POSITION: Technical Director
POSITION TYPE: Full-time, exempt
DEPARTMENT: Production
REPORTS TO: Director of Production
POSITION SUMMARY: The Technical Director (TD) leads the Scenic Studio in achieving all duties associated with the production and installation of scenic elements for all shows and special events. This includes productions to be produced or presented on The Robert’s Mainstage, in the Mulitz-Gudelsky Lab Theatre, and the soon-to-be-completed Bernard Family Theatre. While a great deal of the Technical Director’s time and duties are office based, as the lead management position for the Scenic Studio, the Technical Director also provides essential leadership and guidance working with and through the Associate Technical Director, Scenic Foreperson, and Scenic Charge Artist to ensure overall Scenic Studio staff cohesion, efficiency, and professional growth.
Responsibilities:
- Work with the Director of Production to achieve production goals for each build and installation, and effectively communicate those goals to all members of the Scenic Studio team.
- Serve as the point of contact & institutional support to the Scenic Designer and/or Scenic Associates for each production;
- Maintain an up-to-date inventory, as well as accurate ground plans, to be shared with Scenic Designers and others, assisting in accurate design and planning.
- Provide proper vetting for all productions to ensure proposed scenic designs are within the budgetary goals set forward and to ensure the scope of the work fits within the schedule parameters as dictated by the production schedule.
- Review all plots and plans from Scenic Designers and other Design Team members to ensure a safe and successful execution.
- Draft Construction drawings in collaboration with the ATD for all scenic elements to be built by the scenic studio team members
- Providing oversight and mentorship directly and in collaboration with the ATD and Shop Foreperson for all scene shop staff, including over-hire labor and carpentry apprentices as contracted by the theatre
- Work cooperatively with the Associate Technical Director, Shop foreperson, and Scenic Charge Artist to achieve production timelines and to supervise load-ins.
- Work cooperatively with heads of other departments (Props Supervisor, Lighting Supervisor, etc.) to coordinate build, installation, and overall production timelines that affect both areas of production.
- Purchasing, renting, and borrowing equipment and materials necessary to execute scenic plans, which includes maintaining relationships with vendors and local institutions to best facilitate such activities.
- Attend all production meetings, technical rehearsals, dress rehearsals, and preview performances as requested;
- Coordinate with the Shop Foreperson to oversee shop tools, equipment, stock, and supplies;
- Maintaining all aspects of ongoing productions for the length of each show’s run;
- Work with the Director of Production on long-term projects and capital improvements.
In addition, the Technical Director will:
- Assist in developing the budget and build schedules;
- Serving as liaison for the Producer with outside suppliers and contractors for maintenance agreements, service contracts, and the purchase of supplies for each production.
- Tracking and reporting to the Director of Production on all set budget categories for all productions;
- Adhere to all safety guidelines as defined by the Director of Production and the Olney Theatre Safety Committee.
- In recognition of Olney Theatre Center as a teaching campus, the TD will assist in the education and mentoring of all apprentices, with a specific focus on Carpentry apprentices.
- Other Duties as Assigned
Knowledge
- Understands safe and efficient standards for engineering scenery from conceptual materials
- Proficient in Vectorworks and/or AutoCAD
- Comprehends the processes for using the CNC machine to fabricate components for scenic construction
- Industry rigging standards
- Knowledge of scenic automation, desired knowledge of the Creative Conors System
Required Experience and Education
- Required: Bachelor's or Master's in technical theatre or extensive commensurate experience for education (theatrical field a plus).
- Required: 8+ years in a leadership role in theatrical production.
- Required: Academic or non-academic training in construction, scene shop, and scenic installation practices
- Desired: 8+ years of experience with scenic construction, installation, and strike processes. Related team leadership overseeing complex theatrical productions will also be considered.
SALARY AND START DATE
The anticipated start date is as soon as possible, with an annual salary ranging from $58,000 to $72,000, depending on experience. Olney Theatre Center offers a complete benefits package, including a modest 403(b) match. Olney Theatre Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer and strongly encourages candidates from diverse backgrounds and experiences to apply. Please visit www.olneytheatre.org for more details.
ABOUT OLNEY THEATRE CENTER
Located ten miles north of Washington, DC in arts-rich Montgomery County, Maryland, Olney Theatre Center is one of the Washington region's most critically acclaimed large theater companies. Founded in 1938 as a summer stock company on the Straw Hat circuit, OTC is now an $8M/year professional regional theater offering nine-member productions annually in four spaces on its fourteen-acre campus. Legendary performers Tallulah Bankhead, Helen Hayes, Sir Ian McKellen, Tandy & Cronyn, and Olivia de Havilland trod the boards in the early days. With a more recent turn towards new work, creatives with Tony and Grammy Awards, OBIEs, and MacArthur Genius Grants have premiered their work here, like Norm Lewis, Moises Kaufman and Sergio Trujillo, among others. Along with Baltimore's Centerstage, Olney Theatre Center is one of Maryland's two state-designated theaters.
HOW TO APPLY
Please submit by any means that you would like (letter, video, video letter, resume, portfolio, etc.) that best represents you and your work to jobs@olneytheatre.org. No calls, please. Include and highlight any skills or experiences you think would be most crucial to this position. Depending on the volume of responses, we may only be able to respond to candidates we wish to interview.
