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Job Description / Duties

Join our team at Shakespeare in Saskatchewan as our Summer Technical Director! Dive into technology and bring theatre to life. The Technical Director will be responsible for taking directives and ensuring the production meets deliverables and deadlines. They will also assist in managing and costing department-wide budgets surrounding the festival. The Technical Director will be the first point of contact leading the installation of one of Canada’s most unique outdoor Shakespeare festivals.

We are seeking a driven individual who is highly skilled in theatre technical application surrounding the departments: Set Construction, Lighting, Sound, Arena Rigging, and more! Working alongside the Production Manager, the Technical Director’ role is to plan, coordinate, and facilitate the season’s technical needs. Of the production. The Technical Director will oversee the development, implementation and maintenance of technological company systems and processes, including troubleshooting any potential issues.

This is a seasonal summer contract, beginning June 7, 2024, and ending July 7, 2024. This position will include working closely with the Production Manager to accomplish the festival's needs, working a range of different duties throughout the season, in the departments mainly of Sound, Lighting, Rigging, and electronics. During the contract, you will be working 37.5 hours per week.

Qualifications / Required Skills

Qualifications

• A Diploma or Certificate in Technical Theatre Production from a recognized institution of higher learning or equivalent work experience
• A minimum of 4 years experience in Technical Theatre Management especially lighting/sound design and operation for live performances, and arena style rigging
• Available to work evenings and weekends;
• Experience in the setting and upholding of safety standards in all parts of the venue – from stages, backstage, audience and FOH
• An ability to work unsupervised while maintaining goals and an attention to detail;
• Experience working in a team-based collaborative environment with a positive attitude to deliver high-quality presentations. Ability to work with diplomacy and tact with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Valid Class G Ontario Driver's License,
• Proficient in the operation of heavy-duty machinery
• The ability to drive a large cargo van and a 5-ton transport truck (automatic transmission) is an asset;
• Proficient in operation, care and use of ETC desks (ion preferred)
• Proficient in lighting maintenance for conventional and moving fixtures (LED and halogen)
• Ability to draw technical plans & plots
• Working knowledge and experience with AutoCAD and/or Vectorworks
• Lighting design for exhibition spaces (preferred but not necessary)
• Previous experience in crew management
• Knowledge of audio design and operation (preferred but not necessary)
• Excellent customer service skills and experience in dealing with a diversified workplace
• Strong knowledge of Ontario Safety Guidelines for the Performing Arts industry
• Knowledge and understanding of Occupational Health & Safety Act as well as WHIMS
• Ability to work at heights

Additional Information

ABOUT YOU

The role of Technical Director is important in the learning process of our students and the season's success. To help their team achieve success, the Technical Director needs to:

TECHNICAL DIRECTION

Be responsible for lighting design and operation for internal and external functions & events

Ensure the working condition of all lighting, sound, and rigging equipment to ensure safe operation, timely repair work, and efficient replacement timing.

Determine the necessary technical requirements for specific productions or special events (within the auditorium and public spaces) in advance of production dates.

Work with the Exhibitions department to design and set up lighting for specific temporary and permanent exhibitions

Oversee A/V components throughout the theatre

Determine crew requirements for production install

Draft and negotiate the technical aspects of rental agreements for external clients

Any duties as assigned by the Production Manager

DELEGATION

Foster a team on collaboration, and communication. Mentoring this team throughout the festival installation to provide seasonal staff with an opportunity to learn more complex theatre practices.

Working alongside Production Manager to provide the FA team with clear instructions to complete a task assigned. This will occur throughout prep week, load-in, install, and tech rehearsals.

Ability to plan out a tech schedule and align workers into roles to accomplish the job most effectively

During installation to send out a daily report to upper management about what had happened during that call.

PHYSICAL LABOUR

Set up and take down of the festival site and theatre which can include erection of tents, hanging of signage, landscaping, installation of theatrical stage risers, setting up of theatrical seating, set up of backstage area, light construction, painting of theatrical sets, hanging and focusing lights and audio equipment and assisting carpenter and set designer in creating and assembling set.

Must be comfortable working on a ladder, possibly 20feet in the air,

Support the transportation of set

Enjoy working outdoors and able to work in inclement weather

Comfortability driving large vehicles

Comfortable with power tools and ability to lift 50lbs

THEATRE MAINTENANCE

Have an informational session with Production Manager and Venue Technician to discuss the possibilities of failure, and the protocol for repair. “Troubleshooting 101”

Be responsible for daily, weekly and monthly maintenance list for Venue Tech for carrying out repairs as necessary

Salary: 28$ per hour

Contact Information

Application Process

· Prepare a cover letter, highlighting your qualifications for the position, including how you would promote the values of SOTS within the role of the Technical Director.

· Email a single PDF file with your cover letter and resume to Production Manager Jonathan Cestnick at pm@shakespearesask.com.

· Please put in the email subject line: Your last name followed by 2024Festivalsearch. For example, Jones2024Festivalsearch

· Applicants are encouraged to apply by March 15, 2024 and will be reviewed on a rolling basis

Employer Profile

ABOUT US

Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan Festival (SOTS) is a vibrant part of the Saskatoon theatre community. Our festival has been a staple of summer in Saskatoon since 1985, attracting over 10,000 visitors annually. Each year, our audience joins us to enjoy dynamic interpretations of classic Shakespeare plays, as well as other works by local and Canadian artists all on the backdrop of the beautiful South Saskatchewan River and our brand-new festival site on the Meewasin Trail.

Our Purpose

We engage our community through professional and innovative productions that draw inspiration and energy from Shakespeare’s works and their legacy.

Our Guiding Values

These principles are accountabilities that guide our decision-making, our interactions with each other, and how we work with those we serve.

· Collaboration: Our commitment to listening and cooperating with each other and our community in the pursuit of shared goals. We actively contribute to our community and strive to be good neighbours.

· Innovation: Our commitment to challenging and improving the status quo with open minds that explore the merits of new ideas and perspectives. We engage in experimentation and are committed to continuous learning.

· Play: Our commitment to foster celebration and fun.

· Professionalism: Our commitment to fostering the traits that make our people and productions exceptional. Integrity and quality are fundamental to who we are and how we do things. Our commitment to employ and develop local theatre practitioners endures.

· Reconciliation, Equity & Inclusion: Our commitment to fairness and consideration of diverse peoples and perspectives to foster a sense of safety and belonging. We create work that strives to impact people from all backgrounds. We respect the need to make right with all our relations and recognize that we are all Treaty people.

· Stewardship: Our commitment to the careful and responsible management of all that is entrusted to our care.

SOTS strives for a welcoming and inclusive environment where each team member can have a voice and be heard. In the search for a Festival Assistant, we welcome the unique contributions that you can bring in terms of education, opinions, culture, ethnicity, race, sex, gender identity and expression, nation of origin, age, languages spoken, and beliefs. We encourage submissions from members of underrepresented groups, including Indigenous Peoples, people with disabilities, and visible minorities.