Arts Policies and Facilities

• No food and drink (except water) is allowed in the room.
• Individual use is not permitted for staff or faculty.
• Please remove your street shoes immediately upon entering the room and store all personal items to the side of the room.
• If you notice dirt on the floor, please sweep it up.
• For audience set-up with chairs, the protective floor covering must be in place.
• No other fliers or posters can be posted on the walls.
• For hard sole shoes, including tap and high heels, please use the roll of marley dance floor and ensure marley is put away properly.
• Props must not scrape or damage floor. Please contact Homewood Arts with any questions/concerns.
• Chairs should not be dragged across the floor.

• The instrument storage room in Shriver Hall is for the use of the JHU Bands, Choral Society and Gospel Choir. Instruments purchased by the Band which are for communal use are stored in this room. The only students who are allowed to store their own individual instruments in this room are those who are current members of the JHU Bands.
• Currently there are no individual lockers or storage areas for students who are not in one of the JHU Bands to store their own instruments.

If you are taking lessons at Peabody, please inquire with staff at Peabody about possibly storing your instrument on their campus.

Practice Room Availability

• Shriver Hall Practice Rooms are available to all members of the Homewood Campus including: students, faculty, and staff. Special permission may be granted by the Director of Homewood Arts Programs for cardholding JHU affiliates on other campuses.
• Hours and policies are available here.
• Please follow the directions of the student monitor or JHU Security when it is time to close.
• Hours during Intersession, the summer, and other breaks will be posted.
• Some Homewood Campus constituents may not have automatic access to practice rooms. If you would like to request this, contact OAI director

Checking Out a Practice Room

• Practice Rooms can only be checked out for immediate use.
• You must present your J-Card to the student monitor on duty.
  • For those using mobile J-Cards you must provide another form of ID
    • For those who do not have another form of ID keys may be accepted.
• If people are waiting for a practice room, the student monitor on duty may ask you to leave after 90 minutes so others may use the room.

Practice Room Rules

• No food or drinks are permitted in the practice rooms. Water bottles are allowed but they cannot be placed on pianos.
• All bags, clothing, and accessories must be placed on the floor. The only thing allowed on the piano is music.
• When you have finished, leave the room clean.
• Only Homewood campus affiliates may use the practice rooms. No children, family members, guests, etc. allowed.

For questions about practice room access, equipment in practice rooms, or other concerns and questions contact [email protected]

Individual Room Requests for Practicing

• Individual students may request space for practice purposes when a practice room is not feasible (i.e. dance), only with HAP approval.
• Users may request space only during the times that student monitors are on duty.
• Reservation requests may not be longer than 1.5 hours per session.
• Reservations must be made at least 4 business days from the requested date, but not more than 14 days in advance.
• Approved requests are subject to change and cancellation.

To Make an Individual Room Request

• Use the Student Organization process online: https://studentaffairs.jhu.edu/community-living/scheduling-event-services/schedule-a-space/
• Under JHU Department or Student Organization and for Event Name, please type in “individual student practice request”
• In the text box asking for affiliation, please select registered student organization since individual request is not an option
• In the text box “Submit a Brief Description” please indicate any specifics regarding the reason for the request.
• Once the request has been successfully submitted, HAP will approve the request, followed by a confirmation of the reservation.

Room Use

• No food or drink is allowed in these spaces.
• Any equipment/furniture used must be returned to its original location and condition.
• Marley flooring is not to be used or moved without prior permission.
• Any misuse of space may result in prohibition from further use, or additional penalties.
• The user is responsible for cancelling reservations that are no longer needed. Failure to do this may result in prohibition from further use.
• Approved requests are subject to change and cancellation.

For other concerns and questions contact [email protected]

• The Director and Tech Director of Homewood Arts Programs (HAP) schedule the Arellano Theater together with input from the representatives of the student theater groups. Approximately one month after the start of each semester, the schedule is set for the next semester. This schedule includes time in the scene shop and the theatre. Any non-SAC theatre group that would like to use the theatre must apply to the Director by the beginning of the semester before in order to be considered before the schedule is set

