Scene Shop Lead

Sacramento State•Sacramento, CA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

In collaboration with the Production Coordinator and Department Chair, the Technical Director is responsible for the general technical direction of all theatrical and dance productions, and the oversight of construction in the Theatre Department shop. As part of the Production Team (including Faculty Design Professor(s), Faculty or Staff Production Manager, Production Coordinator, Technical Director, and Chair) and in collaboration with the Faculty or Guest Director, this Technical Director participates in weekly production meetings to collaboratively plan and provide updates on the preparation and completion of settings, properties, and furnishings needed for each specified department production. The Technical Director provides coordination, lead work direction, design, scenic area budget management, and technical support for the department. The Technical Director is highly skilled in multiple areas of the stage and construction. The candidate coordinates complex and highly skilled production projects and provides overall technical and scene shop supervision/leadership. The candidate will work independently within provided production designs for the creative and technical direction of the collaborative goal/vision of the performance. This includes all applicable theatrical and production support and is related to a more complex level of project execution that involves more difficult designs and materials. The candidate must create and propose estimated budgets for individual productions within the season long budget. The candidate will participate with Production Manager and Coordinator, Chair and/or Vice Chair, and any other budget meeting members for the creation of the season production budget. The candidate must maintain their budget responsibilities for multiple projects concurrently. This position includes creating and constructing scenery properties, operating and maintaining stage equipment, inspecting, repairing, and performing regular maintenance on riggings and equipment to ensure safety standards. The position works with students and faculty to understand production goals, and provides training for the needs of rehearsals, the roles assigned for technical rehearsals and performances to assist students in technical aspects of production and backstage organization. The candidate will be responsible for the communication of rehearsal and performance report needs provided to them by the stage manager of individual productions. The candidate may be assigned to set up and conduct classroom demonstrations. The Technical Director is responsible for attending production meetings, providing updates and weekly plans of stage usage for production needs, determining, and coordinating the acquisition of supplies and materials, maintaining overall production schedules with technical needs and deadlines for 3-5 performance labs concurrently, maintaining the budgetary aspects of both theatre and dance productions, and facilitating open communications of production statuses. The Technical Director also provides lead work, training, and support of students in coursework, practicum, and employment within the Theatre and Dance Department and scene shop. They also oversee, maintain, repair, and improve department performance labs and area specific equipment.

Requirements

One to two years of experience working for a theater, repertory or stock company engaged in the applicable production specialty such as costume construction, stage and set construction, lighting production, and/or sound/audio production.
Commitment to maintaining a welcoming and inclusive work environment with diverse colleagues and constituents including faculty, students, staff, and members of the community.
Demonstrated history of and commitment to building and maintaining a respectful and professional work environment.
Substantial experience working with staff who work independently and in teams on complex production builds, with difficult designs and materials.
Strong interpersonal skills and ability to communicate well and work with individuals at all levels within the organization.
Demonstrated ability to provide training for stagecraft staff, assistants and crew members.
Demonstrated ability to independently develop and manage production projects.
Sophisticated knowledge of design theory and principles to be able to translate design specifications, blueprints or drawings into costume, scene, lighting or sound production and effects.
Substantial experience in: a. Several technical aspects of production support b. Addressing the methods and problems in multiple production specialties c. Managing and coordinating the use of multiple theatrical facilities
Practical knowledge of directing and stage management for management of performance lab needs in the staging of productions, including the demonstrated ability to: a. Assist in the creation of clear plans for the production crew members b. Manage performance needs including but not limited to grid assignments, movements, and settings c. Line assignments d. Set change assignments.
Comprehensive and detailed knowledge of the technical aspects of construction, implementation, and operation of staging materials and effects in several theatrical production specialties, including the ability to read, create, provide edits, and maintain current copies of drawings and plots for production.
Proven experience in creating and constructing props and scenery from the design phase through the final product.
Demonstrated ability to maintain stage equipment and monitor for repair, replacement, and safety inspection., including the coordination of repair, replacement, and safety inspection needs and assists with schedules.
Demonstrated ability to perform safety checks on stage rigging, maintain and stage equipment, and train others in safety protocols and procedures.
Comprehensive knowledge of safety measures and hazards related to theatrical productions.
Demonstrated ability to work with and instruct faculty on course, practicum, and production goals and procedures.
Demonstrated ability to support classroom instruction by performing classroom demonstrations related to stage and set construction.
Practical experience and specialized working knowledge of: a. Production equipment, including but not limited to all scene shop hand tools and power tools including skill saw, band saw, table saw, radial arm saw, power drill, pneumatic staple gun, cut awl, rivet gun, power lift, and motorized paint frame. b. Artist and drafting tools including computer, spray equipment (spray guns, spatter guns, airbrush, paint mixer) brushes, rollers, hot glue guns, and any prop construction equipment including scale rule, sculpting, and carving tools. c. Welding and welding equipment related to stage building and prop construction including metalworking and welding skills. d. Stage construction and design e. Carpentry and related equipment related to stage building and prop construction f. CAD drafting
Comprehensive knowledge of theatrical lighting, sound/audio equipment, video equipment and their respective implementations
Satisfactory completion of the background check process.

Nice To Haves

Thorough and specialized working knowledge of design theory and principles and how they are executed in various production specialties.
Relevant OSHA certification.
Experience with Theatre ADA Compliance.
BA Theatre Arts or Engineering or relevant area of comparable professional experience.
MFA in Technical Directing or equivalent professional experience.

Responsibilities

Provide coordination, lead work direction, design, scenic area budget management, and technical support for the department.
Coordinate complex and highly skilled production projects and provide overall technical and scene shop supervision/leadership.
Work independently within provided production designs for the creative and technical direction of the collaborative goal/vision of the performance.
Create and propose estimated budgets for individual productions within the season long budget.
Maintain budget responsibilities for multiple projects concurrently.
Create and construct scenery properties.
Operate and maintain stage equipment.
Inspect, repair, and perform regular maintenance on riggings and equipment to ensure safety standards.
Work with students and faculty to understand production goals, and provide training for the needs of rehearsals, the roles assigned for technical rehearsals and performances to assist students in technical aspects of production and backstage organization.
Be responsible for the communication of rehearsal and performance report needs provided to them by the stage manager of individual productions.
Attend production meetings, providing updates and weekly plans of stage usage for production needs.
Determine and coordinate the acquisition of supplies and materials.
Maintain overall production schedules with technical needs and deadlines for 3-5 performance labs concurrently.
Maintain the budgetary aspects of both theatre and dance productions.
Facilitate open communications of production statuses.
Provide lead work, training, and support of students in coursework, practicum, and employment within the Theatre and Dance Department and scene shop.
Oversee, maintain, repair, and improve department performance labs and area specific equipment.