Vote Melissa Tyler for SSC Performing Arts Officer

[Melissa Tyler]

Hi Sinners,

I thought it might be a good idea to introduce myself to you all. My name is Melissa Tyler and I am running for SSC Performing Arts Officer because I love drama. That being said, I've never been on stage whilst in St Andrews because I am a producer and stage manager which means I am big on organization and getting things done properly. Like Daddy always said: Proper Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance.

Here are some reasons why I am the best candidate for SSC Performing Arts Officer


Moving Towards a Better Mermaids:

Accessibility—a commitment to a more open and friendlier Mermaids
Better Resources Management
Easy Access to the President who has the knowledge to help you
Tickets for the Christmas Ball—less stress, less waiting, more fun
Tickets for shows that are affordable
Exciting (and Organized) Mermaids Meetings
Reality check: Mermaids isn’t responsible for the drama, you are!

More involvement in Inklight and Comedy Soc
Encouraging Just So to be as daring next year as they were this year
Rogue, helping provide the resources and actors needed
cMad, a chance to participate in the Christmas Ball for the first time
A round of applause to Gilbert & Sullivan and the Mikado! Break a Leg!
Insuring that every show has enough rehearsal space
Dedication to the Performing Arts, all of them, not just Mermaids
Satisfaction knowing that I have done everything to help you



Experience

Three years of active participation in St Andrews Performing Arts scene as Director, Producer, Stage Manager, and audience member!

As Treasurer of the Performing Arts Sub Committee:
*I have meetings with every production this year to discuss budget issues and the ins and outs of putting on plays.
*I helped (with the wonderful Julie Amphlett) to create a newer simpler budget form, which has recieved excellent feedback
*I wrote a document on how funding a show works which simplified previous attempts thus making it more accessible for all
*I created a Production Status Sheet, which will debut next term, in order to stream line the production process ensuring that no one is left in the dark about what you need to do

From all of this I have established a strong working relationship with the wider performing arts community and feel confident that I have the knowledge to answer any question someone might ask me or know who is best able to help them.


Shows I have been involved in:
*Stage Managed a show with cradle robbing (The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, 2007)
*Directed a sell out show in the Byre as a first time director (The Crucible, 2007)
*Stage Managed and assistant produced the first show in Sallies Quad (As You Like It, 2008)
*Directed a musical with the longest title possible (A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, 2008)
*Producing the show with the largest budget in the Byre for On The Rocks (Hamlet, 2009)
*Producing Dr Phillip Parry for On the Rocks (Krapp's Last Tape, 2009)
*Producing theatre for the blind for the Fringe (Don Quixote, 2009)


In addition to theatre, I am a three year member of the School of English and School of Social Anthropology SSCCs and am also the Library Users Group Representative for both schools.


I would like to encourage you to use this opportunity to ask me any questions you think might help you decide if I am the best candidate for the job. I will do my best to get back to you as soon as possible but won't promise instant gratification...

From this "brief" introduction into why I want to be SSC Performing Arts Officer, I hope you will please go and vote on FRIDAY 20 MARCH 2009 for MELISSA TYLER, SSC PERFORMING ARTS OFFICER

also, join the facebook group! http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/grou ... 234&ref=mf

[RandomMusings]

Hi Sinners,

Hi,

*Producing the biggest Byre show for On The Rocks (Hamlet, 2009)

Come on, equal biggest - The History Boys is going to be huge!

Phil

[Melissa Tyler]

Come on, equal biggest - The History Boys is going to be huge!

I was actually referring to the budget etc, which, Mr Pass, is generally the way that biggest-ness is conceived in the theatre world... History Boys and Hamlet will be equally huge successes and equally huge productions but I believe that our budget edges you out slightly...

[Brian Sonia-Wallace]

*Producing the biggest Byre show for On The Rocks (Hamlet, 2009) [nb: History Boys and Hamlet are the best shows, Hamlet however is technically a bigger production]

Perhaps best to stay out of the "biggest" and "best" territory here, Melissa. Everyone has put a lot of hard work into this festival, and singling out "best shows" before seeing any but your own seems unprofessional. Remember that you are Treasurer, and presidential candidate, for a funding body that promises to support all shows. I would welcome justification for why these two shows are the best--and doesn't Jerry Springer: The Opera have the biggest budget?