• When a theatre group is scheduled, it will have full access to the theater for at least the two weeks before opening night.
• When a theatre group is scheduled, it will have access to the Arellano scene shop scheduled at least two to three weeks before opening night. During the first week of this period, the shop schedule must be coordinated with any performance or rehearsal schedule in the theatre. Any use of the theater for other events has to be pre-approved by the Director and Tech Director.
• As soon as possible, the group should schedule a “pre-production” meeting with the Director and Tech Director. In attendance from the group should be as many as possible from the following: director(s), stage manager(s), producer, tech director, set designer, lighting designer, costume designer, sound designer and any other officers from the group who will be involved. It is fine if this meeting takes place before the set design is finalized.
• Before access to the shop or theater is allowed, the group must show the Tech Director a production budget, set design, ground plan and audience configuration that have been approved by the group’s Director(s), Producer, Set Designer and Tech Director. The Tech Director of HAP must also approve this design.
  • The budget, design, ground plan and audience configuration must be approved by all of the above and presented to the Tech Director before the group will be allowed to use either the scene shop or the Arellano Theater for rehearsals.
  • Once the design is approved, it is not possible to add performances or previews before the first scheduled performance.
  • Any scenery that is walked on or stood on that is more than two feet high off the ground level must have railings.
  • No standing room for the audience is allowed. Audience members cannot stand in the egress between the exit doors nor on the audience platforms.
• Before access to the shop or theater is allowed, the group must also provide the Tech Director a list of available work hours for the group’s tech director, set designer and anyone else who plans on working on technical elements during the production period.
• Exceptions to this schedule will take place only when the Director and Tech Director deem it necessary and appropriate, and the group that is in the space agrees to allow another event to be scheduled during their rehearsal period.
• Student theatre groups which perform in Arellano must provide the following:
  • Producer
  • Director
  • Stage Manager
  • Set Designer
  • Light Designer
  • Sound Designer
  • Costume Designer
  • People to build the set
  • People to help focus lights
  • Light Board operator
  • Sound Board operator
  • Front of House personnel during the shows to take tickets, admit latecomers, handle audience emergencies, etc…
• Other student Performance groups must provide the following:
  • Director
  • Producer
  • Front of House personnel
  • Someone to run either lights or sound in the booth
• Members of the group will do the actual building of the set, hang and focus the lights, and program and run the light and soundboards.
• The Tech Director will supervise all tech aspects of the show and will provide consultation and advice throughout the process of creating the show.
• The Tech Director does not necessarily have to be present during construction, as long as the tech students are approved to use the tools and shop space. A series of Tech workshops must be taken before approval is given.
• The Tech Director will not be present during the run of a show, except to see the show as an audience member.
• Groups may hire non-JHU professionals to help with any aspects of creating the show if they wish. The Tech Director must approve any non-JHU Tech help before they use the tools in the scene shop.
• The Tech Director must approve the safety of the set design and its construction.
• Groups must get approval of the Tech Director before taping the floor of the theater.
• Groups may not use any university furniture as a part of their set.
• Only students who have been approved by the Tech Director may use the power tools in the shop. A series of Tech workshops must be taken before approval is given.
• Students and non-JHU professionals who work in the shop or theater must have valid accident insurance.
• Students may not work alone in the theater or scene shop.
• HAP will provide $200 worth of financial support for each student group production in the theater.
• Groups will be charged directly for all supplies bought by the HAP Tech Director via his JHU credit card.
• The Director of HAP will provide required keys after they have done a walk through in the space with the HAP Tech Director. Keys must be returned immediately after the closing of a show.
• J Card access can be arranged for the Director, the Producer, the Stage Manager and members of the tech crew during the time period of rehearsals and performances in the theater. Access will be given after a walkthrough in the space with the HAP Tech Director. Cast members will not receive J Card access.
• One person (usually the producer or the stage manager) must be in charge of a contact sheet that includes all personnel involved on the show and is distributed to everyone. This person is responsible to make updates and add new info as needed.
• Two ongoing email reports are required during the time that a group is in the Arellano Theater. These reports need to be sent immediately after the build or rehearsal. The first is a “Build Report,” to be sent by the Tech Director. This report must be sent every day there is building activity from the first day that the group is using the scene shop through the final tech rehearsal. The second is either a “Rehearsal Report” or a “Performance Report,” to be sent by a stage manager or the director. This report must be sent after every rehearsal and performance from the first rehearsal through the second to last performance. Examples of the formats for the reports and the information that should be included are available from the Tech Director and will be handed out at the pre-production meeting. Each report should be sent to the HAP Director, the HAP Tech Director, all group board members, and the complete contact list (including tech and actors) for the production. It is assumed that these reports are read by everyone who receives them. If the two reports are not emailed by 6 a.m. the following morning, the group can lose access to the Theatre and/or scene shop for the next scheduled use.
• On the Tuesday night of tech week, group members must stack up all the audience chairs before they leave the theater for the night. The HAP Director will request that a JHU custodian come that night and vacuum the audience platforms. If the chairs are not stacked, the group will be responsible for cleaning the platforms themselves. The group is responsible for re-setting the chairs into their audience configuration and for cleaning the chairs before opening night.
• The cast and crew of each show are required to stay after the final performance for strike. The strike will start as soon after the audience has left. The strike is supervised by the HAP Tech Director, who will decide when strike is completed. The Tech Director will determine which elements, including sets, props, lights, and audience chairs and platforms will be struck. This decision is based on the Tech characteristics of the outgoing show and the incoming show.
• No photo calls are permitted after the final show, so that strike may start in a timely manner.
• All “group” belongings, such as costumes, props, group owned scenery, and all personal belongings of the cast & crew must be removed on the final day as part of strike. The only exceptions are if the Tech Director has granted storage permission at least one week prior to final day of run.
• No food or drink (except for water bottles) is allowed in the theater, scene shop, green room area or the dressing rooms. Please do not place your feet on the chairs, or allow the audience members to do so.
• No smoking or open flames are allowed in the Arellano Theater, either during rehearsals or on stage during a show. If smoking or flames are essential to the dramatic content of the show, arrangements must be made with the Tech Director, who will consult with staff in the office of JHU Safety & Environmental Health Services. Together they will determine if special permission can be granted for an appropriate substitute effect.
• Smoke and fog effects must be approved by JHU Safety & Environmental Health Services. To date this approval has not been granted.
• No deliberate breaking of real glass or pottery is allowed in a show. Breakaway props which look real but do not cause safety issues can be purchased.
• No alcohol or illegal drugs are allowed at any time in the scene shop, the theatre, or at any rehearsal on campus.
• No type of real gun or weapon is allowed on campus. If a student theatre group wants to use a prop gun, sword, or weapon in a campus production, a representative from the group must get prior approval to use the prop from both the Tech Director and JHU Security. It is required to have the actual prop to show the Tech Director and Security when you are seeking permission to use it. Permission must also be granted for any sounds that the prop makes when used. The prop must be kept in a locked box and a notice must be placed in the program that a prop gun or weapon will be used in the play. To have a prop gun or other weapon approved email the Tech Director and Director of the Office of Arts ahead of time. There is no guarantee the prop will be approved. If it is not approved, either another prop must be presented for approval, or any stage action relating to the prop must be cut from the production. It is recommended that when the group is considering choosing a play in which the use of a gun or weapon is integral to the action, that it get approval of the prop before the choice of play is confirmed. The group must inform the Tech Director of the final decision from JHU Security.
• During the period a group is using the Arellano Theater and scene shop, the facilities will be available from 8 a.m.–12 midnight. All rehearsals and tech work must finish by midnight.
• The Arellano scene shop is not to be used for construction of sets for spaces other than Arellano, unless special permission is granted.
• Before each dress rehearsal and performance, the Stage Manager is encouraged to collect valuables from each actor and place them in a secure lock box. HAP is not responsible for loss, damage, or theft of any personal items or items that are being used for the production.
• A Maryland law requires a place of assembly with more than 50 people to have a crowd manager. The student producer (or other person who will make the pre-show announcement and be on site for the full show) needs to announce to the audience before the show about emergency exits and no food or drink in the theater. JHU Crowd Manager training on my.jh/edu, “My Learning,” under Crowd Manager search.
• The Producer and Stage Manager of each show are responsible for informing all cast and crew members of these policies.
• Any group or individuals found ignoring these policies will receive appropriate disciplinary action.

