ISDA Meeting February 26th 2005
Venue DU Players
Present: Gillian Horgan (chair), Reps from UCD, UCC, TCD, Mary I, DIT, Queens
Apologies from Mary I for all previous absences

•	Eoin, UCD’s Technical Manager for ISDA festival 2005, talked to us about the technical arrangements for the festival; 
Everyone who wanted a slot got one. There are four venues, UCD Dramsoc, The Project Arts Centre Cube and Space Upstairs and Andrew’s Lane Studio.
There are four standard times set for shows during the festival; 11:30, 2:30, 6:15 & 8:15
this will make it easier for people to remember what time shows are on from day to day and also makes organising getting the judges around a lot easier.
There will be no shows or events on St Patrick’s Day, March 17th.
Eoin will have at least one helper-monkey at each venue to help out with get-ins, meet directors, try to fix problems, answer questions and queries, liase between venue and production, make sure that show goes up on time and generally do whatever helper-monkeys do.  They all have some technical experience.
We have to be out of some venues by a certain time so it is very important that we are all on time.
He will e-mail, fax, or ring us next week with get-in and get-out times.
Each venue has a certain amount of rig and specs have already been sent out to colleges. Productions are welcome to bring any of their own equipment but UCD cannot rent any on behalf of other societies. Each venue has a straightforward rig, mini-disc, cd player, speakers etc.
It is possible to view venues during the festival but if you want to see them before just contact the venue and it shouldn’t be a problem.
Set storage has been arranged out by the Old Phillips Factory near the Bellfield Campus. 
UCD have arranged transport for sets but do ask Dublin colleges to organise their own and keep their sets in their own colleges. Productions must be punctual regarding van runs.
All venues have dressing rooms.
Get-in length is estimated at approximately 8 hours but Eoin has to work out the logistics of this and he should know a full timetable by Wednesday. 
If any lighting designers or directors have any questions Eoin can be contacted by e-mail at tech@ucddramsoc.com or on 0876387900 or by calling the UCD Dramsoc office on 7168545.
Anyone with problems or questions or queries should contact Eoin ASAP!
A rough timetable was handed out for the festival;

Provisional timetable @ 25/02/05

Day
Venue        	 UCD		Cube		Space		Studio
Friday        	 UCD 2nd pref	
Saturday    	UCC 2nd pref
Sunday    			DIT 1st pref
Monday     	Queens 2nd 	UCD 1st pref	TCD 2nd pref	St Pats
Tuesday     	DCU 1st pref	UCC 1st pref	Queens 1st pre	Maynooth
Wednesday	UCD 4th pref	TCD 1st pref	MIDAS	DIT 2nd pref
Thursday	
Friday		NUIG 3rd pref	TCD 3rd pref	NUIG 1st pref	UCD 3rd pref
Saturday	TCD 4th pref	NUIG 2nd pref

•	Louise and Nick gave us a Festival update;
They are still working on judges but it is looking good, they are waiting to hear from Laurence Foster and Betty-Ann Norton. Hope to know by Wednesday.
UCD are giving 4000euro towards the festival but were not happy that each society is only paying 100euro per a show. They demanded that this amount be raised and Dramsoc got them to settle at 200euro per a show. The rise in cost has been put down to Dublin theatre rental being higher etc.
Registration will take place on the first Friday of the Festival and a representative from each college must attend. They must bring with them cast and crew lists for all of their participating productions, certificates for rights of all shows and a letter from each societies own college saying that they are covered by their colleges own insurance. If any of their shows are new writing they must have the name and student number of the playwright(s) and a letter from them authorising the show to be performed at the festival.
A flat rate for all shows has been set at e2 participants, e3 students and e5 for everyone else.
The opening night will be in UCD and it will be their production of The Woman in Black followed by a wine reception (YAY). They want to encourage as many people as possible to come.
The programme is almost ready to go to print and every page has been templated.
The awards ceremony has been organised for the Saturday evening at 8pm in the O’Reilly Hall in UCD. It is semi-formal, Gillian wants it to be fancy dress.

•	Societies may have to find their own accomadation for the Festival. Many have found it very difficult because of the Rugby and of Paddy’s Day.  Queens suggested people look at B&Bs near UCD.  

•	Details of the Fringe were sent out to colleges. The nights are not that specific, there will be a band night and a comedy night. Wednesday night has been organised as the big night out and will be in Major Toms, it has been called ‘Intermission’.

•	DIT asked if they could change their minds about which show they are sending to the festival as their own festival is on at the moment and they will not have decided on their best production of the year till Thursday. This led to a heated discussion about whether or not it was allowed by the constitution.  UCD wanted it to be noted that they had set a deadline and did not want to accept any changes in shows at this late stage. It was decided that this type of situation needs to be clarified within the constitution. A vote was taken and it was decided that once a show is submitted for the festival no changes may be made unless at the discretion of the executive.  Gillian will draft it and it will be voted on at the next meeting.

•	   This led on to another discussion about the Constitution. There is nothing in it about non-students performing in ISDA shows, eg  Keira Knightly acting in UCCs production of Blithe Spirit (it was decided she couldn’t so Gillian took over from her at the last minute).  But back at the meeting and reality it was decided that any registered members of a society, registered students or members in their year of grace may participate in a production in the ISDA Festival. ISDA participants may not be paid!!!  Gillian will draft something up about this which will be voted upon at the next meeting.

•	  Some societies have still not paid their e25 registration fee. Mike, our scary treasurer (you should have seen him in Doyles during the rugby, it was really scary) is going to hunt down/get in contact with St Pats, DCU and MIDAS about it. UL have agreed to pay. 

•	  Mary I said that they would get in contact with UL to discuss their relationship.  When the ISDA Festival is in Limerick they host it together, does this mean that they are both exec members or do they share exec status? They will discuss the matter among themselves and we will discuss slot allocation and voting for them at the next meeting when we know what the situation is.

•	  The website should hopefully be up and running soon.

•	  Should ISDA send its best production from the festival to some sort of bigger national or international festival? No, it’s not financially visable…according to Mike. DIT suggested the best production do a continued run or be entered into the Dublin Fringe Festival.  Mike’s panic was more than visable on his face.  It was decided that we should discuss a raise of the e25 registration fee at the next meeting. 

•	  Gillian is going to try to see everyones shows.  She also has an unhealthy obsession with dressing up and themed parties. (I didn’t realise how filthy that sounded till I’d typed it, ah well I’m leaving it in anyway hee hee hee) She also likes My Sharona which is a filthy song!

•	   It was agreed that the previous days writing forum had been a success but it was very poorly attended.  It was difficult for people outside of Dublin to take a whole weekday of college (this leads on to the debate as to whether or not Friday is a weekday or a weekend day…hmmm) It was suggested that in future such forums try to be organised for weekends.

•	   The date of the next meeting, which incidentally is the change-over meeting, has been set at Saturday April 9th 2005 in Cork at 3pm! It was suggested that we all arrive on Saturday, have the meeting, go to a party and head home on the Sunday!!! (But beware it may be one of Gillian’s themed parties)