B. Board candidates are expected to agree to the following:

Must be interested in Theatrical Arts.

Must attend Board meetings.

Must support Foundation financially.

Must attend Gala and participate in its running.

Must serve on at least one committee.

Must be able to fulfill the duties of the office.

Section 3.  Election of Board Members.

A   Nominations process for officers, committee chairmen, and at-large members.

Nominations are accepted online or by U. S. mail from the community at large.

Nominations are accepted until two weeks after the Gala.

Nominations will be accepted from the floor if no nominees for a position have Filed before the deadline, but both the nominator and nominee must be present at the election meeting.

Nominees must meet qualifications as described in Section 2, paragraph B above.

Nominees who wish to view or to continue viewing must make their preferences (musicals, plays, or both) known.

B.  Election process: The officers, committee chairmen, and at-large members of the Board are elected at the last meeting of the calendar year by

The current Board; the viewing committee members; the member theatre representatives.

The four Board members representing member theatres are selected in whatever manner each theatre shall decide.  The theatres serving on the Board shall be selected by lottery without replacement until the pool of theatres is deficient.  When the pool is less than four the remaining theatres are automatically selected.  To complete the selection the lottery begins anew.  The lottery will occur at the Board elections meeting after the elections are concluded.  The member theatres will have two weeks from the lottery to inform the Board President of their selection for the Board.  If a member theatre chooses not to select a representative, there will be no replacement.

Section 4.  Election of Viewing Members

A.    Nomination process

1. Nominations are accepted online or by U. S. mail from the theatre community at large.

2. Nominations are accepted until approximately one month before the election, with a possible extension of one week if, in the Board's opinion, the viewing nominee list is too sparse.

3.  Nominations are not accepted from the floor the night of the election.

4.  Nominees may volunteer for viewing plays, musicals, or both.

5.  Nominee preference will yield to balance between number of viewers in each category.

B.    Election process

1.   Viewers are elected by

a.    the current Board

b.    a representative from each member theatre company if that company sends a representative.

2.    Election is held immediately prior to the August Board meeting.

3.    If more than six Board members wish to view, officers must defer to other Board members.  Deferral order shall be:

a.  Play Nominations Secretary

b.  Musical Nominations Secretary

c.  President

d.  Vice President

e.  Secretary

f.  Treasurer

Section 5   Selection of Committee Members.

A.  Committee chairpersons shall select their members from the current Board, viewers, and the community at large.

B.   Committee chairpersons may remove members from their committee at their discretion.

C.    Committee members not on the Board or viewing shall be considered non-voting Foundation members.

Section 6   Resignation of Members

A.   All resignations of voting members must be sent by US Postal Service, electronically, any other transmission method not yet invented, or hand delivered to the President of the Board.  In the case of the resignation of the President the document must be sent or delivered to the Vice President of the Board.  A copy should be sent to the Secretary of the Board.  

Resignations are automatically accepted upon their receipt by the appropriate officer of the Board.

A resignation may be rescinded if the president and the Board agree that circumstances warrant taking such measures.

Section 7   Replacement of Elected Board Members

A.    If an elected Board member is unable to fulfill the duties for the season for which he/she was elected, the president may call a special meeting of the voting members (Board of Directors, viewers, and member theatre representatives) for the purpose of filling the vacated position.

B. The order of business shall be as follows, with no other official Board business taking place.

1.  Call for nominations.

 2.  Election of new Board member by simple majority of voting members present.

C. If a majority of the Board agrees, votes for the special election may be submitted electronically, by US Postal Service , or by any other transmission method yet to be invented to the Vice President or the President's designee 72 hours before the special meeting.

