New Student Orientation
VISION AND PURPOSE
MoezArt Productions, Inc., is a place where students are enfolded into a community while being taught to glorify the Lord by using their God-given talents to create art that is a light in a dark world. We seek to glorify God through:
--our God-honoring purpose--
--our encouraging and unified community--
--our learning and growth as artists and as followers of Jesus Christ--
--our desire to reach out to and serve the Body of Christ
and the community with God-honoring theatre productions.
STATEMENT OF FAITH
1. We believe the Bible to be the inspired, infallible, authoritative Word of God.
2. We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy
Spirit.
3. We believe in the deity and humanity of Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His
miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily
resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, in His present rule as Head of
the Church and in His personal return in power and glory.
4. We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful men regeneration by the Holy Spirit is
absolutely essential.
5. We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit, by whose indwelling the Christian is
enabled to live a godly life.
6. We believe that all those who die in God’s grace through faith are assured eternal
salvation; those who die in a state of sin and unbelief suffer the punishment of Hell.
7. We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ, with equality across
racial, gender, and class differences.
HISTORY
MoezArt Productions, Inc. began in the Fall of 2000 when some parents asked Sharon to teach a Speech & Debate class. Drama was added the following year with their first full length play, Leeann Alena Moe’s A Family Affair. The first musical, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, came in the Spring of 2003. It was an incredible success!
In 2005, just prior to marrying Sharon, Steven Rodriguez left staff with Campus Crusade for Christ after 14 years with the André Kole Ministry and became President of MoezArt Productions, Inc.
What started as one class with 16 students has now grown into 25 classes, four instructors, 21 interns and 150 students valley-wide and continues to expand!
Steven and Sharon Rodriguez have found no greater privilege than being involved with the home-school community in Phoenix and are excited to see how God is going to use MoezArt Productions, Inc., to glorify Him and make an eternal difference in the lives of its students.
MoezArt Productions, Inc. Nondiscriminatory Policy
MoezArt Productions, Incorporated, admits students of any race, color, and national or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at our school and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, and national or ethnic origin in administration of our educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school administered programs.
AUDITION AND CASTING POLICIES
Auditions
MoezArt Productions, Inc., is an educational organization. Although quality performance is one of our goals, education will always be the foremost objective. For our performance classes, an audition is required for participation. MoezArt Productions, Inc., caters exclusively to homeschoolers during the school year. However, a director has the right to include a non-homeschooler if they are needed to fill out the cast.
Casting
As much as possible, we seek to give everyone good parts which will increase their abilities in drama. We will try to give every student at least one good role, and by that we mean, at least secondary lead (i.e.: Rohlf in the Sound of Music) before they graduate. Casting is a challenging and delicate business that is very difficult to understand. We ask that you be understanding and supportive of the decisions that are made, knowing that we make them for the good of the entire production and take into consideration many factors unknown to those outside of the directing staff. If you have questions about the casting decisions that are made, you can email those questions to the director and the best explanation possible will be given. However, the directing staff stands behind the decisions that are made and the attempt to change previous decisions will not be successful.
We reserve the right to pre-cast, if we see the need, or to ask a student to step down if they are not fulfilling their commitment. Drama is a privilege and those who see it as such, and work accordingly, will go far. The characteristics that we look for are as follows:
1. Directability: The willingness to be directed, try new things, trust the director and step out of your comfort zone.
2. Willingness: An attitude that says, “I will do whatever it takes to be successful and to grow as an artist.”
3. Passion: A love of the arts and a desire to honor God with the talents and abilities He has given you. This is demonstrated by putting your heart and soul into what you do knowing that you do it not for the praise of man but for the glory of God.
4. Self-Discipline: Making a commitment to do the best job you can do, regardless of the circumstances or cost to yourself.
5. Integrity: Interacting with authority and your peers with honesty and following through with your personal responsibilities for the good of the group.
