By Kaitlin Cough

Several months after Bryn Mawr’s newly refurbished Goodhart theater opened its doors, the Goodhart Steering Committee continues to draft a working policy document regarding student use of the space.

Amanda Darby ’10 and Naomi Hamermesh ’10 are the two SGA-appointed student members of the Goodhart Steering Committee. The rest of the committee is comprised from faculty from various areas of the college, including representatives from facilities, Mark Lord, Bryn Mawr’s theater director, and Dean of the College Karen Tidmarsh. They meet formally once a month and are drafting a document that outlines policies and procedures regarding student use of Goodhart, from cost to time reservation.

“We’re searching for a compromise,” Darby said.

The committee hopes to have a working draft of the proposal on President McAuliffe’s desk by December and proceed from there to work out any kinks.

“Whenever you have new policies, you have to see how they work in real time,” Darby said.

Both Hamermesh and Darby stressed the importance of acting as liaisons between faculty and students and taking the interests of both parties into consideration.

“We’re here as advocates for the students—oftentimes, students don’t consider the faculty’s point of view and vice versa, so we’re trying to make a policy that works for both groups,” Hamermesh said.

Performance space in the Bi-Co has always been in high demand, with students constantly seeking alternative locations for their productions, performing anywhere from the campus center to the dining halls. Thus the newly renovated theater, which provides professional quality lighting and sound, continues to be a hot commodity.

Early e-mails raised fears of a rate of $20 per hour for use of the space, which was regarded as quite steep, especially for those groups who don’t require full use of all technical equipment.

“Productions like Greasepaint and Shakespeare Performance Troupe obviously have very different technical needs,” said Darby, which is why guidelines regarding the space and equipment will vary. The idea is that student groups will work on a case-by-case basis with Rose Bochansky ‘99, technical director of the theater, to determine cost and contract details, rather than enforcing a set rate and rules for all productions.

While Bryn Mawr’s new collection of high-tech audiovisual equipment is a theater lover’s dream, it is also prohibitive in its sophistication, requiring a supervisor who can ensure proper equipment usage and aid students in making the most out of their productions. Bochansky is currently the only supervisor available, and the committee has said that it “isn’t currently feasible” to properly train students as supervisors due to the complexity of the equipment.

For those productions that require less equipment, one option may be a package deal of moveable lights and equipment that can be lent out to groups who may not require such a large performance space or desire to hold shows elsewhere.

“Everyone was very receptive," Darby said. "They’re really interested in bridging the gap between faculty and students.”

The committee plans on reaching out for community feedback as plans become more solidified through a student forum or online survey.

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