Interested in a job in Stage Management? Each Year Crane Creations Theatre Company hires a Stage Manager as part of its Summer Ensemble Program.
The Summer Ensemble is an 8 week training program for theatre artists. In this paid working opportunity artists learn skills required to be a professional artist in Canada, and gain valuable insights into the theatre industry in Canada and abroad. To apply artists must be between 18 and 29 years of age. Learn More About the Summer Ensemble.
What is a Stage Manager?
A Stage Manager supports, co-ordinates and organizes all the different teams involved in the day-to-day running of a theatre production from before rehearsals begin right through to performances and then post-show. They ensure the smooth running of a production from beginning to end. A Stage Manager is a Director’s right hand.
What does a Stage Manager Do?
- Create and set up rehearsal schedules
- Manage set and props
- Create a prompt script compiled with notes on Actors’ cues and requirements for props, lighting and sound
- Make alterations to the set and props between scene changes
- Cue the lighting and Sound Technicians
- Create a risk assessment to ensure the safety of the full company
- Manage the backstage and onstage area during performances
- Call Actors for rehearsals and performances
- If the company is unionized, act as a union representative
- Act as a go-between with venue staff and front of house
Why Stage Managers Matter
Working in theatre is a collaborative process, meaning there are a lot of working parts and people to manage. Stage Managers make this often chaotic process run smoothly and efficiently. They are the people who are the first to arrive and last to leave, and are the most trusted and reliable members of a team.
What Can You Expect to Gain in the Summer Ensemble?
- Artistic Skills: Explore classical and contemporary text, improvisation, theatre around the world and their relevance and impact on arts jobs and society today.
- Orientation in Arts Jobs: Honest insight into professional organizations, structures and systems in place and how to navigate them successfully
- Financial Skills: Budgeting and financial literacy delivered in a comprehensible and easy to understand way, tailored for theatre artists’ needs.
- Leadership: Debate complex questions and develop ideas and strategies how to build not only your career but theatre ecosystem in Canada and Internationally.
- Touring in the Arts: Discover how artists around the world use international touring as a source of income, and learn how to create shows that can allow you to participate in that market.
- Digital Skills: Discover how blog/content writing can earn you additional income, promote your work, while mastering WordPress, one of the most desired skills in todays job market.
What will You be Expected to Do?
- Co-ordinate the work of the director and actors by preparing weekly and daily schedules in order to ensure efficient and smooth workflow of production and rehearsals.
- Email daily schedules to the team members.
- Prepare rehearsal room by organizing the furniture as required for the rehearsal process or taping the floor as required to indicate the set elements.
- Maintain clean surfaces for any floor work.
- Source and set up props and costumes used in rehearsal.
- Keep a small budget for props and stage managers toolbox.
- Keep track of script changes.
- Feed actors lines when called for.
- Take notes of actors positions and movement during in the staging play.
- Assemble and keep a detailed prompt book containing technical cues and all essential information needed to ensure the show runs as directed by the director of the production.
- Keep notes sessions with actors after performances.
- Call the technical cues as required.
- Operate technical equipment such as sound or lighting board as required.
How To Apply: Application Steps and Guidelines.
- Application: Fill out our easy to use online application form. After submitting your form, our team will review your application. You will receive an email notifying you, whether you have received an interview and can proceed onto the next steps. Please remember that this program is highly competitive, and unfortunately we are not able to audition/interview all applicants. Successful applicants will receive an email providing information on how to complete Steps 2 – 6. (Online applications open approximately one month prior to the beginning of the program).
- Questionnaire: Complete our skills and knowledge form.
- Register for Workshop : Register for an online Zoom Industry Exploration Workshop
- Availability: If you are selected for an interview, schedule your interview online.
- Workshop: Participate in our online industry exploration workshop and get an understanding of what topics we will explore in Summer Ensemble.
- Interview 1: Meet the team and answer some questions to see if you are a good fit for the program this year.
- Interview 2: Successful Applicants will be selected for a 60 minutes long group interview.
- HR Interview: A Human Resources regular job style interview.
- Receive Results
Guidelines
To be eligible all successful candidates must
- Be available to work online and in person at our studio located at 2359 Royal Windsor Drive Unit 210, Mississauga, ON Canada.
- Be available for all dates and hours stated in contract.
- Be a Canadian Citizen, have a PR, or refugee status.
What we value
Inclusion
Passionate and committed to reflect the population of Canada as much as possible we want to see its reflection in arts jobs. We don’t type cast. Submitting your headshot is not mandatory, we do not want to judge you by your looks. We want to solely look at your education and experience.
Actors are invited to sit in on auditions. It’s the best way to learn how to improve by seeing the audition process from the other side. If you would like to sit on our audition panel, pease apply here.
Transparency
We are happy to share statistics like: how many applications we received, people auditioned and got hired. All candidates have transparent insight into our selection process, in order to prepare well and understand the odds of getting hired.
Your privacy is respected at all times by never sharing your name or personal information; all information shared is for statistical purposes only to help us improve inclusivity and representation.
Support
We try to provide as much information about how we work and how to succeed in getting hired. Check out our professional development opportunities, read 10 tips for getting hired, and for fun, take our quiz about the theatre world!
After the program is done we do our best to stay in touch with you, and help you build your career. Do invite us to shows and tag us on social media when you have good news to share.
