Articles of Association (Adopted June 15, 1891)

We, the undersigned citizens of the United States, certify that we hereby associate ourselves as a corporation of the State of Indiana, under and in accordance with the provisions of the statutes of Indiana, in that behalf enacted, for the purpose stated below, which purpose is lawful and not for pecuniary profit.

The name by which the corporation shall be known in law is “The Dramatic Club.”

The location of this corporation is Marion County, in the state of Indiana.

III

The object for which this corporation is formed is to give dramatic performance for the entertainment of its members and their friends.

The directors of the corporation shall be ten (10) in number.

The names of the Directors selected for the management of the business and prudential concerns of this corporation for the first year of its existence are:

Mr. W. H. Talbott, Miss Mary Allen,Miss Elizabeth F. Dye, Miss Josephine Robinson,Mr. John A. Butler, Miss Louise Garrard,Mrs. W. W. Knight, Mr. William S. Kirk,Mr. Evans Woollen

Dramatic Club By-Laws

ARTICLE I

The total number of resident members shall be limited to five hundred fifty (550) persons with the following exceptions:

That the sons and daughters of members who are eligible according to the rules of election may be elected to membership in the club even though such elections may bring the total membership above 550 persons.

That up to four persons, other than children of members, who are eligible according to the rules of election, may be elected to membership in the Club in any one year, even though such elections may bring the total membership above 550 persons. For purposes of this paragraph, a person who is the spouse of a child of a member, but who is not the child of a member, shall be deemed to be the child of a member.

A person who is the child of a member and who marries a member shall become a member without election by the Board. A person who is a child of a non-member and who marries a member shall become a member without election by the Board and such membership shall continue after the marriage is ended by death or divorce, but it shall terminate in the event of a subsequent marriage to a non-member.

A child by a previous marriage of one whose own membership was acquired by marriage and not by election, if proposed for membership, shall be regarded by the Board as the child of a member only in cases justified by exceptional circumstances as determined by the Board.

No applications for membership other than those provided for by the two above exceptions can be considered by the board until the grand total of all resident members falls below the 550 limit, then and only then may the board consider the applications of eligible persons who are not sons or daughters of members and if they so desire, may fill the vacancies occurring on account of death, resignation, or change of status from resident to nonresident member then existing and bring the total up to 550, but not above that number.

Any person shall be eligible to election as a resident member whose residence is in Marion County, Indiana. In addition, persons whose business and social interests are in Indianapolis shall be eligible to election as resident members if they reside in any of the counties bordering on Marion County.Any person ceasing to have the status of a resident member as hereinabove defined shall be at once transferred to the nonresident list but upon reacquiring such status shall be restored to the list of resident members.

ARTICLE II

Names of candidates for membership shall be presented to the Corresponding Secretary in writing accompanied by the Club’s nomination form completed by the candidate’s sponsor, a member in good standing, and seconded by only ONE other member. No member shall sponsor or second more than one single person or one couple during one club year. Letters of support from any member may accompany any application. The secretary shall submit the same to the Board of Directors at any meeting thereof. No director or spouse of a director shall propose or second the name of any person for membership, nor shall any director pledge himself to vote for any candidate for membership.

An affirmative vote by secret ballot of a majority of all the members of the Board shall be necessary to an election of membership.

ARTICLE III

The Secretary shall notify all persons so elected, who shall qualify for membership by written acceptance, sent to the Secretary within one month after receiving such notification, and by the payment of dues for the current year.

ARTICLE IV

Membership may be terminated by resignation after the payment of accrued dues.

ARTICLE V

The officers of the Club shall consist of a President, President-Elect, Vice President, Corresponding Secretary, Recording Secretary, and Treasurer. The Board of Directors shall consist of thirteen members of whom six shall be said President, President-Elect, Vice President, Corresponding Secretary, Recording Secretary, and Treasurer.

ARTICLE VI

The President, President-Elect, Vice President, Corresponding Secretary, Recording Secretary, Treasurer, and Board of Directors shall be elected by a mail vote of the members conducted in advance of the annual meeting. The term of office for officers and directors shall be one year from the date of the annual meeting or until their successors are chosen, provided the five officers shall serve an additional term of one year as directors immediately.

