Get Involved

How can I be a part of NCCT?

 

There are many ways to get involved with NCCT, and depending on your interest, age, and expertise, your path to us might be different.

 

NCCT regularly produces two shows per year – a winter Teen Show and a Summer Show – with an occasional additional sponsored show or event. 

Our summer show is generally open to community members of all ages. Read the Summer Show FAQ below to learn more about opportunities to get involved in our summer show.

If you are a high-school-aged teen (or the parent or guardian of one), check our our Teen Show specific FAQ page for more details about the Teen Show opportunity. 

For younger actors, NCCT also co-sponsors a two-week-long summer camp through the Lebanon Rec Department. See Lebanon Parks and Rec’s website for more details about this camp; use their activities search to search for “NCCT.”

To be part of the work outside of the theater, consider running to join our Board of Directors. NCCT has an all-volunteer Board of Directors that oversees our operations and makes decisions about the organization as well as our productions. Elections to the Board take place at our Annual Meeting in August (exact date will be publicized on the website and sent in our email newsletter). During our Annual Meeting we update the community on our work, hear the thoughts and suggestions of our participants and voting membership, and elect new members to our Board of Directors. Any Member of the organization is eligible to run for the board and vote in the election. (“Members” are anyone who has donated at least $25 to NCCT since the last annual meeting.)  If you are interested in joining the board of directors, contact any current member of the board before that meeting, or email [email protected], to have your name added to the ballot. We encourage you to have a voice in deciding NCCT’s future.

You can also support NCCT in several other important ways: by buying tickets to see our shows; by donating to our Annual Appeal fund or to an individual production; or by buying an ad in a show’s program. Thank you so much for your support!

 

NCCT Summer Show FAQ

 

What is the NCCT Summer Show?

North Country Community Theatre (NCCT) launched its long tradition of putting on summer show in 1973 with The Music Man. Since then, NCCT has produced shows each summer that involve community members at every level. Our summer shows are chosen each year by members of the board and then produced, directed, and performed by members of our community. They are performed in mid-July at the Lebanon Opera House. From actors and backstage crew, to directors and choreographers, to those in the audience, NCCT provides an entertaining theater experience for the entire community.

What can I expect at summer show auditions? 

Auditions for our summer productions usually take place in late April or early May. NCCT uses an online registration system for audition sign-ups. Times and locations vary, with an option during registration to choose a time slot that works best for you; in the past, audition slots have been offered on a Friday afternoon and evening, and on the following Saturday morning and afternoon, with a possible call-back portion of the audition on either Saturday evening or Sunday.

At auditions, auditioners can expect sing a song and take part in a dance audition. For the vocal portion of the audition, auditioners are generally asked to prepare an excerpt from a song of their choice, which they sing for the production staff with a provided piano accompanist. For the dance portion of the audition, the choreographer will generally teach a short combination of choreographed steps, and the auditioner will practice, then perform the combination in small groups. Auditioners may or may not be asked to read scenes from the play or provide an example of spoken acting, but a monologue is generally not part of the initial audition.

Note: These are generalizations, and specific details of summer show auditions will vary from year to year based on what our production staff want to see. The specific dates for each summer production’s auditions are publicized well in advance, as are any other details about what production staff will ask of you in the audition; see the show-specific page here on our website, or sign up for our email newsletter to get all updates delivered right to your inbox.

What is the rehearsal schedule for the summer show?

Rehearsal schedules vary depending on the needs of the production, but in general, the following times and dates are a good guideline:

  • Tuesday and Thursday evenings, 6pm – 8pm or 9pm
  • Saturday afternoons, 12:30pm or 1:00pm – 5:00pm
  • Lebanon Opera House Load-In (moving sets/costumes/technical equipment into the theater for the show): generally all day Saturday, two weekends before opening night.
  • Tech & Dress Rehearsals: the two weeks between load-in and opening night, most evenings approximately 5pm – 10pm, and weekends approximately 12pm-6pm.
  • Show dates: The second and third weekends in July: 
    • First weekend: Friday 7pm, Saturday 7pm, Sunday 4pm
      • Depending on the show, there has been a second matinee (2pm) on this first Saturday as well.
    • Second weekend: Thursday 7pm, Friday 7pm, Saturday 7pm

Specific dates and details for rehearsals are sent to the casts for each show once the cast is complete. 

I want to get involved, but I’m not an actor. What can I do?

Every show needs many people working behind the scenes to create the magic seen on stage, and we are thrilled to have community members get involved backstage too. 

For those with particular areas of expertise, each production needs production staff who design and implement elements of the show. We seek the following stipended positions for each show: Director, Music Director, Choreographer, Production Manager, Stage Manager, Technical Director, Costumer, Set Designer, Lighting Designer, Props Master, Hair and Makeup Coordinator, and Orchestra Members. Visit our Production Job Descriptions page for specific requirements. To see a full list of positions still available, and for details on how to apply for these positions, see the individual show page.

Our need for other backstage help varies by show, but we may also be looking for people interested in any of the following volunteer positions: Props and Costume crews (help the Costumer or Props  Master create costumes and props before the show begins), Set Builders (build and/or paint set pieces with the Set Designer before the show starts), Backstage Crew (moving sets, managing props, helping with costume changes during shows), Hair and Makeup Crew (assist the coordinator doing hair and makeup for cast members), Follow Spot Operators (operate spotlights during the shows). If you are interested in any of these volunteer positions, contact the Production Manager for that show (usually listed on the show’s page) and they will let you know what help is needed – and thank you!

Are there fees or costs for involvement in the summer show? Is there compensation?

We provide some stipend funds for the hired production staff members who put together our productions. For a full list of positions still available, and for details on how to apply for these positions, see the individual show page. 

All other members of the production (actors, backstage crew, etc.) are volunteers who give their time and energy to make our summer shows possible.

As part of the production costs, actors are asked to provide a $25 materials fee in order to help fund key production costs such as script purchases, costumes, and rehearsal space rental. If this fee is a hardship, please contact the show’s Production Manager to have it waived. It is also possible that there may be other expenses incurred for personal items such as dance shoes, make-up, costume pieces (tights/socks), etc., but we try to limit individual expenses and can help if those additional costs become prohibitive. 

As a non-profit organization, we also ask our community for various donations – either monetary (Show Angel) or in-kind (candy for candy grams, food for concessions, etc.) to help underwrite some of the costs of the program, but those donations are completely voluntary.

Still have a question that we didn’t answer?

Contact us at [email protected], and will be happy to help.