6. Humility: "We need to regard ourselves with sound judgment. True humility means having an accurate view of ourselves, thinking we’re no more or less than we are. We must know our strengths. We must know our weaknesses. We must know what we’re good at, and accept what we’re not good at." - The Heart of the Artist by Rory Noland
7. Previous roles in MoezArt Productions, Inc.
8. Age and seniority within MoezArt Productions, Inc.
9. Attitude and effort in previous productions.
SCRIPTS
SCRIPT APPROVAL
In the past we have been blessed with wonderful, God-honoring scripts that everyone could support 100%. We would like to continue that happy tradition. Copies of the scripts are available before the semester begins if you would like to read them. This will allow parents to discuss any issues with the content or the lines with the teacher prior to signing up for the class. We would like to resolve any issues prior to the start of rehearsals instead of halfway during semester after roles are cast and rehearsals have started. If a student pulls out of a production partway through the semester there will be no refund of tuition fees.
By signing the Code of Conduct form, you are also indicating your approval of the material we will be performing.
SCRIPT CARE
Due to copyright laws, most if not all of our script companies are tightening their enforcement of said laws and are not allowing us to photocopy scripts for classroom use. Therefore, MoezArt Productions, Inc., is incurring a considerable expense in purchasing a script for each student. We will be checking a script out to each student with the condition noted. Any script that is damaged beyond normal wear and tear, will incur a $25.00 replacement fee. You may use yellow highlighter to highlight your part and pencil only to make notations. Any ink markings will render the script damaged. Please erase all pencil markings at the end of the semester. If we find a considerable number of damaged scripts, we will have to institute a policy where a deposit is collected upfront and then returned to you at the end of the semester, so please take care of the scripts.
FEES AND TICKETS
TUITION
The cost of this amazing experience is a mere $250.00 per fall semester and $300.00 per spring semester (due to longer semester and added cost of musicals) per student . This fee is due by the first day of class. Make checks payable to MoezArt Productions, Inc. It is also fine to pay the entire semester’s cost when you register. Balance is due the first week of class, unless prior arrangements have been made with our Business Manager.
WITHDRAWAL FROM CLASS
The business office must be informed in writing about the withdrawal of a student from class. Any refund will be calculated from the date the business office receives the intent to withdraw notification in writing.
Should a student register for a class and withdraw either before the class begins or after the first class period, the student will forfeit the $25.00 non-refundable deposit. Should a student withdraw from a class after the second class period, a $50 fee will be assessed. Should a withdrawal occur after the third class period, a $100 fee will be assessed. After, the fourth class period, no refund of any tuition amount will be given.
If for any reason, a student is asked to step down from a MoezArt program, only the unsold portion of the ticket money will be eligible for a refund.
PAYMENT PLANS AND LATE FEES
If a family arranges with the business office, prior to the first day of class, to be on a payment plan, a $5.00 administration fee will be added to the balance.
If an outstanding balance remains after the deadline (either October 31 or March 31), then a $25.00 late fee will be assessed. If the balance is not paid by the first day of the dress rehearsal week, the child will not be allowed to perform.
SCHOLARSHIPS
A limited number of scholarships are available each semester for students. These scholarships consist of up to 50% of the tuition cost for a student and is given in the form of a work scholarship. Students who need a scholarship must complete the required forms by the deadline given to qualify. In addition, the work scholarship will consist of a project or task to be completed which is commiserate with the amount of the scholarship awarded. Scholarships are awarded by the scholarship committee based upon the applicant’s need and the availability of fund. No scholarships will be accepted after the deadline.
TICKETS
Each student is required to sell 10 tickets (maximum of 20 tickets required for each family). We require the purchase of these tickets at the beginning of the semester. There are numerous places where tickets can be sold: your church, relatives, neighbors, friends, and other activity groups. We would like you to do all that you can do to sell your tickets so we can have sold-out (or nearly sold-out) performances instead of empty seats.
If you need additional tickets, please see the instructor or call or e-mail Sharon Rodriguez at (480) 272-0705 or moezartproductions@hotmail.com. All ticket money must be paid for in advance. Please make sure that all checks for tickets are made out to MoezArt Productions, Inc.
Parents may attend your own child’s production for free, but siblings must purchase a ticket.
PARENT AND FAMILY INVOLVEMENT
PARENTS IN CLASS POLICY
As much as we appreciate the desire of parents to be actively involved, it is best that parents are not in the classroom without the instructor's permission for several reasons:
1) In many of our facilities it is becoming increasingly difficult to manage a large group
of children and their parents in a small space.