• Food and beverages are not allowed, except water
• Any taped items must be done with blue painter’s tape
• No hanging on, hanging from, or wrapping up the curtains
• No hanging on, hanging from or touching the ropes on stage right
• No spraying anything backstage
• If you are using the white cyc curtain upstage you there is no crossing over from one side of the stage to the other without going under the stage. If you are using the black curtain then you may cross from one side to the other.
• All props must be free standing – no attaching them to the stage or any part of the auditorium
• No glitter on props
• Any props that need to be plugged in must be pre-approved by auditorium staff
• No props that have any fire, igniting items, water or projectiles
• Any props, chairs or tables used on stage will be moved by being picked up instead of being dragged
• Any props that appear to be a weapon must be approved by security. Contact the Office of Arts for more info
• Use and expense of marley may be shared and users may be required to put marley away at the end of use
• Shriver users must confirm use of additional spaces (board room, dressing rooms) and use all spaces appropriately
• Equipment and props may not be stored overnight without permission
• Users are responsible for all charges incurred by AV-KitCats, Custodial, or any other requested or required services
• Any violation of these policies will receive appropriate disciplinary action and may result in loss of access

• Food and beverages are not allowed, except water in nave (main sanctuary area)
• No storage of personal items including bags, clothing, etc. All accessories must be cleared out by users after rehearsals and use.
• No items may be on the piano except for the piano cover and sheet music.
• All issues must be reported to IFC staff or Director of Arts and Innovation immediately.
• Each group/user is responsible for their own clean up after each use.
• For questions about access, reservations, or concerns, contact [email protected] or [email protected]
• Any violation of these policies will receive appropriate disciplinary action and may result in loss of access