Illinois Shakespeare Festival 2026 – Scenic Crew
About The Position
The Illinois Shakespeare Festival is seeking applications for Scenic crew for its 2026 summer season, offering various positions including Scenic Installation and Changeover Supervisor, Scenic Carpenter/Crew, Scenic Charge Artist, and Scenic Artist/Crew. These roles involve scenic carpentry, metalworking, welding, fabrication, painting, and sculpting for three shows in repertory in an outdoor theatre. The Festival is a professional repertory theatre company that produces Shakespeare and contemporary plays every summer at the Ewing Cultural Center in Bloomington, Illinois. It hires professional Directors, Designers, Actors, and production personnel, and offers internships to students. The Festival sells an average of 10,000 tickets per year and is supported by Illinois State University and the Illinois Shakespeare Festival Society. Housing is available at a reduced cost. Applicants are encouraged to apply early and submit a resume, cover letter, and optionally, images of their work or a link to an online portfolio.
Requirements
- Ability to work well in a fast-paced environment
- Self-motivated
- Strong communication skills
- Authorization to work in the U.S. without ISU sponsorship
- All work under this appointment is required to be performed from within the State of Illinois
- Scenic carpentry, metalworking, welding, and crew supervisory skills and experience in a professional environment (Scenic Installation and Changeover Supervisor)
- Ability to read and understand complex construction drawings (Scenic Installation and Changeover Supervisor, Scenic Carpenter/Crew)
- Proven success at overseeing and motivating crews (Scenic Installation and Changeover Supervisor)
- Significant scenic fabrication experience, preferably in a professional environment (Scenic Carpenter/Crew)
- Significant scenic art experience using designer’s paint elevations, preferably in a professional environment (Scenic Charge Artist, Scenic Artist/Crew)
- Demonstrated painting and sculpting skills (Scenic Charge Artist, Scenic Artist/Crew)
- Excellent communication/leadership skills (Scenic Charge Artist, Scenic Artist/Crew)
Nice To Haves
- Experience with metal fabrication (Scenic Carpenter/Crew)
- Supervisory experience, preferably in a professional environment (Scenic Charge Artist)
Responsibilities
- Supervising crews changing over and maintaining the scenery after productions open (Scenic Installation and Changeover Supervisor)
- Overseeing and motivating crews (Scenic Installation and Changeover Supervisor)
- Working hands-on during fabricating and fitting scenery for three shows in rep in an outdoor theatre (Scenic Installation and Changeover Supervisor)
- Performing scenic fabrication (Scenic Carpenter/Crew)
- Transitioning to a deck crew and/or changeover crew when tech begins (for full season Scenic Carpenter/Crew and Scenic Artist/Crew hires)
- Using designer’s paint elevations (Scenic Charge Artist, Scenic Artist/Crew)
- Teaching/leading young scenic artists and interns (Scenic Charge Artist)
- Performing painting and sculpting (Scenic Charge Artist, Scenic Artist/Crew)
- Teaching interns (Scenic Artist/Crew)
Benefits
- Housing is available at a reduced cost
- Time away from work for eligible employees
- Option to participate in the University’s 403(b) Plan
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Part-time
Career Level
Mid Level
Education Level
No Education Listed
Number of Employees
501-1,000 employees
