2015-16

Musicians Contract
Miskin Theatre
NWK College
Oakfield Lane
Dartford
DA1 2JT
01322 629472- Nikki Moore- Administrator
01322 629422- Amelia Fisher- Box Office
miskintheatre@nwkcollege.ac.uk- Email
miskintheatre.com- Website

MUSICIANS CONTRACT

Contents
WELCOME
PAGE 3
THE 3 PS
KEEPING PERFORMANCE ALIVE
PAGE 4
TICKETS
PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE
PAGE 5
EQUIPMENT LIST
PAGE 6
TERM DATES
PROFESSIONAL COURTESY
PAGE 7
RESPECT
PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY
PERFORMANCES
PAGE 8
FRONT OF HOUSE
CONSENT
PAGE 9
COPYRIGHT
PLAGERISM
THE MISKIN NAME
PAGE 10
EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY
PAGE 11
DECLARATION
PAGE 12

WELCOME

Congratulations on becoming a member of The Miskin Music

Company. While you are here you will have the opportunity to
experience an environment which is as close to professional theatre
as we can possibly make it. We are here to support you in becoming
a well trained, creative thinking performer or producer. We expect a
lot from you and trust that you will quickly develop a professional
attitude whatever your age or experience. Miskin Music demands
collaboration. You can rely on us and we will rely on you to maintain
and develop the unprecedented success and reputation of The
Miskin. We wish you well in your training, look forward to working
with you and hope you enjoy your time with us.

THREE Ps Prepared Punctual Professional

Professional discipline is a vital part of every musicians daily life. It is Miskin Musics
job to ensure that your training is underpinned by a clear understanding of the needs of
the industry for which you are preparing yourself. Major emphasis will be placed on the
importance of self discipline, appearance, punctuality, courtesy and respect for
colleagues and peers, unselfishness and a great deal of common sense.
This contract represents a way of working that is about your course and your industry
and is designed to reinforce your own sense of responsibility to your training, to your
craft and to your company.
Its important that you read and understand it and that you show willing to undertake the
responsibilities needed to achieve success in your chosen field and make the most of
your training here.
You will also sign a learning agreement with NWK College. Please note that your
contract with The Miskin augments all similar agreements.

KEEPING PERFORMANCE ALIVE

You are now part of a working production company, which is a commercial organisation.
In order to keep working and producing we are dependent on bringing audiences into all
our events. Its in everyones interest to encourage new audiences to see live theatre,
dance and music - that way the industry will stay alive long enough for you to benefit
from it.
You are a musician so it goes without saying you are passionate about seeing a range of
performance material. The wider Miskin Company includes artists of all kinds including
musicians, designers, photographers, visual artists and dancers. You will be expected
to see ALL the work of your wider company as they will yours. This will include
performances by the dancers and actors in The Miskin Theatre venues and exhibitions
by the designers and visual artists, as well as performances by your other fellow
musicians working at The Miskin.

TICKETS
Tickets for all Miskin performances will be available four weeks before the opening night,
from the box office or online at - https://kiosk.iristickets.co.uk/k?v=miskin

Miskin Theatre Membership Deal

As a member of the Miskin Theatre you are expected to attend ALL shows. Your Student
contribution entitles you to free tickets for these performances. It is advisable to book
early to ensure you can see the performances on the night you want.

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE
There are no excuses for lateness to rehearsals and performances. Its your job to get
yourself in and ready by the half an hour call. Avoid the awkwardness of not being
allowed to rehearse by planning ahead and allowing yourself extra time to travel. Calling
in to inform your directors of your lateness does not excuse you from college disciplinary
procedures, unless this is agreed in advance. SIGN IN
When you get to the rehearsal spaces or venue, make sure you sign in. I forgot is not a
valid excuse and will probably be followed by and I forgot to put you in a band from the
directors.
Signing in tells us who is here and who is not. If you are in and havent signed in, then
legally youre not here and will have taken yourself out of rehearsals. If there is a fire or
other emergency and you have not signed in, you are not here and will not be rescued.
ILL OR ABSENT
If you are ill or an absence is unavoidable, you need to call the theatre before 9:30am on
01322 629472 Writing a post on Tumblr saying that you wont be in today is not
acceptable.
HOLIDAYS
Holidays taken without prior consent will have a serious impact on your training and
casting. We work like a repertory theatre and are always in production, which means we
dont work to school term dates, including half terms. However, you will still be allocated
holidays but these will be arranged around the rehearsal and performance schedule.
Holidays cannot be taken during company time. Please see term dates on page 7.
APPOINTMENTS
Appointments should be discussed prior to booking and made as early in the day as
possible. An appointment card should be given to your director on return.