Article III  Duties of Foundation Members

Section 1   Board of Directors

A.  The Board of Directors is responsible for the overall governance of the Foundation.  This includes the following:

1.  Planning, attending, and running the annual Awards ceremony, commonly called the Gala.

2.  Supervising the Viewing program.

3.  Supervising the printing and distribution of the program inserts to the member theatres.

4.  Maintaining a web site to publicize individual member theatres' programs and the Foundation programs.

5.  Encouraging cooperation among member theatres.

6.  Encouraging theatre attendance at the members' venues among the general public.

7. Increasing the general public's awareness of all live theatre programs in the Northwest Indiana area.

B.  The Board shall hold at least six meetings a year, one of which must be open to the general public.

Section 2  Officers

A.  President

The President's duties include the following:

1. Conduct all regular and special Board meetings.

2. Coordinate all Foundation programs.

3. Represent the Foundation with other groups.

4. Any other responsibilities deemed appropriate by the Board

B. Vice President

The Vice President's duties include the following:

1. Provide advice and support to the President.

2. Conduct Board meetings in the absence of the President.

3. Organize and conduct the election for viewers in August of each year.

4. Organize and conduct the election for the Board at the last Board meeting of the year.

5. Any other responsibilities deemed appropriate by the Board.

C. Recording Secretary

The Recording Secretary's duties include the following:

1. Record and distribute to the Board minutes of all regular meetings.

2. Handle and archive all Foundation correspondence.

3. Distribute copies of minute of previous regular Board meetings to

member theatres after approval by Board.

4.  Any other responsibilities deemed appropriate by the Board.          

D. Treasurer

The Treasurer's duties include the following:

1. Collect and disburse, in accordance with Board decisions, all Foundation funds.

2. Prepare and present to the Board at the first regular meeting after the end of the fiscal year (August 31) a detailed profit and loss statement for NIETF for the fiscal year just ended.

3. Prepare and present to the Board at the first regular meeting after the annual awards Gala an event profit and loss comparison which will provide ticket sales, expenses by line item, and net profit/loss for at  least the last three years.  If all bills have not been received by the first meeting, an updated comparison will be provided at the subsequent Board meeting.

4. File all required reports and other paperwork associated with incorporation and tax exempt status of the Foundation with the county, state, and Federal governments in a timely manner.  Archive a copy of all such filings.

5. Help maintain the web site and post office box by paying the necessary fees in a timely manner.

6. Any other responsibilities deemed appropriate by the Board.

E. Play Nominations Secretary

The Play Nominations Secretary's duties include the following:

1. Record, track, and tally all viewer nominations for plays.

3.  Contact theatres concerning questions about categories of nominees and eligibility of shows.

4. Co-chair any viewer member meetings.

5.  Prepare ballots for preliminary voting round at September meeting.

6.  Conduct preliminary voting at September meeting.

7. Tally preliminary vote and prepare and mail final ballot and stamped preaddressed envelope to viewers after September meeting.

8.Any other responsibilities deemed appropriate by the Board.

F. Musical Nominations Secretary

The Musical Nominations Secretary's duties include the following:

1.  Record, track, and tally all viewer nominations for musicals.

 2.  Maintain a record of shows seen by each viewer on a separate page of the web site accessible to viewers and Board members only.

3.  Contact theatres concerning questions about categories of nominees and eligibility of shows.

4.  Co-chair any viewer member meetings.

5.  Prepare ballots for preliminary voting round at September meeting.

6.  Conduct preliminary voting at September meeting.

Tally preliminary vote and prepare and mail final ballot and stamped

preaddressed envelope top viewers after September meeting.

8.  Any other responsibilities deemed appropriate by the Board.  

Section 3   Committee Chairpersons

A.  Outreach

The Outreach Chairperson's duties include the following:

1.  Administer Project C.A.S.T.

a.  write and post inquiries for projects from member theatres.

b.  collect all project proposals.

2.   Administer the Outstanding Achievement Award.

a.  write and post invitations for nominations to member theatres.

b.  collect nominations.

3.   Administer High School Grants

4.   Administer regranting.

7.  Any other responsibilities deemed appropriate by the Board

B   Development Chairperson

The Development Chairperson's duties include the following:

1.  Administer grant writing.

3.  Administer collection of such support.

4.  Coordinate such activities with the Treasurer whenever necessary.

5.  Contact theatres about annual dues.

6.  Any other responsibilities deemed appropriate by the Board.

C.  Marketing and Public Relations Chairperson

1.  Administer publicity releases for the Foundation.

3.  Any other responsibilities deemed appropriate by the Board.

Section 4  Viewing Members

A.  Viewers must see a minimum 75% of viewable shows.  This show must be a scheduled public performance.  Viewers shall neither request or accept recordings of performances where such recordings or their use would be in violation of copyright laws and/or the performing company's royalty house agreement.  

