Technical Director
Bates CollegeAbout the role
Title: Technical Director
Position Purpose:
Provide technical support for Theater & Dance productions and student thesis projects/productions (non-academic, written thesis) in Schaeffer Theatre, Gannett Theater, Martin Andrucki Black Box Theatre, Marcy Plavin Dance Studio, and site-specific spaces on campus. Act as the departmental liaison to the Bates Dance Festival on campus. Collaborate with Theater & Dance faculty and staff to achieve departmental mission and goals.
Job Duties:
- Under the supervision of the faculty Production Manager, hire, supervise, and train students and work study employees with varying skill levels in the scene shop and various storage spaces.
- Provide technical direction for faculty and student productions space management.
- Advise on capital purchases, budget management and monitoring.
- Create construction drawings from design elevations; oversee construction of scenery and stage props; oversee hang and focus of lighting instruments; maintain shop equipment and purchase supplies.
- Teach safe technical theater skills with effective practices to students working in theater spaces and shops. Work with students and colleagues in the shops to ensure safe and timely completion of scenic and lighting needs.
- Coordinate with the production team to ensure safe and efficient technical rehearsals and maintenance of department equipment and facilities.
- Ensure that all design and technical work is done in a safe manner. Adhering to department rules and good practices for production work, and that all fire and injury prevention regulations are followed.
- Maintain safe standards and a clean environment.
- Oversee all the Department’s theatrical spaces, including 3 theaters, 2 dance studios and their lobby area, multiple storage facilities on and off campus, 4 dressing rooms, backstage spaces, a lounge, and classrooms. The list below outlines examples of the type of essential work that occurs around the production schedule/calendar.
- Handle general repairs and tool maintenance, deep cleaning, dismantling and recycling, upgrades, and safety inspections. Organize and maintain the hardware section, paint area, hand and power tools, lumber racks, cleaning tools and supplies, and hazardous materials. Purchase and restock commonly used supplies.
- Manage all types of equipment including, lighting, audio, visual, rigging and hardware, as well as software and technology.
- Meet with production team members to discuss ongoing plans and requirements for the upcoming season.
- Train and develop on AutoCAD, Vectorworks, Qlab, EOS, Isadora, Audio Visual programs, and Networking.
- Act as departmental liaison for the Bates Dance Festival (BDF), resource for theater inventory and systems, and an important connection to the larger Bates community, local vendors and professionals. Attend meetings throughout the year to help provide consistency and support before the arrival of BDF summer staff.
- Maintain an inventory of all equipment and systems as well as a detailed description of the various spaces and specifications. As we upgrade, make changes to our stock, and purchase additional equipment, these changes need to be recorded, updated and organized into a shareable format. Inventory of, but limited to: lighting and digital media, scene shop equipment, sound/audio equipment, soft goods, marley, risers and chairs.
- Schedule includes nights and weekends around technical rehearsals and performances.
Minimum Qualifications:
Education
-
B.A. or B.F.A in technical theater production and three years professional experience OR commensurate professional work experience.
Experience
- Experience supervising students.
- Experience in managing schedules, personnel, and budgets.
- Knowledge of standard theatrical production practices including scenic carpentry, electrical work, rigging, sewing, and painting..
- Requires strong artistic, technical, administrative, and organizational skills, the ability to coordinate and prioritize multiple projects, and communicate effectively with a wide range of persons.
- Experience in sound engineering and control; familiarity with video equipment and control.
- Experience in equipment and facility maintenance.
- Experience with theater-specific software such as Vectorworks, AutoCad, Qlab, Microsoft Office, Google suite, Adobe software.
Skills and Knowledge
- Commitment to equity and inclusion, and serving the needs of a culturally and educationally diverse community.
- In-depth knowledge of tech
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