[Thomas Schratwieser]

Brian's right, Melissa. You really should avoid using such objective words in describing purely subjective creations. To say that something is "the best", and "the biggest" usually requires proof (like budget statements, ticket sales records, etc).

[Melissa Tyler]

The Performing Arts Sub Committee is a funding body that supports all the shows in St Andrews and as such is unique in student theatre. It is also what makes me so proud of St Andrews as a theatre community that everyone has the opportunity to produce, direct, and act in so many wonderful shows, films, and other exciting productions. The most important thing for any member of the Performing Arts Committee is to be available to support and encourage these shows. My record shows that I have done this and I promise that I will continue to do this in every way I can from offering my experience, my passion and my dedication to the performing arts in addition to the odd book on directing that I have lent out. As treasurer I have had the opportunity to consult directors and producers on their budgets and production plans which if anything has made me more excited about theatre in this University.

The statement that Hamlet was the 'biggest' simply to refers to its size and scale of budget, which I will change for clarification. It does have the largest budget for a Byre show in On The Rocks and this in no way impinges on Jerry Springer's position in Venue 1, or on any other show for that matter. The note attached was simply in reponse to Phil, a good friend, and has now been removed, it was in poor taste and I am sorry. In no way did I ever mean to imply anything about the artistic merrits of Hamlet or any other show. The only way any one has the right to discuss those is if they have seen a show. I am sorry for the confusion as it was never intended, I merely wished to point out that Hamlet is a particular kind of production. I am sorry for seeming unprofessional or causing any offense.

The president of the Performing Arts Sub Committee is ultimately accountable to all the students, and as a candidate for this position I am doubly so. However, I am also accountable to my record and the fact that I have experience in directing and producing large scale shows. I believe that I am the best qualified and most experienced candidate. I hope that everyone votes on Friday thus supporting student elections. I also hope that you recognize that my record shows that I am in the best position to become the next SSC Performing Arts Officer and will therefore vote for me.

Cheers, M

[RandomMusings]

To be fair to Melissa, my initial comment was in jest - purely a little cheeky publicity for my show.....

[Bread Roll]

Melissa, please could you elaborate on the following:

Reality check: Mermaids isn’t responsible for the drama, you are!

I get that you needed a sentence beginning with 'R', but I don't fully understand what you mean by it. Is there some sort of policy behind this statement?

Also

Insuring that every show has enough rehearsal space

How do you plan on ensuring that everyone gets enough time/space for rehearsals? As I am sure you are aware, the Union's facilities are available for the use of all societies, not exclusively for Mermaids. Do you feel that the Baron Theatre (in conjunction with the more limited space available in the Union, Younger Hall etc) can adequately cover the rehearsal needs of all productions? Is there another (free) space you had in mind? Are you proposing to limit number of productions per week to even out rehearsal space demands? Essentially - could you elaborate on exactly how you plan to achieve this promise?

Tickets for shows that are affordable

Having been a producer for various shows during my time at St Andrews I know that setting a reasonable ticket price is important for audience numbers and also budget management. How exactly do you plan on implementing a policy such as this given that the individual production teams will want to set their own ticket price according to the budget of their show? I understand that productions that have spent 20p on their set, costumes and publicity are likely to make massive profits on a £5 ticket rate, but larger shows with increased production costs often need to charge that little bit more just to break even. Unless of course you are proposing that these big productions run at a loss... Personally, the £5/6 that most shows seem to cost is hardly extortionate and I only wish some of the crap professional theatre I have seen at £30 a pop was as good as some of the student theatre I saw for a fiver.

Finally can you elaborate a bit on the following comments and the whys and hows of your plan relating to them:

Encouraging Just So to be as daring next year as they were this year
Rogue, helping provide the resources and actors needed
cMad, a chance to participate in the Christmas Ball for the first time
A round of applause to Gilbert & Sullivan and the Mikado! Break a Leg!

Thanks

[Melissa Tyler]

Bread Roll,

You raise some very good and important issues that need to be addressed. I will respond to them in order:

1) You are right, I did need an 'R'. However I think that it is also an important point. Mermaids, technically, does not produce or have any direct responsibility for drama in St Andrews. Rather it is the students in St Andrews who produce, direct and act in the shows. Mermaids is a funding body that invests in shows. Therefore it is the students ('you') who are responsible for the drama in St Andrews.