2) Many times the students will be inhibited from doing the best job they can do if their parents are around. Often they will become distracted or restrict their performance for the class.
3) Having parents in the classroom inhibits the instructors ability to administer class
discipline. Often times the instructor cannot say or address things because they may
be self-conscience as to how a parent may be perceiving their actions - even when it
is the right action to take.
Therefore, parents are welcome to sit and observe the first week of class, after that, they are requested to drop off their children and pick them up at the end of class. Due to the restrictions of the facilities we are using, we are asking parents not to stay onsite, unless they are working with the group at the instructor's request. If there are special circumstances, please let the instructor know in advance., please call the
PARENTAL PARTICIPATION
MoezArt Productions, Inc., is an organization that cannot function without the help of volunteers. We find that requiring 3-4 hours of volunteer service for every child enrolled in MoezArt Productions, Inc., not only lightens the load for our staff, but helps bring ownership of the productions to the participating families. There are several types of services for which you may volunteer. These are covered in the mandatory parent’s meeting at the beginning of each semester. In addition, each family is asked to contribute one dozen baked goods or candy items and a dozen cans of soda or bottled water to sell at our concession stands.
SIBLINGS AND ALUMNI
We have come across many elementary school students, and some even younger, who want to participate in drama. We have loved having these young people in the class and have no desire to see them leave. However, we do have age limits on the class and therefore have decided that only the siblings of students in the group will be included. If the older sibling leaves the group then the privilege will end.
We have also decided to restrict the class to home-schoolers since we barely have enough room for them as it is. This means that we will not be accepting private or public school students unless in extenuating circumstances, at the discretion of the director. Even for younger siblings, we cannot include anyone under the age of 10. Since certain shows require the presence of younger children, the directing staff, reserves the right to ask certain younger children to participate. This privilege is extended by the director and is not necessarily subject to an audition.
CLASS ROOM POLICIES
DROP OFF AND PICK-UP POLICY
Please do not drop your student off more than 10 minutes prior to class time. We cannot ensure proper supervision for any earlier time. Also, please pick up your student promptly at the conclusion of class. Children who are not picked-up within 15 minutes of the end of class will be subject to a late fee of a dollar a minute. Please call your teacher if something unavoidable occurs which delays your ability to pick up your child on time.
MEDICATIONS
MoezArt Production, Inc., staff members are not allowed to give out medication, including Tylenol®, Advil®, or aspirin, without a written consent from the parent or guardian. If your student carries an epi-pen due to potentially life threatening allergies, please make sure your teacher knows where the student keeps the epi-pen. Life-threatening situations will be the only exception made to this policy.
ELECTRONICS
Students are asked not to bring video games to class. Also texting and talking on cell phones during class is prohibited. If you must reach your student during class time, please call your instructor. They will have their cell phones on. If an instructor has problems with cell phones being used during class time, he may collect the phones in a basket at the beginning of the class and return them to the students at the end of class.
GRADES
Grades will be given for this class. They are based on participation, memorization, dress rehearsals, performances, and class assignments. MoezArt Productions, Inc., uses the following scale for assigning letter grades. A transcript with the class description and grade will be given at the end of each semester.
90 – 100% -- A 80 – 90% -- B 70 – 80 % -- C 60 – 70% -- D 0 – 60% -- F
PLAGIARISM
Should a student plagiarize a paper, and proof has been obtained, then the following procedures will be followed. First, both the student and his/her parents will be notified. The paper will receive an automatic zero. The student will be given one week to rewrite the paper for a maximum grade of 90%. The incident will be written up and placed in their permanent MoezArt Productions Inc., records. A second incident of plagiarism will result in an automatic 0% grade for the semester.
DRESS CODE
It is important that we glorify the Lord in everything we do and this includes our attire. It is important for drama that you are comfortable and able to move around freely. If you wear jeans they need to be neat, clean and with no obvious rips or tattered edges.
The dress code for girls is T-shirts and jeans or capri’s, no shorts or skirts. No midriffs, that means when you stand and stretch, not just when you are standing still, and have pulled your shirt down past the waist of your pants. Shirts should not be skintight or even form fitting. and shirts that contain messages that are lewd or contrary to Biblical principles are prohibited. Let’s think about the guys and how we need to honor them by not dressing in a provocative manner.
