Oakville Improv Performers Guide

Summary

This document explains how performance opportunities are offered to OITC members, and provides guidance and expectations for all members who want to perform in our shows.

We hope you will take time to read the full guide. Here are the main points, with links to the appropriate document sections for more context. You should also look at this handy Quick Reference for OITC Performers.

Oakville Improv Mandate: To produce high-quality improv shows for our audience. Show quality directly affects OITC’s reputation and ability to attract a consistent audience, which in turn impacts our venue.

Performer Experience: Throughout this document, we refer to “more-experienced performers” and “less-experienced performers.” We recognize that performance experience exists along a spectrum. Neither of these terms are meant to define a specific group, nor do we intend “less-experienced” to be derogatory.

Performer Competencies: In this section, we list a number of competencies consistently displayed by more-experienced improvisers, including listening, stagecraft, show management, and safe play. OITC members who consistently display these competencies may be considered “performance-ready” for purposes of casting in shows.

Joining OITC on Stage: Casting decisions are made by the Artistic Director(s) and/or an OITC member appointed as a Director/Producer for a show or show segment, or by an audition panel for special projects. Casting decisions consider many factors, including each member’s experience; competencies; recent history within the company; equity, diversity, and inclusion factors; disciplined attitude toward improv; and the number of performance spaces available for the show.

Expectations: All OITC members should take a disciplined and professional attitude toward the work. This section outlines the general behaviour expected of all performers in areas such as respectful conduct, responsible teamwork, and contributing to company activities.

Attendance: Regular attendance at OITC events is part of a disciplined attitude and demonstrates commitment to everyone else in the company. This section provides guidelines for attending events.

Non-Performer Roles: This section lists many of the non-performer roles available for members to get involved, including producing, hosting, judging Theatresports, and mentoring. Volunteering for these roles sets a good example that everyone is important to the company. All OITC performers are encouraged to take on non-performer roles from time to time.

Not meeting expectations: For public-performing members who aren’t meeting these expectations, the Artistic Director(s) will make efforts to discuss solutions and provide assistance. Rather than be barred from performing outright, performers who need mediation will be given assistance and notes with further review after 3 months, except in the case of egregious violations of our Code of Conduct policies.

Oakville Improv Theatre Company
Performers Guide

In an ideal world, the improv spirit of positivity and inclusion would allow every single improviser equal opportunities to perform for audiences. However, even a community improv theatre company must operate as a business where resources and stage opportunities are inevitably limited. In this document, we hope to explain how these opportunities are offered to our members and provide guidance and expectations for all members who want to perform.

Oakville Improv Mandate

While Oakville Improv makes every effort to provide performance and development opportunities for all members, our primary mandate is to produce high-quality improv shows for our audience. Consistently great shows encourage audiences to return and to spread the word. They also encourage new people to join drop-ins and classes. Show quality directly affects the company’s income and all other activities.

The Moonshine Cafe is a good example. We sold out nearly every month over its last year and a half, very often without professional guests. Our audience returns for the show that our people put on.

Performer Experience

It’s in our best interest to regularly feature performers who consistently demonstrate improv skill and experience. In this document we’ll refer to these people as “more-experienced members,” (see Performer Competencies below) though we don’t intend that term to define a specific group, nor do we intend “less-experienced performers” to be derogatory.

OITC intends to:

offer continuing development and education to all of our improvisers at every experience level;
help our audience get to know our performers (via our website and features in our newsletter), which encourages repeat attendance;
give less-experienced OITC members chances to play more frequently with more-experienced performers when they repeatedly give solid performances.

We aim to create a pool of strong performers who we know work well together and who can be expected to provide a high-quality improv performance at home and “away” shows.

Performer Competencies

More-experienced improvisers consistently display a set of competencies that result in a higher chance of successful improv scenes, which contribute to high-quality shows. While every improviser has a different combination of skills and abilities, these competencies can generally be considered to include:

listening to scene partners and building on their offers;
understanding stagecraft and theatrical presentation (orienting toward audience, vocal projection, etc.);
advancing a scene (being changed/affected);
creating and holding tension, not breaking it;
demonstrating emotional and energetic range in performance;
demonstrating a range of characterization (able to play unique characters beyond their own persona, not just the same type of character all the time);
physicality and purposeful movement;
show management (hosting/introducing scenes, describing games, taking audience suggestions);
caring for the audience (appropriate content and language for all-ages shows, respect for volunteers);
situational awareness and other safe play factors.

OITC members who consistently display these competencies may be considered “performance-ready” for purposes of casting in shows.

Joining OITC on Stage

Obviously, there are far more OITC members than spaces to perform in our shows, and cast sizes must be limited. Mixing up the casting for each show gives more members a chance to play and fresh experiences for our audiences.

Usually, show opportunities will be offered through our Spond membership system. Members can “accept” an event invitation, which indicates you are available to play and adds you to a pool of members from which casting decisions will be made. The events are tracked so we can see who has been cast previously and who consistently shows an interest—this information is considered in future casting.

Any member of OITC with enough experience to appear confidently in front of an audience may be cast to play in the “opener” segments of our regular shows. The “headliner” segments will usually be cast with “performance-ready” members available to play, occasionally with special guests. Special projects may be cast with a mix of experience levels as selected through an audition process.

Individual shows may be cast by the Artistic Director(s) and/or an OITC member appointed as a Director/Producer for a whole show or one segment. Sometimes, for events like Theatresports, members will be appointed as team captains, who will then draft other members to join them.