2) As a producer yourself, I am sure you are aware that scheduling rehearsals can be difficult especially if there is limited space. In addition scheduling conflicts with actors and other shows can make finding rehearsal space difficult. I would like to work with the next DoSDA to find creative solutions to these problems. And to iron out kinks in the existing process, including double bookings and empty space. Communication and coordination are key

You also asked if there should be a limit on the number of shows. My answer to that is very simple: Never!

3)

I only wish some of the crap professional theatre I have seen at £30 a pop was as good as some of the student theatre I saw for a fiver

Amen.

Seriously though, in my time at St Andrews I have been to some of the most amazing theatre and very rarely have I had to pay more than £5. That is great! It should always be like this. However, as an avid theatre goer, which I hope you are!, you know that spending almost £5 a week to see every show can be expensive and not everyone can afford it. I would like to work with directors and producers to see if they would be interested in rewarding students who want to see lots of amazing student theatre. With every show this year making some profit, in some cases a very good profit, I don't think that this would be unreasonable--we have the financial resources why not use them? In fact, a number of shows and production companies have already implemented this scheme. I think that this kind of giving back should be encouraged.

Finally:
4)
First, I would like to point out that all the societies mentioned are affiliated with the Performing Arts Sub Committee

*Encouraging Just So to be as daring next year as they were this year
Isn't it cool that a society in St Andrews is putting on a musical (Jerry Springer the Opera) that is really pushing the envelope and opening up debates about art? It is even gaining national attention. Should we encourage this? Definitely.

*Rogue, helping provide the resources and actors needed
If Rogue needs help with getting actors or props or make up boxes or whatever I want to be there to provide that support.

*cMad, a chance to participate in the Christmas Ball for the first time
I have spoken to people in CMaD about joining other affiliated societies in preparations for the Christmas Ball and they seem interested.

*A round of applause to Gilbert & Sullivan and the Mikado! Break a Leg!
The Gilbert and Sullivan Society (an affiliated society) is putting on a production of The Mikado which opens tonight in Venue 1 at 7.30 it will run until Thursday. 'break a leg' is a theatre phrase for showing support, it is used instead of good luck which is considered bad luck... So Break a Leg G&S and the cast and crew of the Mikado!


Please remember to vote this Friday!

[pandora-incarnate]

Hi Melissa,

Having read your policies outlined both here and on your facebook group, there seems to be a worry that some of what you are saying is based less on what you actually want to do for Mermaids and more on producing a (gimmicky) slogan 'A Better Mermaids.' Having seen you at the Hecklings last night I believe that this isn't the case, but do you think that it is really the best way of publicising your campaign?

Also, while running for SSC Performing Arts Officer it seems you focus almost exclusively on Mermaids. Do you have any plans to encourage other forms of performing arts in St Andrews?

[Melissa Tyler]

Dear Pandora-Incarnate,

I believe that I am promoting a campaign of experience and dedication to all of the performing arts not just Mermaids, which is why I am running for the position of SSC Performing Arts Officer. Since you were at the hecklings you will know that I am focused on promoting and supporting all of the performing arts, based on my response the Philippa Dunn's question. More specifically, through the Christmas Ball and On the Rocks Festival we can bring together all the performing arts in St Andrews. The Christmas Ball receives funding and human resources from the larger affiliated societies, I believe that we should open this up to all of the affiliated societies that wish to participate (CMaD thinks that this is 'awesome'). As for On The Rocks, I don't know about you, but I am so excited to see all kinds of performing artists get together for Scotland's largest Student Arts Festival. However we need to see what is successful and what will need improvement before making rash promises about the future of On The Rocks, which personally I hope will be an outstanding success for the festival itself and for all of the productions involved.

It is only by integrating all the aspects of the performing arts in St Andrews (whether film, comedy, theatre, music, or poetry) that we will foster an inclusive community of people committed to supporting and promoting each others work.

My opponent, however, has yet to mention any affiliated societies in any of his written statements, maybe you should ask him this question?


I hope that answers your questions and don't forget to vote on Friday!

Melissa X