Park in one of the NORTH lots next to the Auditorium. 

Enter through the STAGE DOOR underneath the red awning on the West side of the auditorium

Signs will be posted on the bulletin board inside the stage door directing you 1) to the dressing rooms DOWNSTAIRS and 2) to the theatre (up one flight of stairs take a right and another quick right and through the red curtain.

All children need to arrive with their hair and make up ready, in their costumes and immediately go to the dressing room to meet the chaperones.

NO ONE WILL BE ALLOWED TO PLAY/SIT IN THE MEZZANINE OR BALCONY DURING DRESS REHEARSAL.  It is very dangerous to be running in the theatre, so they will be expected to sit quietly in the theatre seats with you until their dance.

it is theatre policy that there will be NO EATING OR DRINKING IN THE AUDITORIUM.  Get the kids a snack before arrival, and something for when they are finished.

As soon as the kids are finished with their dance(s) they may leave UNLESS I HAVE SPECIFIED THAT WE WILL NEED TO RUN IT AGAIN AT THE  END OF THE REHEARSAL (typically only the older groups). 

We will be selling T-shirts at the dress rehearsal.  They have a new design and color.  The cost of the shirts is $15.

We will also be taking registrations for fall and summer classes at the dress rehearsal.

Arrive at the theatre with hair and make up done between 5:30 and 6:00.  Go directly to the dressing rooms where you should get your own child ready in their costume.  If the volunteers are already there, you may go to the theatre and wait for the performance.

THE THEATRE WILL NOT BE OPEN UNTIL 6:00.  You may not save seats prior to 6:00.  This is a general admission performance (no tickets will be sold…your recital fee covered the rental expense), so the 1st ones there will get to sit wherever they like.  You may not TAPE anything to the seats to rope them off.  If you need to save seats, bring someone with you to sit at one end and you sit at the other.

The performance will begin at 6:30 and should be over around 8:00.

Following the performance, one parent will be allowed backstage to pick up your child.  You will have to give your name to the volunteers working and your child will only be released to you.  Last year we had all of the families meeting the children in the dressing rooms and it became too chaotic.  For the children’s safety, you may meet groups in the lobby or in the parking lot outside the stage door.  No one will be allowed to exit the auditorium through the red curtain.  The children will be going down the back steps and it is too dangerous to add any traffic back there.  We will have ushers posted throughout the backstage area to remind you that you cannot exit that way.  NO ONE WILL BE ALLOWED TO GO UP INTO THE BALCONY TO GET HIS OR HER CHILDREN DURING OR AFTER THE PERFORMANCE.  We have volunteers to sit with the children during the performance, and it becomes pure chaos if parents are wandering around up in the balcony looking for your children.  For your child's safety, it is necessary that you wait until the show is over to get your child.

A little bit of advice...Little girls LOVE flowers, especially after working so hard for this special day.

Please arrive at the theatre around 4:45 on the day of dress rehearsal for a quick meeting prior to instructions and the start of dress rehearsal.

You will receive a list of children in your group, the side of the stage they begin, and their order (STAGE RIGHT IS THE SIDE YOU WILL ENTER, STAGE LEFT IS AROUND BEHIND THE BACKDROP ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE).  All of the small children begin and exit on the right.

When your class is ready to perform, take the children to the red curtain when I call them to the curtain.  Make sure they are all there and proceed to backstage when I call you.  Do not go backstage as soon as you get the kids together, as it gets very crowded and chaotic with too many kids backstage.

After their dance, take them back to the theatre and they may leave if they are done.  If they are in Level 1 on up and have more than one dance, take them to the dressing room to change and back out to the theatre to wait for the next dance.  If you have any kids that have extra quick changes due to multiple levels (pointe 1 students and a couple of level 2 students) make sure that they have someone to help them change and continue with the group.

At the recital, please arrive between 5:00 and 5:15 and go straight to the dressing room.  I want the volunteers to be there when all of the children are arriving so that you may convey any last minute instructions from me to the parents as they are dropping their children off.  As soon as the parents have helped their child get ready, send them to the theatre to sit.  It gets too crowded down there otherwise.

The 1st three dances will be taken up to the stage at 6:15.  The next three (numbers 4, 5 and 6) will be lined up downstairs ready to go, and the rest will be taken to the balcony to watch the show.  3 dances before yours bring the children down from the balcony to just outside the stage.  The children will need to wait very quietly as any noise can be heard in the audience.  Keep the children calm and tell them how wonderful they will be.  That always seems to work.  While they are dancing, you may watch from backstage and take as many pictures as you want.  When they are finished, if they don't need to change, take them back up to the balcony to watch the remainder of the show.  If they have to change, take them to change and wait in the stair well right off of the stage for the next number.  It shouldn't be long because of how I have them arranged.  When they are finished with their last dance, take them up to the balcony to watch the last of the show.  When the show is over get them in line and take them back to the dressing rooms to meet their parents.

NO PARENTS WILL BE ALLOWED TO GET THEIR CHILDREN BEFORE THE SHOW IS OVER UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.  You will have a special badge that identifies you as a volunteer.  Anyone not wearing a badge will not be allowed up in the balcony.  If someone slips through the checkpoints, do not let anyone take a child from the group, even if you know them.  Have someone come get me if there is someone in the balcony trying to get his or her child.  If there is an emergency, I am the only one who can allow someone to take his or her child.  This is for safety purposes, and I'm sure the parents can appreciate this.  Prior to the performance, each parent will give you the name of the person who will be picking up his or her child.  You may only release the child to him or her.  This is an effort to keep the downstairs area free of traffic jams.  Again this is for the children’s safety.

Thank you so much for your help at this very hectic time.  Your service is very appreciated