POSITION: Production Design Coordinator: Fall Festival of Shakespeare
POSTED: April 15, 2025
TERM: Seasonal, September 30 -– November 24, 2025
SUPERVISOR: Education Programs Administrator Meg Marchione, Production Manager Erika Johnson
SCHEDULE: Full-time, evenings and weekends required
SALARY: $702/week plus local housing or $742/week
About the Organization
Position Summary
The Shakespeare & Company Education and Production Departments seek qualified, experienced, and imaginative individuals to serve as Production Design Coordinators (PDCs) for the Fall Festival of Shakespeare. Reporting to the Shakespeare & Company Production Manager as well as the Education administrative team, Production Designers are responsible for working with the Directing team and students to design and construct the set for two Fall Festival shows, traveling between their two assigned local-area high schools. The Production Design Coordinator is responsible for the scenery, and props for their two schools, and helps the other PDCs with their own two schools. Most of the scenic and props construction is done with materials already in Shakespeare & Company’s vast stock of scenery and props. The Production Design Coordinator also works with the students to design the lights for each of their school’s shows during the school tech week, using the existing equipment and setup at the school, handling any needed adjustments and maintenance needed for the show to go on.
There are 5 Production Design Coordinators between 10 schools. The PDC works on a team at each of their assigned schools that consists of 2 Directors, 1 Costume Design Coordinator, and various school Faculty and Staff members. During the culmination of the Fall Festival at Shakespeare & Company, the PDC’s responsibilities expand as the become integral to setting up the theater to load in/out 10 shows for tech and performances over the course of 1 week, which are all attended by every other school and filmed by a local broadcasting company.
The ideal candidate should have experience working as a theater technician, and experience or a strong interest in working as an educator. Good communication skills and the ability to collaborate with both coworkers and students is required. The Fall Festival design process involves meeting the needs of the students and show before bringing the Production Design Coordinator’s own artistic vision to the production, all with a very limited budget. The candidate must also be a team player with a strong anti-discrimination commitment, and be a strategic, flexible, and curious thinker.
Roles & Responsibilities
- Participate in Director Training that examines the Shakespeare & Company Education Program ethic and aesthetic, and the daily functioning of The Fall Festival of Shakespeare;
- Expand on and further develop these methods using personal experience, skills, passion, and areas of expertise;
- Direct a group of students in a 90-minute Shakespeare play at one of ten high schools in Massachusetts or New York, in collaboration with a directing partner and design team;
- Attendance and participation in weekly Director Meetings and Production/Design meetings;
- Attendance and participation in teaching Common Classes, involving the greater Fall Festival Community;
- Creation of materials needed for the production of a student show (weekly rehearsal schedules, a cut script, clear rehearsal guidelines, and communication between the school, Shakespeare & Company, and the parents and guardians, etc.);
- Support the work of the Festival at large, which includes Set Builds and Common Classes, and extraordinary support during the week of the Festival (November 16-23). During this week, all Directors are expected to be available at Shakespeare & Company full-time to assist in the preparations for and production of the Fall Festival of Shakespeare, which may include some assistance at other schools’ rehearsals, loading in scenic elements, costume maintenance and put-away, theatre setup and cleanup, help with house management or concessions, and other general assistance;
- Contribute to end-of-project program evaluation;
- Successful completion of a Criminal Offense Record Information check (CORI) before employment term (at Company expense).
Experience, Knowledge, Skills & Characteristics Sought
- Experience in scenic and props construction, working in a set or props shop, knowledge of the required tools/safety measures required to complete a set build
- Basic lighting hang/focus and light board programming skills
- Basic audio knowledge, i.e. – how to get sound from a laptop to a mixing board, turning on a sound board and making sure speakers are working
- An interest in education and working with students
- Experience working with students or a background in education a plus!
- Strong interpersonal and leadership skilled; a positive attitude and energy, and an empathetic and collaborative leadership style. This includes the ability to work collaboratively with your directing team, fellow designers, and the entire Festival staff
- A commitment to values of anti-racism and anti-oppression, and the ability to cultivate a supportive and inclusive environment that prioritizes the safety and dignity of students and colleagues of all races, abilities, ethnicities, classes, orientations, and gender identities
- Experience in organizing, working, and communication effectively with groups of individuals from diverse backgrounds, identities, abilities, and experiences
- Strong organizational, project managements, and communication skills
- Completion of a COVID-19 vaccine regimen and booster, if eligible, before employment term, and willingness to test as per Company safety guidelines (at Company expense)
- Flexibility, a sense of humor and grace in potentially stressful situations with adults and students alike