Guys and girls, all undergarments should be properly concealed and that includes when sitting or bending over.
For boys, please do not sag your pants below the waistline. Shirts that contain messages that are lewd or contrary to Biblical principles are prohibited. We can easily find you other attire if you choose to arrive in something less than suitable. In everything consider not your own taste, but how your dress will appear to others who may be more conservative than you are or the example it portrays to younger members of your cast. Let’s honor the Lord through what we wear. When in doubt, cover up!
ABSENCES
You are expected to be in class promptly, every week, unless you contact your instructor PRIOR to class. If you are sick, you will need to call the day of class at the absolute latest. Even the beginning of class is not too late to inform the teacher of your ill health.
If you are in sports, please consider which activity means more to you and choose accordingly. If you are interested in pursuing both, you must set up a meeting with the teacher to decide whether you can swing both schedules.
Withdrawal from the class is only acceptable, for reasons other than medical ones, if there is a death or serious illness in the family. Drama requires partnership and commitment. It is not fair to you or the rest of the class to pull out before the job is done. Consider carefully during the first couple of weeks whether or not you can handle the classes and performances in light of other commitments. If not, be considerate to the others in the group and withdraw as soon as possible.
If you know you will miss more than two class times, please reconsider your involvement in MoezArt Productions, Inc., this semester. If you have ANY conflicts at all during rehearsals, you MUST inform your director by the second week of class. Absences during production week and performances are not accepted unless arrangements have been made with the director PRIOR to try-outs the first day of class.
TEAMWORK AND MEMORIZATION
Because complete memorization is so essential in drama it will be counted very heavily in your grade. Every area of performance will be greatly affected by poor memorization. You are given a great deal of time to memorize each assignment so you really have no excuse for not knowing your lines. Please also consider that those you are working with are hurt if you don’t know your lines. It is hard for them to do their job effectively and it will hurt their grades as well. Because you work with an entire cast in the play, teamwork is absolutely essential. It is so important to carry your own weight in your team. Effort and teamwork will count very heavily in your grade so don’t let your fellow classmates down. When in doubt “do unto others as you would have them do unto you”.
PERSONAL CONDUCT
These are the areas we are expect every student to exhibit:
Responsible Behavior:
Use of self-control in your actions and language. Lewd or foul language will not be permitted.
Please be courteous in speech and action to other children and adults. Honor those around
you by respecting and encouraging them and avoiding words or actions that would be
harmful. Including but not limited to gossip, slander, etc.
Mutual Respect:
Treat yourself, others, and property with care and consideration.
Concern for Others:
Be truthful, honest and fair in your dealings with others.
Cooperation with Others:
Listen and work together. When conflict arises it should be privately discussed immediately
between the two pertaining individuals. If the matter is not resolved, the next stage is for the
two individuals to meet immediately with the Teacher or assistant teacher. If there is no
resolution, then the matter will be taken to the board. Please encourage one another to handle issues discreetly and immediately so that we don’t become stumbling blocks to one another.
Self-Control:
We expect that you will maintain integrity inside and outside of classes and shows. MoezArt
Productions, Inc., reserves the right to expel a student for behaviors that are not in line with
God’s standards, are potentially harmful to the student or negatively influential to fellow
students. This includes, but not limited to, drugs, alcohol, foul language and sexual activity
(hetero and/or homo).
Personal Excellence:
You must put forth your best effort in whatever you attempt. Adults and children participating
in MoezArt Productions, Inc., will be positive representatives of Christ with modest
appearance and abiding by host facilities' rules.
PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF AFFECTION AND DATING
Public Display Of Affection (PDA)
Over the years we have been forced to take a stance that we need to limit any PDA during class that is not part of the play. Anything more than just a quick hug will not be permitted. We have seen several students take advantage of our former policy, as a result MoezArt Productions, Inc., will not permit anything more than a quick hug whether between individuals of the same sex or opposite sex. This policy is in effect for your security, purity, and example - particularly to those younger kids who may be in your cast. We thank you for upholding this policy.
