumbria.
2. It would be nice to have more theatre visits next semester.

9.  Venue

1. A STaG Room clean-up must take place this week, after Tuesday.  Make a Doodle [ACTION: Nogs].
2. Inver - Old Hairdressers would be suitable.  Passed by R. Tildesley regarding finance.
3. L. Gasson likes the look of The Tron for MS2.
4. A. Cameron is to check that the STaG Room is all tidy after the trip [ACTION: Amy].

10.  Trip

1. Everyone is to bring food and wine.
2. Some are coming the second or third nights - meal teams should be worked out.  The numbers should add up to 13.
3. Alcohol - BYOB, although there is a pub next-door.  S. Linsley shall forward the address, and all are reminded to bring cash as there are no cash machines in the area.
4. S. Linsley shall book taxis.
   *A. Ciupka entered.
5. Board games and DVDs would be appreciated, and A. Rutherford will try to get his hands on a projector.
6. There are 10 beds, but sleeping bags would be great.

11.  AOB

1. M. Godden is to send the Inver blurb on [ACTION: Mabs].
2. H. Allan gave A. Rutherford some money to forward to R. Tildesley [ACTION: Aidan].
3. The first newsletter next year shall be sent during the week before term starts, before the NW deadline if possible.  The Social video is to be embedded in the newsletter [ACTION: Harriet].
4. The Board was reminded to write any notes or advice for posterity if the mood takes them over Christmas.

The date of the first meeting of next semester is Monday 7th January, 5:30pm in the STaG Room.

Meeting adjourned and Merry Christmas!