*****REVISIONS ARE CAPITALIZED AND IN BLUE IN THIS DOCUMENT*****

 Community Players of Salisbury, Inc.
Constitution and By-Laws
Revised 2008

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Constitution
Article I--Name
The name of the organization shall be the Community Players of Salisbury, Inc. (hereafter referred to as the Players). 

Article II—MISSION
The MISSION of the Players shall be to encourage education, interest, and participation in theater AND TO PROVIDE QUALITY THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS FOR THE LOCAL AUDIENCES.   

Article III--Membership
Section A--There shall be four (5) classes of membership:     (1) active (individual or family); (2) lifetime; (3) student; (4) patron AND (5) INACTIVE.  The definition, rights, and obligations of each type of membership are outlined in the By-Laws.

Section B--Application for active or student membership in the Players shall be made on forms approved by the Board of Directors and be submitted to the Membership chairperson with payment of current year's dues.  The Membership Committee shall determine that the proposed member is fully aware of the requirements for membership as set forth in the By-Laws.  Any recommendation by the Membership Committee shall be submitted to the Board of Directors for consideration and approval.

Section C--Membership will be discontinued upon non-compliance with the membership requirements as outlined in this article and the By-Laws.  Exceptions to this can be determined upon appeals of special cases TO the Board of Directors.

Section D--All members participating in any activities under the auspices of this organization shall comply with the laws of the State of Maryland and any local regulations. 

Article IV--Dues
Section A--Dues for membership including individual, family, student, and patron membership shall be established by the Board of Directors and approved by the general membership.

Section B--Dues shall be due on September 1 of each fiscal year and shall be considered delinquent at the end of the December general membership meeting.  The dues of any person (with the exception of delinquent members) joining on or after February 1 will cover the remainder of the current year and the following fiscal year.

Article V--Officers
Section A--The officers of the Players shall be President, Vice-President, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer, Immediate Past President, and seven (7) Board members.  Officers will be active members as defined in the By-Laws.

Section B--All officers will execute the duties of their office as specified in the By-Laws.

Section C--There shall be vested in the Board of Directors, consisting of the duly elected officers of the Players as defined in Article V, Section A, the authority to govern the organization by directing its operation in all matters.  All new policy or action not governed by the Constitution and By-Laws shall be considered and formed by the Board of Directors and presented to the members at a regular or special meeting for approval.

Section D--The Board of Directors shall meet monthly as specified in the By-Laws or at the call of the President.

Section E--The Board of Directors shall perform all duties as specified in the By-Laws.

Section F--Members of the Board of Directors absent from three (3) consecutive Board meetings shall forfeit their office.  Absences for good cause may be approved by the Board of Directors.

Section G--Any vacancy on the Board of Directors shall be file by appointment by a majority vote of the remaining Board members, with the exception of the office of the President.  The Vice-President shall succeed to the presidency until the next election.

Article VI--Elections
Section A--Nominations for officers and Board positions shall be held at the regular general membership meeting in April of each year and notice thereof shall be published in the March newsletter.

Section B--The President shall appoint a nominating committee which shall submit the names of candidates for the various offices of the Players at the April meeting.  At this meeting, nominations for all offices to be filled in the succeeding year may also be made from the floor.

        a.  The nominating committee shall STRIVE TO submit at least one more candidate for Director than the number of vacancies.

        b.  The Vice-President shall succeed to the office of President without further election.

        c.  The nominating committee shall secure the consent of each candidate AND ASCERTAIN THEIR ELIGIBILITY prior to placing their name ON THE OFFICIAL BALLOT.

Section C--An election shall be held on the first Wednesday of May of each year and notice thereof shall be published in the April newsletter.  Such notice shall include the names of all nominees approved at the preceding meeting.  No nominations may be made from the floor at the election.

Section D--All officers shall be elected annually and shall take office at the June membership meeting, and shall hold office for one (1) year, or until their next successor shall have been elected and qualified, with the exception of the following;

        a.  The Treasurer shall be elected for a two (2) year term;

        b.  The election of Directors shall be on a rotating basis: two Directors the first year; three Directors the second year; two Directors the third year; and repeat.

 Section E--The election shall be by ballot by active members.  A majority vote shall be necessary to elect.  Any active member absent from the meeting may vote by absentee ballot.

 Section F--Absentee ballots shall be mailed to active members as part of the April newsletter.  The voter shall sign the ballot, but seal it in an envelope, which should then be mailed to the Players' post office box before the annual election.

 Section G--Any officer OR MEMBER of the Players may be removed from office/MEMBERSHIP for good cause by two-thirds vote of the active members PRESENT AT THE MEETING WHEN THE VOTE IS TAKEN.

Article VII--Meetings
Section A--Regular membership meetings of the Players shall be held once a month, on the first Wednesday of the month OR AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.  Any change of meeting date, or any special meeting may be called, upon approval of the Board of Directors, by written notice to the membership at least seven (7) days in advance of said meeting.

Section B--A quorum for a regular membership meeting is defined as those members present.  A quorum for a Board of Directors meeting shall consist of a majority of its members.

