Theater Technical Director/Instructor and Production Coordinator

Colleges of Fenway, Inc. (COF) is seeking an individual to join the Center for Performing Arts as the COF Theater Technical Director/Instructor & Production Coordinator for the 2024-2025 academic year. The mission of the Colleges of the Fenway is to add value to student academic and social life while seeking innovative methods of investing in new services and containing the costs of higher education.

The Colleges of the Fenway Center for Performing Arts is a collaboration of faculty, staff, and students from the five member institutions; Emmanuel College, Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Simmons University, and Wentworth Institute of Technology. Its mission is to engage and support students and faculty in all areas of the performing arts and to provide resources and activities that further the arts as a method of expression, critical inquiry, and community engagement. It welcomes COF students, faculty, and staff of all abilities and experience. The COF Theater Technical Director reports to the COF Theater Ensemble Director and will work with students to create a fully staged theater production at the end of each semester and provide mentorship to student leaders working with them to produce a new play reading event of student generated work that will take place in the Spring Semester. 

Specific Responsibilities 

• Oversee all technical operations of one mainstage production each semester (Fall & Spring), including lighting, costumes, sound, set design, props, projections, etc.

• Teach weekly sessions with student designers and production crew on Tuesday evenings, and occasional Thursday evenings.

• Mentor and manage student designers and crew to meet production goals for each semester in a kind and supportive environment. Coordinates planning, load-in, tech, and strike with professional lighting designer.

• Oversee set building, and coordinate maintenance of equipment and supplies, ensuring smooth and safe technical aspects of production.

• Purchase and transport construction materials as needed for all technical aspects.

• Assist COF Theater Ensemble Director in planning weekly rehearsals, and coordinate communications with students and student leaders through weekly or daily call sheets, meetings, and other methods as needed.

• Coordinate and attend tech rehearsals, dress rehearsal, three performances, and strike for one mainstage performance each semester.

• Mentor student e-board, identify their interests and skills, delegate tasks to student leaders, and coach them to produce a new play reading event of student generated work that will take place in the Spring Semester.

• Submit expense receipts and reports in a timely fashion, ensuring expenditures are meeting budget targets each semester.

Knowledge and Skills

• Ability to create a welcoming, supportive, and collaborative environment for students with a wide range of abilities and experience in technical theater.

• Ability to use common power tools for set building and supervise students in a safety-first environment.

• Excellent administrative and communications skills to effectively collaborate with students, student leaders, and professional staff for a smooth and artistically rewarding production process.

• A deep knowledge of a variety of technical theater areas, and curiosity to continue to learn more.

• Having strong connections and relationships within the local Boston performing arts community is a plus.

Requirements:

• BA in theater or equivalent experience.

• At least 2 years' experience in a technical production role for live performance in professional and/or educational settings. Experience working with high school and/or college-age students is greatly preferred.

Contact:

• Brenda Huggins, Director of Performing Arts, [email protected]

The COF campuses are spread over 1 square mile in the middle of the Fenway neighborhood of Boston.  Performing Arts Instructors will teach classes on member campuses and adjacent performing arts facilities at least once a week; the successful candidate will need to be able to travel comfortably to, from, and among the campuses; move and/or carry equipment and supplies with loads up to 50 pounds to those events. 

Pay range - $3,500 to $4,000 per semester 
Schedule: 3 hours on Tuesday evenings, 2 hours on occasional Thursday evenings, weekly production meetings, plus tech week (evenings) and three performances Sept-Mid December (Fall), mid Jan-mid April (Spring). 

COF is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We respect and seek to empower each individual and support the diverse cultures, perspectives, skills and experiences within our staff and member institution. 

The deadline to apply is Sunday, August 4. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Thank you for your interest in joining our team! We look forward to reviewing your materials.