Public Display Of Affection (PDA) on Stage
In theatre, some public display of affection is necessary on stage. However, not everyone has the same acceptance of PDA in their everyday lives. In the Christian theatre arts, we do have ways to “cheat” with these affections on stage. MoezArt Productions, Inc.’s line is kissing. We usually opt for and assume we will use a “stage kiss” which will be taught to the actors if it is called for in the script. If however that line is drawn further in for an individual, we will work with that and just need to be aware, preferably at the beginning of production, of that personal boundary.
In the past we have had actors kiss on stage, however, it was at the request of the individual students and the consent of their parents/guardians. No one will be required to kiss on stage or show any other forms of PDA that they are not comfortable with. As far as dialogue, any lewd or suggestive remarks in a script will be omitted or altered unless necessary to show sin as sin, but in any case will be handled prayerfully with taste and tact.
Dating
The arts are fraught with emotion, and relationships between cast members create even more havoc. We have had some bad experiences with dating couples who broke up during the show, causing a lot of tension for themselves and those around them. Therefore, MoezArt Productions, Inc., has a policy that cast members may not begin dating for the duration of the show. After the show is over, if your parents approve, you can do whatever you want. If you break this policy, the directing staff reserves the right to ask you to step down. If you are dating before casting, please let the staff know at auditions, otherwise we will view it as breaking of this policy and will ask you to step down. That's how important we think this is. All's fair in love and drama.
HANDLING CONFLICTS
When conflicts or issues arise, questions need to come through the teacher first and then, if necessary, the Staff and Board will be involved. If parents have questions about the program, or wonder why we take the action we do, they are welcome to approach a board member. However, problems with the teacher or the program need to be first taken directly to the instructor. If the problem cannot be resolved between the two, a board member may be involved.
The Steps for Handling Conflicts
w First stop is to talk to the instructor.
w Second stop is to meet with the concerned party, the artistic director, the president and a board member.
w Third stop is a full session of the board of directors.
The issues that might need to be dealt with in this manner are: disciplinary action beyond what the teacher can handle in the classroom, violations of policies concerning dress and personal displays of affection, parental concerns about money, discipline, script selection, fundraising, and interpersonal conflicts.
PERFORMANCES
RESERVING SEATS
This has become an increasing problem over the years. We’ve had cast members or family members who drop off cast members at call time place notes on chairs reserving blocks of seats prior to performances. This is not fair to others who purchased tickets to see the show. Doors open 30 minutes prior to show time. At that time, all may enter and choose seats. The only exception to this policy is for our staff videographer or staff photographer who require close unobstructed views to perform their jobs.
PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEOGRAPHY
Due to copyright laws, MoezArt Productions, Inc., cannot allow anyone to take photographs or video during the shows. You may take pictures of your student in costume after the show. MoezArt Productions, Inc., pays a several hundred dollar fee per production for the license for one staff person to photograph and videotape the production. In turn, we make copies of a photo CD or DVD of the show available to you for a small fee. Current rates are $7.50 for each photo CD and $15.00 for each DVD. The photographer also grants you limited copyright privileges for personal use only. This means you may make copies for your family or send them to friends. You may NOT sell them or in any way profit from the photographer’s work.
MoezArt Productions, Inc. retains in perpetuity the use of any image and words of the productions for which a student is enrolled.
INTERNET POSTINGS
Please know it is a violation of copyright laws to publish copyrighted material on the internet whether it is photographs or video without written consent. It is a form of stealing. Understanding that in reality MoezArt Productions, Inc., does not have the ability to police Facebook and other similar sites, we ask that you refrain from doing so unless you give proper credit to the organization holding the copyright for the material, MoezArt Productions, Inc., for their artistic creation in costume, set design, and technical aspects, and the photographer. If a copy of video material of a performance is found on the internet, MoezArt Productions, Inc., can be held legally responsible and in violation of copyright law.
We are excited to have you as part of our MoezArt family and are looking forward to getting to know you: encouraging you to grow in your talent, abilities, maturity and your relationship with God!
The Life Of The Arts
far from being an interruption,
a distraction, in the life of a nation,
is closer to the center of a nation’s purpose
~ and is the test of the quality of a nation’s civilization.
~ John F. Kennedy ~
MoezArt Productions, Inc.
1901 E. Siesta Lane w Phoenix, AZ 85024
(480) 201-4637 w www.MoezArtProductions.com