Section C--Any active member may exercise voting privileges and hold office in Players.

Article VIII--Fiscal Year
The fiscal year of the Players shall be September 1 through August 31.

Article IX--Parliamentary Procedures
Except as otherwise specifically provided in this Constitution and By-Laws, all questions of order of procedure with respect to any meeting or action of the Players, its Board of Directors, or any committee shall be determined in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised, as revised periodically.

Article X--Amendments
Section A--This Constitution may be amended at any regular membership meeting or special meeting of the Players by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members present, in person and qualified to vote, provided that the Board of Directors has previously considered the merits of the amendment(s).

Section B--No amendment shall be put to vote unless written notice thereof, stating the proposed amendment(s), shall have been mailed to each member of the Players at least one (1) month prior to the meeting at which the vote on the proposed amendment(s) is to be taken.

Article XI--Dissolution
Upon dissolution of the corporation or the completion of its affairs, the property of the corporation in excess of the amount necessary to pay all of its obligations shall be distributed in accordance with the Corporate Articles of Incorporation and the Amendments thereto as heretofore filed with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation.

 

By-Laws

Number 1

 Duties of the officers of Players shall be:

 1.  President--shall preside at all meetings of the general membership and the Board of Directors, fulfill all duties associated with this office, appoint the Standing Committees and other committees as determined necessary, represent the Players to the public, and be an ex-officio member of all committees.

 2. Vice-President--shall perform all duties of the President when the President is unable to do so.  The Vice-President shall succeed to the Presidency without further election.

 3.  Recording Secretary--shall record the business of all regular membership, special, and Board of Director meetings and maintain those records in orderly fashion.

 4.  Corresponding Secretary--shall handle all general correspondence, publish a monthly newsletter, and maintain an accurate mailing list of members, patrons, and advertisers.

 5.  Treasurer--shall receive all monies, pay all bills, keep accurate accounts of all receipts and disbursements, submit a report at each meeting, complete and submit grant applications, and file such reports as required by law.

 6.  Directors--shall attend meetings regularly, help to formulate policy, make decisions regarding the affairs of Players, and review all plays being considered for production before voting on those selections.  This decision shall be made by March 31.

 

 Number 2

Section A--The following Standing Committees shall be appointed by the President:

1.   Box Office
                        2.  Patrons
                        3.  Season Tickets
                        4.  Historical
                        5.  Hospitality/Concessions
                        6.  House
                        7.  Maintenance
                        8.  Membership
                        9.  Nominating
                        10.  Production
                        11.  Program
                        12.  Publicity
                        13.  Scholarship

 Section B--The President shall appoint such special committees as deemed appropriate by THE President or the Board of Directors.

 Section C--All committees shall consist of a chairperson and as many members as shall be considered necessary by the President or the Board of Directors.  All active members shall be encouraged to serve on a committee.

 Section D--All problems pertaining to either administrative or activity matters shall be referred to the appropriate committee for study and recommendation to the Board of Directors.

 Section E--Duties of the committees:

1.  The Box Office Committee shall provide information regarding ticket prices, places to purchase tickets, and other necessary information to the Publicity Committee, provide a procedure for members to sell tickets, provide personnel to sell tickets at each performance, and shall count monies taken in at each performance and turn those monies over to the Treasurer for deposit.

2.  The Patrons Committee shall maintain a current listing of all patrons, be responsible for obtaining new patrons, provide a list of patrons to the Program Committee for inclusion in the program, and provide all patrons with the benefits and privileges to which they are entitled, as approved by the Board of Directors.

3.  The Season Ticket Committee shall be responsible for the printing of Season and single admission tickets, shall maintain a current listing of all season ticket subscribers, provide them with the opportunity to purchase season tickets at the beginning of each season, keep accurate records of tickets sold and money collected and shall turn over all money collected to the Treasurer for deposit.

4.  The Historical Committee shall keep a running record of Players' activities in the form of scrapbooks, photograph exhibits, videos, etc. and shall secure copies of all newspaper articles, pictures, and programs for those activities.

5.  The Hospitality COMMITTEE shall be responsible for all dinners, after-STRIKE parties, refreshments, and other social functions that may be planned and may provide refreshments at general membership meetings.

6.  THE Concessions Committee SHALL BE responsible for the sale of refreshments at the intermissions of all Players' productions.

7.  The House Committee shall consist of a House Manager who will provide seating arrangements (when necessary) and ushers who shall provide for the comfort of the audience.  This committee is responsible for providing personnel to collect tickets at the door for each performance and for reporting to the President the attendance figures for each performance.  The House Manager shall always obtain the approval of the production director or designee before opening the house.

8.  The Maintenance Committee shall keep the buildings and surrounding  grounds orderly and in good condition AND shall make every effort to provide safety and security of the buildings and contents. and shall oversee the loan or rental of property as approved by the Board of Directors (and maintain records pertaining to those loans or rentals).

9.  The Membership Committee shall receive applications from new members, make available applications to prospective members, shall issue to all new members (with Board approval and dues payment) the Membership Packet (which shall include a membership card, a Constitution and By-Laws, a current membership list, and general information as appropriate), shall keep a roster of all members in all categories.

