La Crosse Community Theatre

Position: The Technical Director is responsible for all activities surrounding the artistic and technical requirements of productions and special events.

Reports To: Executive Director

Supervises: Contracted technical staff and production volunteers

Hours: Full-Time, flexible schedule, nights and weekends required.

OVERALL RESPONSIBILITY

The Technical Director and Resident Scenic Designer plans and manages the production of all scenery and properties. They support guest artists in producing work that is always professional in quality. Additionally, they assert themselves as a leader to foster a working environment that is artistically satisfying, professional, efficient, and safe. The Technical Director and Resident Scenic Designer attends and lends perspective and expertise at appropriate staff and production meetings, including technical and dress rehearsals. As a representative of the theatre, they build positive relationships with guest artists, volunteers, and patrons.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Attend concept and production meetings, reply to production staff inquiries, and facilitate communication between all members of the production team, volunteers, and management.
• Collaborate with show directors to have scenic designs developed and approved on schedule, vetted for budgets, feasibility, and safety, and translated into working drawings for construction.
• Prep for builds, schedule volunteers, and plan and order all needed materials and supplies.
• Supervise and coordinate set builds so that rehearsals can safely run on set as scheduled, and technical rehearsals can be fully productive.
• Ensure that a technical director is in attendance at every technical rehearsal and preview night.

SCENIC DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION: Design, build and paint sets using environmentally friendly materials whenever possible.

• Sets must be built and safe prior to the Sunday before opening (tech week).
• Sets must be painted, furnished, and dressed prior to final dress rehearsal during tech week.
• Sets must reflect high artistic quality with professional attention to detail.
• Must implement best practices for scenic rigging, including for overhead lifting.

PROPS & FURNITURE: Supervise and maintain properties storage and properties construction.

• Facilitate storage of properties, set pieces, furnishings, and equipment. Maintain all storage and working spaces in a neat and orderly fashion.
• Supervise volunteer props master for each production.

SET STRIKE: Plan and oversee all production strikes.

• Provide a detailed plan for strike to production team and volunteers.
• Supervise volunteer labor in an organized and polite manner.

BUDGET: Control costs for labor and materials to stay within approved budgets and provide timely reports of all expenditures to the appropriate staff members.

• Provide receipts with an expense explanation to the Finance Manager and Executive Director.
• Get approval from the Executive Director for cost overruns before making additional purchases.
• Assist with recommendations of technical budgets to the Executive Director prior to each season.

MAINTAIN EQUIPMENT, STOCK & PRODUCTION FACILITIES: Protect LCT’s and Weber Center’s investments in equipment and facilities.

• Maintain sets, props, furniture, and during the production run, perform any needed repairs before the next scheduled performance.
• Ensure a member of the staff is available for tech emergencies during production runs.
• In coordination with Weber Center, maintain theatre and shop equipment. Coordinate repairs and plan for replacements. Equipment expenses exceeding $200 must be pre-approved by the Executive Director.
• Set and retain high professional standards for cleanliness, efficiency, and safety of all production spaces, including shops, rehearsal halls, dressing rooms, backstage, and storage facilities.
• Maintain and operate a counter-weight fly system proficiently.

SUPERVISE & TRAIN VOLUNTEERS: Train and supervise construction tech volunteers including, but not limited to, carpenters, painters, props, backstage running crews, and strike crew.

RENTALS: Coordinate rental or lending of theatrical properties and sets to both individuals and other theatres. Arrange for a timely pick-up and return of these properties.

QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS/KNOWLEDGE/ABILITY

• Exhibit strong planning, organizational, people, communication, teaching, and general management skills. Must be a team player!
• Must be able to work independently as well as collaboratively and be able to work without immediate supervision.
• Skilled carpenter with knowledge of construction tools and techniques, basic engineering, and drafting.
• Proficient in reading and creating construction plans and/or scenic plans.
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to work well under pressure.
• Able to prioritize, be flexible and adaptable in a fast-paced creative environment.
• Supports the creative needs and ambitions of the theatre’s artists while keeping the work on schedule, within budget and on plan, with an interest in resourceful and conservative material use.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel) as well as computer-aided design software.
• Able to climb stairs and ladders, work in, on, and around heights, and lift and carry up to 100 pounds.

EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: Bachelor’s degree in Theatre with a Technical Direction, Scenic Design, or Theatrical Technical Emphasis. MFA preferred.

AVAILABLE: Position starts TBD. Start date is negotiable.

TO APPLY: Please send a cover letter and resume to:

Erik Vose

Executive Director

428 Front St. S

La Crosse, WI 54601

[email protected]

ABOUT LCT

La Crosse Community Theatre (LCT) has been the premiere community theatre in the Coulee Region since its inception in 1962. Now in our 58th season, LCT entertains thousands of patrons each year and produces nine productions from September through June. LCT also offers youth education classes at the theatre, including summer theatre camps. La Crosse Community Theatre is the primary resident of the ten-year-old, state-of-the-art Weber Center for the Performing Arts which sits nestled on the beautiful banks of the Mississippi River. The Weber Center contains a 450 seat proscenium theatre as well as a 100 seat black box theatre.

La Crosse Community Theatre is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

La Crosse Community Theatre