At least 30 days before the annual meeting, the President shall appoint from the members a nominating committee of five who shall nominate one candidate each for President, President-Elect, Vice President, Corresponding Secretary, Recording Secretary, Treasurer and at least five candidates for directors. The Corresponding Secretary of the Club shall communicate the slate to the members at least 10 days before the annual meeting. The names of the other candidates may be inserted in the ballot. The results of the elections of officers will be announced at the annual meeting.

ARTICLE VII

Vacancies in the offices and Board of Directors, except by the expiration of their terms, shall be filled by the remaining members of the Board.

ARTICLE VIII

The President may appoint a non-voting assistant from the membership to assist the President.

ARTICLE IX

Regular performances by the Club shall be held at the times and places to be appointed by the Board. Each performance shall be in the charge of a performance committee. The Board shall appoint the chairperson of the committee, who in turn shall appoint the other members of the committee. The committee will be in charge of the play production. The director shall select the play with the approval of the Board.

ARTICLE X

Every resident member with less than fifteen years of membership shall be under the obligation to take part in a play or serve on a committee, at least once each three years if requested to do so. The Board may take whatever action it deems necessary with respect to a member who does not comply with this Article, including expulsion from membership.

ARTICLE XI

Members in good standing may attend all Club events. The Annual Meeting shall be open to all members without charge. For any Club event other than the Annual Meeting, the Board may set participation rules and fees for members and non-member guests.

ARTICLE XII

The annual dues of resident and non-resident members shall be determined by the Board of Directors. Such dues shall be payable on the annual renewal date set by the board. On failure to pay dues within 30 days of the renewal date, a notice to that effect shall be sent each delinquent Member by the Treasurer. Any member failing to pay his or her dues within thirty days after said notice, without reasonable excuse, shall again be notified by the Treasurer. If the dues are not paid within a week from the date of such second notice, the Board may cancel the member’s name and send such member an official notification thereof.

ARTICLE XIII

The annual meeting of the Club for the transaction of miscellaneous business and the reporting of the results of the election of officers and directors shall be held any time during the months of January through May, on such date as the Board of Directors may appoint. The President shall, at the request of the Board of Directors, or upon written request of ten members, call a special meeting of the Club.

Notice of the annual or of any special meeting shall be sent to every member. Ten percent of the resident members, present in person or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum at an annual or special meeting.

ARTICLE XIV

The Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws may be amended by any business meeting of the Club or by a mail vote of the members by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members voting: provided, that the proposed amendment shall have been communicated in writing to the members of the Club at least two weeks preceding such meeting. This provision for notice is not applicable if the amendment to the By-Laws is to be voted upon by mail.

ARTICLE XV

A Presentation of Daughters shall be held in the month of December of 1963 and each succeeding odd numbered year, provided that the board may, from time to time, vary the interval between Presentations from a minimum of one year to a maximum of three years. A Presentation Chairman shall be in charge of arrangements for the Presentation, subject to the control of the board, who shall be appointed by the then acting Vice President no later than the last day of February of the calendar year in which the Presentation is to be held.

Only daughters, who have graduated from high school and are from the ages of 17 to and including 22 of resident and non-resident members in good standing with the Club for two years preceding the Presentation, may be presented.

The board shall have the power to grant each daughter presented the free privilege of inviting two escorts, one of whom may be the son of a non-member, and her grandparents to the Presentation, without restriction as to residence. Sons of members participating in the Pre sentation shall also have the free privilege of inviting their grandparents to the Presentation, without restriction as to residence.Admission tickets for escorts and ushers shall be issued by the Vice President. Admission tickets for grandparents of daughters presented and children of members not participating as escorts or ushers shall be secured by making application to the Secretary in the manner prescribed in Article XI.

ARTICLE XVI

Members who have terminated their membership under Articles IV, X, or XII of the By-Laws may be reinstated upon application to the Board and upon payment of dues and a reinstatement fee to be determined by the Board. The reinstatement fee is not to exceed the cumulative dues the expired Member would have paid during the three years preceding reinstatement.

ARTICLE XVII

The Club Historian is appointed by the Board of Directors and shall be a non-voting member of the board.

(Includes bylaw changes approved by the membership July 2012)