Theatre Production Coordinator, University of Guelph

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Office, Clerical and Technical
Position covered by the Collective Agreement with USW Local 4120

Theatre Production Coordinator

School of English and Theatre Studies, College of Arts

Hiring #: 2022-0379

Please read the Application Instructions before applying

The School of English & Theatre Studies at the University of Guelph invites applications for a Theatre Production Coordinator. The Theatre Production Coordinator will work collaboratively with faculty directors, designers, and technical staff to oversee budgets, scheduling, and workflow for Theatre productions. They will teach and supervise skills instruction by mentoring all students in theatre workshop classes and departmental performances throughout the school year.

The School of English and Theatre Studies offers comprehensive and high-quality programs in English, Theatre, and Creative Writing. Among the 27 faculty in the School are renowned, award-winning scholars, writers, designers, and theatre practitioners with connections to the vibrant community of artists in the theatre within the Greater Toronto Area and throughout Southern Ontario. The Theatre Studies program at Guelph is a degree option within the B.A. Program and dedicated to the integrated study of both academic and practical applications of performance and theatre. Theatre Studies cultivates critical thinkers, theatre artists, and creative performance makers engaged with our media saturated world.

Our interdisciplinary curriculum, taught by leading academics and practitioners, synchronizes practical classes with critical and historical studies connecting performance to our everyday lives. Students explore a range of approaches balanced between performance and production including writing for performance, site-specific devising, scenography, acting, directing, historiography, puppetry, and digital performance creation. Collaborative thinking and artistic entrepreneurship culminate in a student-led ensemble production during their final year of the program. As the disciplines of performance and theatre evolve, our program welcomes new technologies, methods, styles, and languages to provide dynamic and unique educational experiences.

The successful candidate will be responsible for:

• acting as the primary communication hub for all production related inquires between all Theatre Studies faculty, staff, students, and the School Director.
• developing and coordinating yearly production schedules and budgets in consultation with the Theatre Studies Undergraduate Program Coordinator and the School Director.
• following an agile project management approach that is responsive, adaptive, and iterative to design challenges in order to establish production schedules, delegate tasks to staff and students, and monitor production work to ensure critical deadlines are met and on budget.
• coordinating marketing, publicity, and front of house management for all productions.
• chairing production and staff meetings.
• recruiting and supervising work study and practicum students.
• procuring production rights for all productions, ordering scripts, and attending first read-throughs.
• developing, updating, and implementing safety policies, procedures, and practices in line with health and safety guidelines set by the University of Guelph and ensuring that all on site work conditions (in coordination with collective agreements) meet, adhere, and maintain appropriate and safe environments for all Theatre Studies faculty, staff, and students.
• managing the use of all theatre studios, booking rehearsal spaces for students, providing production support to instructors teaching in studio spaces, and working with other areas of SETS to ensure shared spaces are scheduled and maintained appropriately.
• managing costumes, props, media, sound, and lighting equipment for maintenance and repairs by keeping an updated inventory database with location and availability.
• ensuring necessary supplies for theatre classes and activities are ordered in coordination with faculty and other School staff and understanding all our theatre performance spaces are primarily used as teaching environments.
• co-teaching with any faculty member assigned to THST 2190: Theatre Workshop II and THST 4280: Ensemble Project in the winter semester to develop both courses and provide technical and design instruction as well as evaluate/grade student final projects while overseeing all student skills building laboratory work.

The Theatre Production Coordinator will follow all institutional and School policies around health and safety, ensuring that teaching, rehearsal, and workspaces are safe, and will be committed to creating a respectful workplace and promoting student wellness. SETS cherishes and affirms its commitment to inclusive practices throughout Theatre Studies courses and productions, which means all language, actions, and interactions must understand and respect the many levels of lived experiences within our students and throughout our communities; the Production Coordinator must be a leader in inclusive production practices. They will be responsive to student and program needs as they evolve by remaining flexible and positive when and if theatre production circumstances change in the future.

Requirements for this position include:

• Minimum undergraduate degree B.A. or B.F.A. in Theatre with a focus on Production Management and/or Technical Theatre. M.A. or M.F.A. preferred.
• Minimum of five (5) years’ professional theatre experience in production management with some stage management experience.
• Prior experience developing and teaching university or college theatre production courses in a sessional or contract lecturing position.
• Relevant work experience in theatre production in a post-secondary environment that includes interdisciplinary and digital performance.
• Experience mentoring students, apprentices, and/or emerging artists.
• Thorough knowledge of all aspects of theatre production including stage management, design, construction, rehearsal, budgeting, marketing, and administration.
• Significant experience managing simultaneous projects with tight timelines and budgets.
• Demonstrated ability to adapt production schedules for a range of performance processes and/or styles, as well as capable of adapting to changing circumstances.
• Thorough knowledge of current best practices and workplace safety standards related to stage and production management, including all industry labour agreements and standards (CTA, ITA, IATSE, Equity, etc.)
• Results oriented and pro-active, with the ability to multi-task, prioritize and work independently.
• Highly developed interpersonal skills, including the ability to influence others to gain consensus.
• Ability to inspire and foster innovation, collaboration, transparency, and teamwork.
• Computer proficiency with project management and team communication software including Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Suite, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Slack, and other communication or efficiency software.
• Experience creating of promotional materials including posters, programs, and ticketing for events including web site development and maintenance.
• Outstanding interpersonal communication and leadership skills, including the ability to solve problems in a creative and collaborative manner; to resolve interpersonal conflicts; to work with cultural and social sensitivity in a diverse and intersectional environment, to lead diverse teams of artists, faculty, staff, and students; to promote excellent working relationships between members of the School and the College.

Preferred Skills for this position include:

• Experience managing projects in non-traditional venues will be considered an asset.
• Proficiency in computer assisted drafting and media software including Millumin, Vectorworks, and Q Lab. Knowledge of video and audio editing software will be considered an asset.
• Knowledge of live-streaming software for theatrical performance broadcasting including OBS and Twitch will be considered an asset.
• Experience managing production budgets and purchasing. Experience with financial reporting to granting agencies will be considered an asset.

Position Number         269-080

Classification               USW, Local 4120 Salary Band 6*
Salary Range              $28.00 Minimum
$31.29 Normal Hiring Limit
$37.88 Job Rate
*Tentative evaluation; subject to final review.

At the University of Guelph, fostering a culture of inclusion is an institutional imperative. The University invites and encourages applications from all qualified individuals, including from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in employment, who may contribute to further diversification of our Institution.

Posting Date: 2022 06 09
Closing Date: 2022 06 16