EQUIPMENT LIST
EVERYONE MUST HAVE ON A DAILY BASIS:

Pens- black/blue ink

Pencils
Notebook
FOR MUSIC TECHNOLOGY
REQUIRED
Usb/Hard Drive
OPTIONAL
Headphones
Modern Recording Techniques- by David Miles Huber and Robert E. Runstein
FOR MUSIC PERFORMANCE
REQUIRED
Usb/Hard Drive
Instrument maintained in good condition
Spare accessories to ensure your instrument is always in full working order. (e.g. spare guitar
strings, guitar picks, drumsticks, tuner)
OPTIONAL
Kick pedals, cymbols, microphones
FRONT OF HOUSE:
As part of your training and experience all musicians will be required to do Front of
House (ushering) on some of our shows. You will be required to wear smart black
trousers or a skirt and smart black shoes. You will be given a FOH top.
TAKE CARE OF YOUR EQUIPMENT:
If you are planning to leave your belongings at college you do so at your own risk, we
cannot accept responsibility for equipment lost or stolen.

TERM DATES 2015/2016

CHRISTMAS TERM
Monday 7th September to Wednesday 18th December 2015
(You may be required for Front of House up until 20th December)
EASTER TERM
Monday 4th January to Thursday 24th March 2016
SUMMER TERM
Monday 11th April to Friday 1st July 2016

USEFUL NUMBERS
01322 629400 Main College
01322 629472 Nikki Moore
01322 629422 Box Office
01322 629400 ------ Student Services
01322 629420 ------Student Finance

PROFESSIONAL COURTESY
Telephones - Do not bring them into rehearsals or productions. Phones are a distraction
and can seriously disrupt the work. If you would rather use a notepad and pen, put them
in your locker. Ipads and tablets on airplane mode are permitted for taking notes only.
Rest assured, Facebook and Twitter will still be there at lunch time. Taking a ringing or
vibrating phone into the rehearsal room means youve taken yourself out of rehearsals.
Dont disappear from the rehearsal room or performance venue without being given
explicit permission from the productions director. You need to ensure you are ready and
available at a moments notice.
Commit fully to each process, behave responsibly and carry out, to the best of your
ability, all direction given. If you dont commit you will be replaced. You will only get out of
your training what you choose to put in.
Make yourself available for rehearsal/gigs/workshops and F.O.H as required. Dont
expect to be excused for other part-time employment.

RESPECT
For Each other - you have a responsibility to your fellow company members.
For Music Directors - they can make your life miserable
For Designers - they can make you look stupid
For Crew - they can hurt you
For Yourself - that means, value your contribution by taking care of yourself when
rehearsing and performing - keep healthy.
For Your Theatre its your theatre so look after it. It is up to you to ensure that the
rehearsal spaces, studios and all other spaces relating to the theatre and around the
theatre are kept clean and in working order. Take pride in the exceptional and unique
facilities you have. Dont chew gum, smoke or eat anywhere inside the theatre buildings.
Keep it out and away from the buildings. Dont hang around the entrance to the theatre.
Theres a canteen for eating and an area for smoking. Drinking water is permitted in a
sealed container. Not adhering to the above means you will have taken yourself out of
your rehearsal.
Remember that your contract with The Miskin is based on a professional contract and is
rooted in industry practice.

PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY
Personal hygiene must be maintained from day to day. Youre working closely with
other people so make sure you shower daily and wear clean clothes.
Your reputation precedes you. A good reputation makes for good opportunities. The
performance industries are small universes. Directors talk to each other and will make
important decisions based on what they know and hear about you.

