Constitution of the
Willow Tree Theatre Company

 
     

 

    
   

Contents

    1.   Company Objectives

2.   Membership

3.   Administration

4.   Annual General Meeting

5.   Finances

6.   Productions

7.   Fund-Raising

8.   Dissolution

    9. Interpretation
 

    
   

 

  
 


Terms within this document:

 'The Company'
refers to the Willow Tree Theatre Company

'The Committee’
refers to the elected members of the Willow Tree Theatre Company Committee
 

  
 

 

 

  

1. Company Objectives

1)        To stage regular theatrical productions and further the following aims:
           a) To promote excellence in the performing arts within the community.
           b) To provide an environment of friendly co-operation in which all Company members, both those
           with amateur ambitions and those with professional aspirations, may develop their talents to the full.

2)        To organise fund-raising events throughout the year to make these productions possible.
 

2. Membership

1)                 Membership of the Company shall be open to students of the Willow Tree Centre of Dance &
            Performing Arts and other interested individuals.

2)        Members will be expected to support all aspects of Company activities, fund-raising, productions
            and outings.
 

3. Administration

1)                  The affairs of the Company shall be administered by a Committee which shall consist of not less
             than ten members and include the following officers -Chairman, Treasurer, and Secretary.

2)                  The Committee and its officers shall be elected at each Annual General Meeting (AGM).

3)                  The Committee members shall take office at the end of the meeting at which they are elected.

4)                  The Committee shall act in the best interests of the Company at all times.

5)                  The Committee shall meet as often as the business of the Company shall require, and not less than six times per annum.  Members of the committee are required to attend all committee meetings unless unavoidable. Apologies for non-attendance of a meeting must be submitted to the Chairman or Secretary in advance. Members failing to attend three or more meetings per annum without good reason or advanced apologies will have their committee membership rescinded.

6)                  The Committee shall be entitled to fill casual vacancies amongst its members.  Vacancies occurring on the Committee shall be filled by a person or persons selected by the Committee.  Such person or persons shall serve until the next Annual General Meeting and shall be eligible for re-election.

7)                  The Committee shall meet at the request of the Chairman or any member of the Committee.

8)                  Seven members of the committee, to include the Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary and four other Committee members, shall constitute a quorum.

9)                  The Committee shall include a member from the following areas of the production team – Producer, Wardrobe, Advertising and Promotion.

10)              The Secretary shall give each Committee member a minimum of seven days notice of each Committee meeting.

11)              Committee meetings are open to any members of the Company who are not Committee members, provided that due notice is given to the Chairman.

12)              All questions arising at Committee meetings shall be decided by a simple majority of the Committee members present.  The Chairman shall have a casting vote in the case of equality of votes, but not otherwise.

13)              A proper record of all proceedings of the Committee shall be kept.  The minutes of the meetings shall be circulated to all the Committee members.  A copy shall be published on the Company website for members of the Company to view.

14)              The Committee may arrange activities for the Company to the benefit of the members, raise funds and defray expenses thereof.  The Committee may charge such fees for admission or participation and incur such liabilities as it may deem proper, provided that the Committee do not incur liabilities in excess of the Company’s assets.

15)              The Committee shall hold and administer, for the general benefit of the Company, all funds, property and equipment in the general ownership of the Company.
 

4. Annual General Meeting (AGM)

1)                 The Annual General Meeting, of which the Secretary shall give twenty-one days notice to the
            Company, shall take place annually and in any case not more than eighteen months after the
            previous Annual General Meeting.

2)                 The Annual General Meeting shall take place at, or close to, the end of March each year.

3)                 The aims, objectives and manner of administration of the Company may only be changed at the Annual General Meeting, and proposed changes must be circulated to all members in writing at least seven days before the meeting.

4)                 Business discussed at the Annual General Meeting shall include:-
a) – Election of Committee members and Officers.
b) – Consideration of the (audited) accounts.
c) – Such other business as the Committee determines.

5)                 At each Annual General Meeting all elected officers and Committee members shall retire.  They are each entitled to stand for re-election.

6)                 Officer posts being contended for will be decided upon by closed ballot.  The contenders will leave the room for the duration of the ballot.  The votes will be counted in the absence of the contenders.  The outcome of the ballot shall be declared to the contenders on their return by a nominated spokesperson.

7)        All decisions of the Annual General Meeting shall be decided by a show of hands except as
            addressed in (6) above.

 

5. Finance

1)                 A Bank/Building Society Account shall be operated in the name of the Company. Withdrawals from
            the said account, approved by the Committee shall only be made on the signature of two appointed
            members of the Committee – namely the Chairman and the Treasurer.

2)                 All monies payable to the Company shall be received by the elected Treasurer.

3)                 The Financial year shall commence on March 1st of each year.

4)                 The Treasurer shall take responsibility for keeping account of all income and expenditure and shall present a Financial Report at Committee meetings as required.  The Treasurer shall present the accounts duly audited at the Annual General Meeting.

5)                 The accounts shall be audited by a competent person appointed by the Committee.

6)                 Any Membership and/or Insurance fees shall be decided upon by the Committee.  Junior membership shall apply to members under the age of sixteen on September 1st in each year.
 

6. Productions

1)                 The Company shall produce an Annual Show and, from time to time, additional shows for minority
            groups of the membership as approved by the Committee.

2)                 The cast shall consist of members of the Company and such expertise from outside the Company as may be needed and approved by the Committee.

3)                 All matters relating to choreography shall be the responsibility of the Willow Tree Centre of Dance and Performing Arts. However, the control of the artistic direction of the shows will remain with the Director and Producer at all times.

4)                 Each Department of the Production Team shall present the Committee with a provisional budget for the production by the end of the September before the production.  Any variations to the provisional budget must be submitted to the Committee for approval.

5)                 The Willow Tree Theatre Company Committee will support the production of the End of Term Show staged by the Willow Tree Centre of Dance and Performing Arts each July.  This support will be voluntary and of variable amounts and may, but not necessarily, include assisting with costumes, scenery, props, and front of house.
 

7. Fund-raising


1)                 The Committee shall organise a programme of fund-raising for the year as this is essential to the
            survival of the Company.

2)                 The Committee will welcome suggestions and assistance from Company members regarding fundraising events.  All events will need to be approved by the Committee.
 

8. Dissolution

Any assets remaining on dissolution of the Company, after satisfying any outstanding debts and liabilities, shall not be distributed amongst members of the Company but shall be used to set up a trust for the benefit of students of the Willow Tree Centre of Dance and Performing Arts and used for the furtherance of their education in the performing arts.
 

9. Amendments


Amendments to this constitution may be made if deemed necessary by the committee members and only by agreement between the committee and the company manager.
 

10. Interpretation

If any point should arise on the interpretation of the Constitution, or on any subject not covered by the Constitution, then the decision of the Committee shall be final and binding on all members.
 
 

Steve Gage - (Company Manager)
Steve Gage
Date....29/03/07...(issue 2)