Cleveland Public Theatre (CPT) is hiring a Technical Director, which is a core part of the CPT staff and will make a meaningful contribution to life at CPT and its success. CPT will be accepting applications for this position through Friday, July 16.

Technical Director Job Description

CPT is hiring a Technical Director (TD). This role requires leadership and initiative and reports to the Executive Artistic Director (EAD). This is a senior staff role participating in leading the theatre and supporting the EAD in strategy and decision-making.

The TD manages and implements all technical aspects of productions, except costumes, for CPT’s season, consisting of 6-11 full productions, 2-4 new work development series, 2 multi-site special events, and other artistic projects. CPT programs in two theatres, various onsite studios, and occasionally produces work offsite in nontraditional spaces. The TD will lead the rebuilding of this department and will work with the EAD and the artistic department to grow capacity. For the 2021/2022 Season, the TD oversees and works with CPT’s Technical Associate and a limited number of over-hire technicians to implement all sets, lighting, video, and sound installations. The TD is responsible for oversight of CPT’s scene shop and technical equipment. The TD is also offered opportunities to work as a designer. Candidates must have four years full-time technical theatre work (or equivalent as a freelancer) with excellent technical skills in the following areas:  sound technician, master electrician, and set construction. Expertise in some of the following skills is also a plus: sound design, lighting design/video design/implementation, and scenic design. The successful candidate will be collaborative, eager to learn new ways of working, service oriented, and highly self-motivated. Anticipated start date is Wednesday, September 1.

Salary range is $42k to $50k. Benefits include health insurance and paid time off. Anticipated start date is Wednesday, September 1, 2021.

CPT Staff Description

CPT cares passionately about reflecting our community and pursuing diversity at all levels of the organization. CPT has a demanding work environment with long, intense hours, but we have fun and love what we do. We value courage, integrity, representation, joy, respect, humanity, and challenging ourselves and each other to be our collective best. A majority of plays produced at CPT are by BIPOC artists. In the past three years, CPT has undertaken work to accelerate and formalize its growth to becoming a fully anti-racist organization, and that work is undertaken by all staff members in a variety of ways. For applicants considering relocation to Cleveland: our city is an excellent community to live in with top-notch arts and culture, a vibrant theatre scene, beautiful public parks, a great lake, and affordable housing.

Overall Responsibilities

• Implementation of Technical Aspects for Productions
  • Create working drawings for set construction
  • Build and install sets for productions
  • Hang, patch, and focus light plot for productions and series
  • Install sound plot for productions and series
  • Install and focus projectors as needed for productions and series

• Manage Scene Shop and Technical Equipment
  • Manage Full Time Technical Associate
  • Maintain scene shop to meet CPT standards of safety, organization, and cleanliness
  • Maintain, repair, and purchase technical equipment as needed

• Manage Production Calendar and Budgets
  • Evaluate designs for budget, both financial budget and time/capacity budget
  • Create, build, and install schedule for all productions
  • Create over-hire schedule/need for all productions
  • Work with designers to ensure final designs are submitted in a timely manner

• Manage Over-Hire Technicians (1 full-time technician beginning on or before 7/1/21)
  • Recruit and retain skilled over-hire technicians for occasional, short-term work
  • Supervise skilled and unskilled short-term technicians
  • Train and respond to technician questions

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate the following:

Skills

• Excellent project management skills
  • The ability to assess, prioritize, and drive multiple productions at the same time
• Strong communication skills
• Ability to collaborate and be a team player
• Ability to manage small, short-term teams
• Excellent technical skills in at least three of the following areas:
  • Sound design/sound technician
  • Lighting design/master electrician
  • Scenic design/set construction
  • Video design/video implementation
• Ability to lift and carry up to 50lbs
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office and Excel
• Working knowledge of VectorWorks, QLab, and other industry standard programs

Experience

• 4 years of full-time technical theatre work or equivalent as freelancer
• 3 years of experience in technical direction or equivalent
• Tracking and managing production budgets and expenses
• Some management experience
• A Bachelor’s degree is not required, but we are looking for someone with a strong theatre background and equivalent experience of such a degree

Qualities and Personality

• Attention to detail and accuracy while working on multiple projects and tasks
• Ability to work efficiently and calmly in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to re-prioritize tasks as they arise
• Collaborative, eager to learn new ways of working, service oriented, and highly self-motivated
• Inspired to learn from and with leadership and to support leadership’s ongoing growth and learning
• Highly organized and self-motivated
• Energetic, enthusiastic, and sees projects to completion

Review of candidates will begin immediately and will continue until position is filled. To apply for the position, send an email to Raymond Bobgan, Executive Artistic Director, at careers@cptonline.org, by end of day, July 16. Subject line should read: [LAST NAME], Technical Director. The email should include two attachments: a resume, and a two-page cover letter describing your history, passion, why you are interested in this position, and what you have to offer. Candidates may be asked to provide additional materials after original application. No phone calls, please.

CPT is a nationally recognized center for contemporary performance. Its mission is to raise consciousness and nurture compassion through groundbreaking theatre and life-changing education programs. CPT implements this mission through its annual theatrical season, featuring between 8-10 adventurous professional productions and a robust series of new play development programs that support writers and devisers at multiple points in the creative process. CPT’s acclaimed education programs engage communities in devising new works that speak to contemporary issues and empower participants to work for positive change in our community. CPT is home to resident community ensembles Teatro Público de Cleveland and Masrah Cleveland Al-Arabi, and CPT annually presents Station Hope, a large-scale community arts festival. CPT’s annual budget is around $1.8 million a year. CPT has 17 full-time staff members, and we are currently hiring 4 additional positions, for a total of 21 staff.