PERFORMANCES
The following are understood to be reasons for not being put in a performance or
dismissing a musician from a process:
Persistent absence - unless we are producing The Sound of Silence we cannot put you
in an ensemble it is up to you to be here.
Repeated lateness - set your alarm and stop relying on someone else to get you out of
bed. You cannot enter sessions late, and information wont be repeated. If you care, be
there.
Disruption to the work of others - If you want to act like a child, go back to school.
We are looking for musicians not distracters.
You will only get out of your training what you put into it.
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FRONT OF HOUSE
You will undertake Front of House Duties during your training as a musician. You are
part of a larger company and have a responsibility to the other companies as they do
yours. Doing FOH for each other enables us to keep working and producing. You will
need to dress smartly and elegantly and behave responsibly on FOH you are
representing the theatre to the public and it is a major responsibility. Remember that
lateness or absence seriously compromises the safety of the public and could
compromise your theatre license. If there arent enough FOH staff, it means that the
theatre wont be able to open, which means no shows, which means we are back at
school.
Please be aware that you will be putting professional practice into action within The
Miskin Theatre, which is a publicly licensed professional environment in which you are
effectively an intern being given the opportunity to publicly test your skills and gain
creditable industrial experience. This will be evidenced throughout FOH whereby you will
be graded on your contribution to the evening.
LICENSING
Enjoy your theatre and all the facilities at The Miskin. However, its important to note that
the public bars at The Miskin Theatre are subject to national licensing laws. If youre over
18 have ID ready. Dont be offended if you look younger than your years. It wont always
be the case - ask your director.

CONSENT
Research is intrinsic to your development as a musician. This may mean watching films
and footage that have been categorised for an older age group. By signing the
declaration below you are consenting to viewing material which is appropriate to the
work you are undertaking on the floor.

COPYRIGHT

Photographic, film and recorded evidence taken during auditions, rehearsals and
performances, remains the sole property of The Miskin Theatre, North West Kent
College.
By signing the declaration you are consenting to your image and voice being used
throughout and following your training.
PLAGIARISM

Your work as a musician will require independent research. Copying from the internet
and additional sources is not appropriate. It violates copyright and will be classed as
plagiarism unless fully annotated and credited. You must make your work your own. We
need to see that you have an understanding of the areas that you have researched.
Copying work directly from ANY source will not be tolerated. If you quote ANY existing
material you must put it in quotation marks, and in brackets attribute the source and
author. For example: Copying is cheating (The Directors)

THE MISKIN NAME

&
OUTSIDE PROJECTS

THE MISKIN NAME - Our name is important to us and will become very important to
you. To this end you need to be aware that use of "The Miskin" on the net or on social
media is seen by everyone and we expect it to be used with care and respect. Bringing
The Miskin into disrepute is taken seriously by us. Under NO circumstances should you
be uploading any footage to You Tube using the word Miskin unless agreed with one of
your directors.

OUTSIDE PROJECTS There may be opportunities during your training to attend

castings, workshops and other activities which take place off campus. By signing this
declaration you as a musician are indicating that you are aware that it is your
responsibility to get there on time and behave professionally at all times.

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MISKIN EQUALITY & DIVERSITY POLICY

We believe that all individuals training with us should have the opportunity to
maximise their full potential. It is the aim of The Miskin to make sure that:

There is respect for and protection of each individuals human rights

There is respect for the dignity and worth of each individual
Each individual has an equal opportunity to participate in society, and there is
mutual respect between groups based on understanding and valuing of diversity
and on shared respect for equality and human rights
The ability to achieve each individuals potential is not limited by prejudice or
discrimination

We are committed to equality, diversity, social inclusion and social justice. We

oppose discrimination in any form, including inappropriate conduct, bullying,
cyber-bullying, harassment and discrimination.

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DECLARATION

I the undersigned have read, understood and accepted the contract as laid out in this
document:

Signed:____________________________
Print name:_________________________
Course:____________________________
Date:

Parent or Guardian (please sign below if the named musician is under 18)
I have read, understood and support the above contract

Signed:____________________________
Print name:_________________________
Date:

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