    10.  The Nominating Committee shall perform duties as described in Article VI, Section B of the Constitution.

    11.  The Production Committee shall be comprised of members appointed by the President on a rotating basis representing as many facets of theatrical expertise as possible.  This committee shall receive titles of shows (musical and drama) from members, non-members, and potential directors, shall read the shows and discuss the merits of producing each (considerations to include royalties, set expense, cast size/requirements, costumes, etc.), shall check on show availability, shall recommend to the Board of Directors at the March meeting two (2) or more selections for each of the musical and drama categories, shall recommend directors for each show submitted, shall keep a current file of play selections, and shall be responsible for the distribution of the copies of perusal materials to each Board member (allowing ample time for reading prior to the April Board of Directors meeting).

    12.  The Program Committee shall cooperate with the director and producers of each production in having the program printed.  It is expected that cost be a prime consideration when planning the program.  Names of patrons shall be listed in the program.

    13.  The Publicity Committee shall disseminate publicity for all activities and productions of the Players.  All available media should be utilized.

    14.  The Scholarship Committee, COMPRISED OF ALL CURRENT BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEMBERS, shall distribute applications to all senior high schools in Wicomico County and determine possible nominees from those schools to receive the Ruth Burnet Memorial Scholarship (two winners of $500 each possible per year) and MAKE final determination of the awards. The primary considerations are to be financial need and plans to continue study in the area of theater.

Number 3 

Section A--Definition of the four categories of membership:

1.  An active member shall be entitled to all rights and privileges and subject to all obligations which membership in the Players requires.  Without limiting such rights and obligations, such rights will include: the right to vote on business matters and officers, the right to seek and hold a position on the Board of Directors, the right to borrow costumes, props, or set pieces without a deposit, the right to participate in workshops free of charge or at a reduced cost, receipt of the newsletter, and attendance at dress rehearsals without cost.  The obligations of an active member include ATTENDANCE AT MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS, PARTICIPATION IN PRODUCTIONS DURING THE SEASON, AND PROMPT PAYMENT OF ANNUAL DUES.

2.  A lifetime membership may be granted by the Board of Directors and all rights of active membership will be given with dues payment forfeited.  Active membership requirements may be waived by the Board of Directors.  To be eligible for lifetime membership, a person must be at least 65 years old and have been an active member for at least 20 years.  A letter of recommendation from an active member must be submitted to the Board of Directors by the August meeting.  A nomination must be made by a Board member based on that letter of recommendation.  Voting will take place based upon these nominations.  No more than two lifetime membership shall be awarded in any year.

3.  Student membership may be granted to any person under the age of eighteen (18) who is a full-time student upon approval of the Board of Directors.  Rights and obligations of student membership shall include all rights and obligations of active membership with the exception of eligibility to seek or hold office and the right to vote.

4.  Patrons may apply for active membership at no additional cost by filling out the membership application.  They shall have the rights and obligations of active members.

5.   INACTIVE MEMBERS ARE THOSE MEMBERS WHOSE ANNUAL DUES ARE CURRENT BUT WHO DO NOT MEET THE REMAINING ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP AS OUTLINED ABOVE.

Section B--Dues shall be as follows:  Family--$20.00, Individual--$15.00, and Student--$5.00.

Number 4

 Section A--Auditions for any production of the Players shall be conducted in such a manner as to afford each person an equal opportunity to read, dance, and/or sing.  Actors will be allowed the opportunity to audition for the role of their choice and interact with more than one actor opposite them in a reading.

 Section B--Auditions shall be open to members of the Players and to the general public.  A non-member who is cast in a Players' production shall be encouraged to become an active member as defined in these By-Laws.

 Section C--Anyone who auditions for a Players' production shall be contacted, either personally or by phone, letter, OR EMAIL, to inform him/HER of the results of auditions.

Number 5

All expenses should be closely monitored.  Every effort should be made to keep production costs at a minimum.  A PRODUCTION BUDGET FOR EACH SHOW MUST BE SUBMITTED TO AND APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

Number 6

 No alcoholic beverages shall be consumed by any member or production participant during MEETINGS, rehearsals or productionS, either in the Barn or Workshop or in an assigned auditorium.

Number 7

 Dress rehearsals are open to members carrying current membership cards.  Immediate family members of cast members may also be included.  Special tickets for dress rehearsals may be issued at the discretion of the President and the director.

NUMBER 8

THE PRESIDENT OR DESIGNEE SHALL OVERSEE THE LOAN AND/OR RENTAL OF ALL PAYERS’ property as approved by the Board of Directors (and maintain records pertaining to those loans or rentals).

Number 9

Section A--These By-Laws may be altered, amended, or repealed at a general or special meeting of the Players by the vote of a majority of the active members present and voting.

 Section B--No amendment shall be put to vote unless written notice thereof, stating the proposed amendment, shall have been mailed to each member at least seven (7) days prior to the meeting at which the vote on the amendment is to be taken.

 Number 10

 Any By-Law except By-Law No. 6 may be suspended by majority vote of the active members present at a meeting.