Basics
Access
Anyone on ensemble@mit.edu can access the locker. From any Athena Cluster, simply type attach ensemble into the terminal and then access the locker by going to System > Places > Home > mit > Ensemble. Within this folder, the www folder contains all information relevant to the website.
Editing
To edit a file, you should right click on it and open it with a text editor. Please only edit the files in a text editor. Using Dreamweaver will create unreadable html code. All the pages on the website use Sever-Side Includes (SSI).
Term Shows
Show Pages
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Auditions
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Ticketing
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Webmaster updates the web page. At the beginning of each term the webmaster must add new darts to the website, and shift new full members to the full members site. Bios should be updated/created for each member based on their last terms activities if members refuse to email you. For the web page, there is always more to be done. Minutes should be updated and taken from the Secretary's email. Get and compile new bios for apprentices and members. If you want, it works to just tell members how to access the BIOS files. Put the Contact Sheet online every term. The ensemble list owns the ensemble locker. The webmaster should work with the stage manager to set up a Callboard site for the show. If needed, the webmaster should provide help and advice to the Stage Manager on how to maintain the callboard and implement any new features the SM might require.It is imperative for the Webmaster to be somewhat Athena-savy. HTML and PERL are good things to know, too. The job of Webmaster is to update, expand, and generally jazz up the Shakespeare Ensemble web page. Some possibile additions are adding new links, features, graphics, interfaces, and enlarging and maintaining our archive of pictures, sounds, or whatever from past shows. At the beginning of the term, put the past show in the Past Productions area, if this hasn't been done already, and put up a short blurb about the upcoming show in "Our Current Show". It's also helpful to put this on the main page under the "what's new" heading. Send out email to the ensemble telling them to check their current bios on the webpage and to send you updates. Update the bios, or create them for people who don't have them. Email the darts with a bio format and tell them to fill it out and send it back to you. Put up an apprentice bio page, linked to the members and alums bio page. It would be nice to organize with the social chair some kind of party where you could photograph the current members to put pictures on their bio pages. BUG PEOPLE ABOUT SENDING THE BIOS BACK. People are notoriously slow at doing this, so keep sending out email, zephyring/bugging people in person, etc. Also ask people if they've run into any cool Shakespeare/theater web pages, and tell them to send you the URLs, so you can put them on the appropriate pages. One important thing to do is to get the list of term and run-time jobs up as soon as possible. Link this list to the descriptions in the ensemble jobs guide, so people don't have any excuse for not knowing what they are supposed to be doing/how to do it.
A page should be created for EACH show (though not necessarily as spiffy a page for Scene Night) and there should be a link to the current show from the main page. The show webpages should be kept visually appealing, creative, and simple to navigate. Two to three weeks before put-in is a good time for the show page to go up. Good things to put on it include:
A graphic of the show, it is nice if this is the same graphic that goes on the poster, but make do if the poster's not ready yet. Dates, time, place, etc. links to make reservations Director's note (and dramaturg's note, if available) Cast/crew listings, with links to their Bios Link to the text of the play Link to reviews and articles about the current show when available Photos/movies/sound clips when available Anything else you can think of that would be interesting
Look at the archive of past productions to get some ideas, but don't be afraid to change the format :) Also, a good way to help out publicity is to request a spotlight on the MIT homepage. Go to the Spotlight Request page and fill out the form and send it in. If you have to pick one day for the spotlight, pick opening night. If you do not get confirmation from them about it after a couple days, email again. Of course, the show webpage has to be at least mostly done by the time you request the spotlight, because they'll look at it, and you want a decent looking page. Another way to be helpful to publicity is to make up an email announcement. Do this the week before Box Office starts selling tickets in Lobby 10 (or wherever). Making those fancy text things for the title is a good way to get people's attention. I've used a web figlet in the past. Play around and see what looks nice/legible. Also put in the email the show dates, times, and location. Put the name of the director, the cost of the tickets, and mention that we will be selling tickets in place X (usually Lobby 10) on [insert correct dates here]. ALSO put in the URL of your lovely webpage. It's also nice to put in some simple ASCII art, and I've gotten a nice rat/shrew from this ASCII art archive in the past. Of course, don't be afraid to do websearches for other figlets and ascii art. Send it to publicity when you are done, so they can double check it and send it out. If the constitution gets amended, ask to be sent copies of the amendment and change the constitution online.
Possible things to do in the future include changing the ways for our fans to communicate with us (the opinion and request forms). Also add some way for them to be put on town-crier or some theater mailing list.