UP Theater Mission and Values
MISSION STATEMENT
Advancing the University of Portland’s conviction that education develops the whole person, our Theater Program prepares students for productive participation in local, national, and global society. Through intentional production practices and reflective course work we are striving to make identity-conscious and ethnoculturally competent theatre. Toward this goal, we provide a comprehensive foundation of theater coursework with the ability to focus training in performance, design, management, directing, playwriting and dramaturgy. Students acquire vital skills that span every discipline such as collaboration, project management, critical analysis, and public presentation, providing direct access to performing arts careers and any other profession.
VALUES STATEMENT
The University of Portland Theatre Program values a creative and collaborative environment that leads to an inclusive and satisfying artistic experience for all regardless of age, disability, race, color, religion, creed, gender identity, sex, or sexual orientation.
We will promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in research, teaching and training in all theater classes.
We facilitate multiple viewpoints, voices and ideas in every classroom, every rehearsal and every production by honoring and including all identities represented in every space.
We will reinforce the collaborative classroom experience over individualism with the goal of giving all students agency in the learning environment.
The program commits to:
Developing communication systems that encourage input and feedback.
Establishing ways to address and handle conflict.
Staying open and listening to what others have to say and accepting that there are many ways to get to the same goal. Defensiveness and resistance to exploration and change can work in opposition to our values.
Making every effort to keep decisions and the decision-making process transparent where possible.
Productively performing as a member of a team. Power sharing with a focus on our values and mission.
Developing a culture of appreciation and respect for the time, efforts, and talents of everyone involved in the creative process.
Separating the person from the mistake. Mistakes offer opportunities for learning.
Promoting mental and physical health through realistic funding and time frames.
Creating realistic workplans so that assigned tasks can be performed safely and efficiently.
Placing value on process over product and making experiences both enjoyable and challenging.
PROGRAMMATIC ATTENDANCE, PREPARATION, LATE WORK, & AI POLICIES
The UP Theater Program strives to prepare students for careers in professional theatre, film, and television, where discipline, preparation, and accountability are not academic ideals but practical necessities. Students are evaluated not only on their talent and artistic growth, but on their ability to operate as reliable, self-motivated professionals within a collaborative ensemble. The following policies are derived from current Equity, IATSE, SDC, and GSA union standards. Failure to meet these standards may result in loss of performance and production opportunities, grade penalties, or impact your course progression.
Your attendance and preparation for all courses and projects are considered in casting and production assignments.
Attendance Policy
Your presence is essential—not only for your own development, but for the integrity of the ensemble and production process. In the industry, a missed call, rehearsal, or meeting can result in dismissal from a production. This policy reflects expectations in production contracts worldwide.
Mandatory Attendance: Attendance is required for all scheduled classes, rehearsals, fittings, technical calls, production meetings, and performances. Consistent, punctual attendance is foundational to the development of ensemble, trust, and discipline—qualities essential to a successful career in the performing arts.
Absences:
Unexcused Absences are not permitted and may result in immediate academic consequences and may impact your eligibility to participate in programming and your course progression.
Excused Absences (e.g., illness with documentation, bereavement, approved professional opportunity) must be communicated in writing to your instructor or stage manager before the scheduled session whenever possible. A No-Call, No-Show will be considered an unexcused absence. Documentation may be requested. Last-minute emergencies will be assessed individually.
Lateness is treated with the same seriousness as absence. Students are expected to arrive early to warm up and prepare; arriving at the scheduled time is considered late. Repeated lateness will be treated as a pattern of unprofessional behavior and may impact your eligibility to participate in programming and your course progression.
Preparation Policy
Theatre-makers are expected to arrive prepared to engage fully, artistically, and intellectually in every class, production meeting, rehearsal, and performance. Failure to prepare compromises your own growth and undermines the ensemble and production timelines. Readiness includes:
Completion of all assignments, research, analysis, memorization, and design work by the required deadlines.
Arriving with all necessary materials (scripts, scores, notebooks, pencils, rehearsal/work attire, etc.).
Notes from previous sessions have been implemented.
Physical and vocal warm-up done prior to the beginning of class or rehearsal.
Mental readiness: focused, present, and open to critique and collaboration.
Late Work Policy
In the performing arts, deadlines are non-negotiable and reflect the realities of our time-sensitive profession where individual delay can jeopardize an entire production and producers will rarely, if ever, delay an opening performance. Therefore, no late work is accepted. Extensions are granted at the discretion of the instructor for documented and serious circumstances and must be requested prior to the original deadline. Work that is incomplete or rushed due to poor time management reflects unprofessional conduct and will be treated as such in assessment and feedback.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Use Policy
As part of our commitment to artistic integrity, rigorous training, and personal creative development, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in this course is subject to the following guidelines:
Permitted Uses of AI
Research Support: AI tools (e.g. ChatGPT, Perplexity) may be used for preliminary research, historical context, or idea generation, provided all AI-assisted contributions are cited.
Technical Assistance: Spellchecking, grammar correction, or formatting via AI-based software is allowed for written work (e.g., actor journals, performance analyses).
Prohibited Uses of AI
Reflective or Analytical Writing: Journals, self-assessments, and critical reflections must be the student’s own work. Using AI to draft or rewrite these assignments is not permitted.
Audition or Showcase Materials: AI-generated content may not be used for audition pieces, portfolios, or any materials submitted for professional or public-facing purposes.
Transparency and Attribution
If AI tools are used in any permitted way, students must include a short note of acknowledgment (e.g., “Portions of the historical context research were generated with the assistance of ChatGPT”) in the submitted work.
Violations
Use of AI in violation of this policy will be considered academic dishonesty and will be addressed according to the institution’s academic integrity guidelines. Consequences may include resubmission of the assignment, failure of the assignment, or further disciplinary action.
A Note on Artistic Integrity
As emerging theatre artists, your voice, perspective, and process are your most valuable assets. AI can be a useful tool, but it cannot replace the embodied, collaborative, and intuitive work required in this discipline. You are encouraged to develop your ideas through rehearsal, discussion, and personal reflection—core practices that no technology can replicate.