Nominations for a show should be received within 72 hours of the viewing. In all cases nominations shall not be accepted more than two weeks after the show closes. Viewers may appeal for acceptance to the Board.

1.  Questions about categories may be politely directed to the appropriate theatre or the appropriate Viewing Secretary.

Section 5  Committee Members

Committee members shall perform any duties assigned to them by the chairperson that pertain to the duties of their particular committee.

Section 6  Code of Ethics

A.  Intentionally left blank.

B. This provision in no way constitutes a responsibility of NIETF or its members to enforce any laws, nor does it bestow on NIETF or its members any authority to determine violations of any law.

C.  Intentionally left blank.

Article IV  Theatre and Show Award

Section 1  Theatre Eligibility

The theatre may be a private company, a company associated with a church or school or with a community or governmental organization.

Two seasons shall mean twenty-four months from the production of the first show.  Viewing shall begin two months after the Board votes to accept the theatre as a member.

Section 2  Show Eligibility

1.  A show is defined as a scripted musical or play intended as part of a member theatre's regular season.

2.  A show must have several performances scheduled for different dates.

3.  Ineligible shows shall include, but not be limited to

a.   Single performance fund-raisers

b.  Shows intended primarily to be acted or viewed by children

c.  Educational workshops

d.  Staged readings for "works-in progress.  Unscripted revues (works written for performers already cast).

D.    Intentionally left blank.

Section 3   Award Categories

Such narrators take part in the action onstage.

E - H.   Featured Actor or Actress:  An actor or actress whose storyline is secondary focus of the show.  This person may only appear in several scenes.

I.    Musical:  A show with musical numbers, usually involving singing and/or dancing, incorporated into the script to help tell the story.  Music added as background or for scene changes shall not necessitate classification as a musical.

J.  Play:  A show without musical numbers incorporated into the script to help tell the story.  A character or characters who sings, hums, or dances without orchestral accompaniment or orchestral interludes without singing shall not necessitate classification as a musical.

K - L.  Director:  The person or persons who casts the show and conducts or arranges the rehearsals for the show.

N.   Orchestral Director:  The person who conducts the orchestra for a musical.

O - P.  Set Designer:  The person or persons who designs the set of the show.  If a set is predominately (51%) borrowed from another theatre company, credit should be given to the designer at that theatre.  If the set is predominately (51%) rented, sets are ineligible for nominations.

Q - R.    Lighting Designer:  The person or persons who designs the lighting plot for the show.  Light operators are not always designers.  If no lighting designeris named, the operator may be considered the designer.  

S - T.  Costume Designer:  The person or persons who designs or coordinates the costumes.  Borrowed costumes are considered designed.  If costumes are predominately (51%) rented, costumes are ineligible for nominations.

U.  Choreographer:  The person or persons who arranges the dance sequences in a show.  If dances are unchanged from the original choreography of a show the original choreographer should be credited. An example of this would be if the director chooses to use the choreography book provided with the Fiddler on the Roof script.  Fight choreography in a play is eligible as a Viewer's Choice nomination.

2.  Nominations may be made by email or the United States Post Office.

3.  Nominations are submitted to the Board for a vote.

4.  A majority vote of sitting Board members is necessary for the award to be presented.

5.  Recipient is contacted so that a biography of the individual or group may be inserted in the Gala program.

6.  Award is presented at the Gala.

3.  Proposals are submitted to the Board for a vote.

5.  The award in the form of a check is presented to the recipient theatre at the Gala.

Article V  Awards Procedure

Section 1  Eligibility for Nomination

Multiple Casting: 

1.  If more than one person is cast for a particular role, viewers will consider only the person who is assigned the majority of the performances for nomination.

2.  If each person is given the same number of performances, viewers may be required to see the show several times.

3.  Second and subsequent viewing will only be for nominating the multiple cast role.

4.  Viewing for additional performances will be arranged by the appropriate viewing secretary.

Section 2  Nominations