For special projects, audition panels will usually be made up of the Artistic Director(s), the show Director, and at least one other experienced member. Occasionally, we invite trusted professional improvisers from outside the community to join audition panels to provide casting advice.

For a thriving theatrical company, we must occasionally consider offering less-experienced members more performance responsibility. In these casting considerations, we look for:

a level of improv competency that meets our mandate to produce high-quality improv shows;
the ability to work collaboratively and in community with current performers.

We must also consider new OITC members with a significant amount of improv skill from prior experience elsewhere. When cast in shows, they may be offered similar opportunities to current more-experienced members, keeping in mind the expectation that they begin contributing to all aspects of the OITC community.

Casting also considers members’ recent history within the company, including: recent show performances, drop-in/workshop attendance, and general evidence of a disciplined attitude toward improv and desire to get better.

Equity, diversity, and inclusion are important to a thriving improv community, and OITC has a mandate to consider these factors in casting as well.

For our comedy jam-type shows (like the “Moonshine Cafe”), it’s generally agreed that the ideal cast for a show segment is 5-6 people, including any special guests. Where a large number of players are available, we may consider running shorter segments to get more people into a show. (This could also create more opportunities for newer performers.)

Expectations

While most performing members of OITC are not professional improvisers, we expect everyone to take a disciplined and professional attitude toward the work. This includes:

becoming a member in good standing of OITC (if you aren’t already);
understanding and complying with our Code of Conduct, Anti-Violence, Anti-Harassment and Anti-Discrimination Policy, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Statement, and other related policies as enacted;
committing to safe play when improvising, as described in our Code of Conduct, by completing our Safe Play Commitment form once every calendar year;
not performing while impaired by alcohol or drugs;
maintaining an account on our Spond communication system and reviewing weekly for new events, posts, and messages (Spond has both mobile apps and a web version);
responding promptly to event invitations and information requests;
attending open rehearsals and workshops, demonstrating a desire to learn and improve;
promoting Oakville Improv shows and classes through social media, word-of-mouth, and inviting family/friends to events;
arriving at all events on time (early), ready to work, and with potential ideas for the evening’s show;
dressing for public performances in a professional manner (we do not enforce a dress code, but suggest that what you wear should be safe and contribute to a respectful atmosphere for our paying audiences);
participating in warm-up drills, safety checks, and notes sessions with your cast prior to and after the show;
before and after playing at a show, being a respectful and supportive audience member for other performers;
for more-experienced performers, sharing experience and helping other members become “performance-ready,” and engaging with less-experienced performers through on-stage play;
taking on non-performer roles when offered, such as producing, directing, giving notes, etc. (see Non-Performer Roles below);
participating in “town hall” meetings, the AGM, and open discussions of new projects;
when asked, assisting with mentoring or coaching less-experienced members;
assisting with OITC administrative tasks as needed (i.e., lend a hand away from the stage).

Attendance

Regular exposure to improv through rehearsals, performance, and simply watching is necessary to maintain a high skill level. Regular attendance at OITC events is also part of a disciplined attitude and demonstrates commitment to everyone else in the company.

Because of limited stage opportunities, we cannot set firm expectations around attendance. However, we suggest the following:

When not performing, please consider attending OITC shows as a supportive audience member.
When you’re available for a show, accept open invitations on the Spond system. Even if you’re not cast in that show, we can track your interest.
Attend “open” workshops as much as possible. These are offered a few times per year.
Come out to Monday night drop-ins and shows. These are a great testing ground for skills development. You may be asked to try new roles like hosting, giving notes, etc.
Everyone should attend “town hall” meetings and the AGM, as these are relevant to the whole community.

Non-Performer Roles

If you are not cast in a show, or wish to proactively volunteer, there are many non-performer roles available for experienced members to get involved. Veteran members are expected to be role models, and volunteering for these roles sets a good example that everyone is important to the company.

Non-performer roles may include:

producing/directing shows, especially comedy jam-type shows (individual segments or collaborating on the whole show with the Artistic Director(s));
hosting shows (hosts may also perform);
directing “Fresh Set” and Theatresports “Demo” show segments (short-form games with newer members);
watching shows and giving notes (for professional etiquette, a notes person will not perform that night);
judging Theatresports matches;
mentoring/coaching OITC members (especially Theatresports teams);
teaching/helping with Monday drop-in classes;
technical improviser assistance (lights and sound);
administration & promotion.

More-experienced members could also take charge of scheduling and running rehearsals each month when open rehearsal space is offered. The rehearsal leader chooses the theme and exercises and directs the session. You may consult other experienced members for ideas. In consultation with the Artistic Director(s), experienced performers can also recruit outside instructors (if sufficient training budget exists to pay the instructor for their time).

Not meeting expectations

For public-performing members who aren’t meeting these expectations, the Artistic Director(s) will make efforts to discuss solutions and provide assistance. Rather than be barred from performing outright, performers who need mediation will be given assistance and notes with further review after 3 months. Egregious violations of our Code of Conduct policies are an exception, and will be addressed according to our Anti-Violence, Anti-Harassment and Anti-Discrimination Policy.

Special circumstances will always exist. Performer members should take responsibility for these expectations and communicate with show producers and/or Oakville Improv’s Artistic Director(s) if you have concerns. OITC provides an Anonymous Reporting Form if you feel uncomfortable raising concerns about another performer’s behaviour, commitment, or quality of work.