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Standing Rules Playreading Committee

Standing Rules of the Suffield Players Playreading Committee


  • The Play Reading Committee (“PRC” or “Committee”) size will be a maximum of eight (8) but no fewer than five (5).

  • The Committee will operate by a quorum which is agreed to be 50% of the current membership.

  • Plays are introduced by members of this Committee or from suggestions from outside of the Committee.Suggestions from outside of the Committee should go to the PRC email address: playreading@suffieldplayers.org
    This email address will be checked prior to each PRC meeting.
    The Committee shall acknowledge receipt of a suggested play or an original work by thanking the person for the suggestion and that it is under consideration.
    The Holiday Benefit Reading should be holiday-themed and family-friendly (PG).
    Musicals will be considered approximately every three (3) years.

  • Choosing Plays.  The Committee has a simple system of threes.   If a play while being passed around garners three (3) positive reviews right off the bat, it automatically goes into the group  of plays that will be considered for the next season.  Conversely if it gets three (3) bad reviews right up front it goes out  of circulation unless other express interest.  Plays not chosen for a season are not gone forever, they can be and  frequently are resurrected and sometimes they can be included in a  season.

  • The Committee operates by a simple majority vote - yes or no.

  • Recommended selections.  The PRC will consider all aspects of the production, including but not limited to:Cost of production and rights including music requirements which will be researched by the PRC.
    Set, set dressing, costumes, and special effects.
    Availability of actors to cast roles.
    Diversity of set type, characters, number of actors, and themes.
    Production staff required outside of normal production roles, i.e., choreography, musicians, etc.  It will be the responsibility of the PRC to research music licenses.
    Suitability for Suffield Players audience demographics and market.

  • The PRC will mindful of and attempt to avoid possible conflicts of interest regarding play choices.

  • Regarding recommended season selection presentations:The Committee will finalize choices no later than the PRC’s October meeting of the preceding season.  The three (3) Main Stage productions and the Holiday Benefit are to be presented as a complete package to the Board of Directors (“Board”) at their October meeting of the preceding season.
    For the purposes of publicity, the PRC endeavors to present a season that is cohesive and may or may not follow a theme.  The rationale of the Committee’s choices will be shared with the Board along with the recommended season.  The Committee Chair shall present the season to the Board.

    The Board, after its members have read the presented plays, will have its response back to the PRC at the end of their November meeting by way of having the PRC Chair present at the meeting.If any of the plays is rejected by the Board, the PRC will come up with the revised season for the Board to consider.
    The Secretary of the Board will research rights and scripts but will not research music licenses.  The Secretary of the Board will order rights, scripts, and music licenses as required.

  • Page to Stage Reading Selections: Please reference the Suffield Players Page to Stage documents: “Page to Stage How to Run” and in particular “Page To Stage Guidelines.”  The PRC will request that the Secretary of the Board secure rights for staged readings at least 6 weeks prior to the performance date.

  • Minutes or notes from each PRC meeting will be taken and shared via email with the PRC.

  • The Board will provide a nominal annual committee operating budget to be determined at the beginning of the season.

  • Any requests or questions from the PRC for the Board will be sent directly to the President of the Board after each PRC meeting.

  • The Committee will provide a copy of the PRC Standing Rules to each new member.

  • The Committee members will be respectful and professional to each other, Players members, and all others.

  • The Committee will keep a waiting list of interested parties for perspective members. Those parties will confirm interest by sending an email to the PRC email address which will also serve as documentation of the request.  The receipt of this email will be acknowledged by the PRC Chair via return email.  The waiting list will be maintained by the PRC

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