HOW TO JOIN THE CAST
This page is intended as a rough guide to how we do things around here. It should answer most questions you may have regarding behavior and the protocol for onstage and backstage situations, as well as how we, as a cast, make decisions.
If you still have questions, feel free to ask on Discord. We also have a full set of bylaws.
FIRST STEPS
The best way to get involved on cast is to jump right in! Introduce yourself, talk to folks, ask questions, tell stories, try new things. We love new members and can’t wait to get to know you better! There are a few main ways to reach out to the cast:
Discord: Most of the day-to-day cast communication happens through Discord. It’s a free software that you can install on your phone or computer, or you can access it through a web browser. We use Discord for everything from cast discussions and meetings to cat pictures, and it’s a great way to get to know people and learn about what’s going on around the cast. There is a link to join at the bottom of this page. Once you have joined, introduce yourself in the #welcome channel, and wait for a Director to grant you the @Cast Member role so you can see all the channels.
At Shows: Of course, the best way to get to know the cast is to come to the shows! You’re not required to come to every show, but we’d love to have you at as many shows as possible! If you’re worried about getting to/from shows, people will be happy to give you a ride (Discord is a great place to ask!).
CAST RESPONSIBILITIES
There aren’t many formal requirements or expectations for cast members–for the most part, you can decide how involved you want to be. That said, here are a few things we do expect from everyone:
Staying in Touch: It doesn’t really matter how – Discord messages, texts, phone calls, whatever. Just keep in touch so we know what’s up! If you know you won’t be available (or can’t be reached) for a while, send the directors a message so they can let people know.
Checking In and Attending Shows: Pretty much everything on cast revolves around our regular performances. There’s always something to do at shows, and we’re happy to have you as often as you can make it! The cast directors send out periodic reminders to check in for the shows, and all you need to do is respond saying if you can make it or not. Then the directors will announce casting (usually about a week before the show), which describes what roles (on-stage and off-stage) everyone will be performing that week. If you have any questions or comments around casting, just contact the directors.
Cast Meetings: The highest decision making authority on cast is the cast as a whole. We get together four times a year (in February, May, August and November) to talk about big decisions and things that affect the show as a whole. As a cast member, you are required to come to at least one of these meetings per year (but you are encouraged to come to all of them!) This is where you get to bring up cool ideas and discuss what is going well and what you want to see changed. Everyone on the cast has great ideas for the show and this is one place where you can bring them up! The meetings are open and democratic and everyone should feel welcome to contribute and set the direction of the cast.
Dues: Each cast member pays $5 in dues each quarter, which is collected once per year. Dues go into the general cast fund. If you can’t afford to pay for any reason, just let the Financial Secretary know and the dues can be waived.
CAST STRUCTURE
The cast is organized into departments that deal with different parts of the show. Everyone is a member of at least one department, and you can be involved in as many departments as you’d like (you can also change departments at any time, so don’t worry about choosing the “wrong” one!). We’ll help you figure out where to get started, and as you get to know the cast better you can figure out how you want to contribute. It’s a great idea to talk to the Department Heads (listed below) to learn more. The departments include:
Actoring: Includes anyone who performs on stage. This group is responsible for decisions about the performance the audience sees from the start of the movie to the end credits.
Tech Crew: The people who run the show behind-the-scenes. This group is responsible for decisions about the technical side of the show, including props, cues, sound, lights, and working with theaters on technical matters.
Security: The connection point between the cast and the audience. This group is responsible for all decisions related to the safety of the cast, the audience and the theater. They act as audience liaisons at shows: Getting to know the audience, making announcements, teaching callback lines and working to make sure everyone at the show has a fun and safe time.
Sales: The people who hawk our wares. This group is responsible for making sure we have cool merch and Bawdy Bags to sell at shows, and for coordinating with the Financial Secretary on sales.
P.E.N.I.S.: This group is like a marketing team. They come up with ways to promote the show, get new audience members in the seats, keep our regular audience coming back, and they maintain our internet and social media presence. (If you’re wondering, it stands for Promotion, Engagement, Networking, Internet and Social-media.)
Preshows: This group includes all our Emcees and DJ’s, along with anyone who is interested in making the beginning of the show (from opening the doors to the start of the movie) more fun for the audience.
CAST LEADERSHIP
Most important decisions are made democratically either by departments or at cast meetings, but we do have a few specific roles that we elect people to fill:
Cast Directors: Elected every 2 years at cast meetings. The Directors are less an authority than a point of contact. They make sure that all of the departments are working smoothly, and that cast projects and responsibilities actually get done. The Directors do not make major decisions on their own, instead, they help identify issues and get people together to figure things out. If you’re not sure about anything cast-related, ask a Director!
Financial Secretary: Elected every 2 years at a cast meeting. The Financial Secretary is responsible for keeping track of the cast funds and reporting them to the cast as a whole. The Financial Secretary doesn’t decide what we do with our money, but does tell us how much we can expect to have, so we can budget for cool projects.
Cast Council: This is made up of the Director, the Financial Secretary and the heads of each department. This is the group that decides on the important things that come up between big cast meetings that can’t wait for a cast vote.
CURRENT ELECTED LEADERSHIP:
| ROLE | PERSON | |
|---|---|---|
| Director | Julie | [email protected] |
| Director | Kayla | [email protected] |
| Financial Secretary | Chris | [email protected] |
| Actoring | Siobhan | [email protected] |
| Tech | Rob | [email protected] |
| Security | Kayla | [email protected] |
| Sales | Dave | [email protected] |
| P.E.N.I.S. | Lux | [email protected] |
| Preshows | Christina | [email protected] |
GENERAL GUIDELINES
Sexual Harassment: Don’t do it! On Bawdy Caste, we take this shit extremely seriously. Yes, this is an environment where people are scantily clad; yes, this is a place where jokes about sex and sexuality are the norm, but it is also a place that should feel safe for people of all genders, sexualities and orientations. Consent in all things is the highest value we hold as a cast and as individuals. If you feel uncomfortable with someone else’s behavior, you can bring it to anyone on cast leadership and you will be taken seriously. We have a process for dealing with this that is about supporting the survivor and about fixing any problems as soon as they come up. This applies to behavior between cast members and audience members as well.
Discrimination: Yes, offensive jokes make up a large part of our Audience Participation (AP) lines. However, intentionally cruel remarks about anyone’s sex, race, religions (or lack thereof), sexual preference, gender identity, etc… are not to be tolerated. Be offensive, be shocking, but pay attention to whether you are punching up or punching down. The foundation of our cast is the belief that everyone is accepted and worthy of respect. If you are offended by someone’s remark, even if they might be joking, please make them aware that what they are saying is hurtful. They probably don’t even realize it. If any behavior makes you feel uncomfortable, you are encouraged to bring it to anyone on cast leadership.
Priorities: Your health, family, school, work, D&D campaigns, cat’s birthday party, and underground fight club (shhhhh), are more important than Rocky. It is understandable and perfectly acceptable to “check out” of shows for personal obligations. While we expect people to participate and be active members while on cast, we also realize that rocky horror is not 100% of anyone’s life, and don’t expect anyone to treat it as such. However, please try to give your fellow cast mates as much notice as you can when checking out of a show so that we don’t need to scramble.
Steps to Join Cast
- Read this page…
- Fill out the Cast Member Intake Form
- Read and sign the Photo Capture and Image Release Agreement
- Join Discord, and select stuff that interests you in #discord-roles
- Pay dues (Or you can do this at your first show)
- Attend your first show as a cast member