CLOSED - Callout: Assistant Director
PLEASE NOTE - THIS POSITION HAS NOW BEEN FILLED. Thank you to everyone who applied!
We’re looking to hire an early career director who hasn’t yet had paid directing work, (which we’re defining as being contracted or employed in any directing capacity) as Assistant Director for our new production WELCOME HOME, which will open at Soho Theatre in January 2023.
We’re looking for applicants who have directed up to five nights of their own work but haven’t yet had paid assistant work on a three week run. You don’t have to have assisted before. As a Queer & Neurodivergent-led company, and as part of the funding for the project, we are committed to hiring an intersectional early-career Queer director as an Assistant to open up opportunities in the arts for Queer artists. Therefore, we are inviting early-career Queer directors of any gender who also intersect with global majority/ working class / disabled identities.
Welcome Home is a Queer epic examining growing up in a church community whilst queer. Starring Willy, Welcome Home brings nuance to the discussion around sexuality and religious shame, situated in the escapism of a kitsch and camp sci-fi aesthetic. It’s about undoing anger, fighting for allyship and the nuance of change. Also Robbie Williams’ bum.
You will be assisting Zach James, whose credits include work for the National Theatre, Jackson’s Lane, The Young Vic, and The Royal Opera House, as well as reading for the Michael Grandage Company, the Verity Bargate Award, and Vault Festival.
Project dates:
Rehearsals (in London): W/C 12th December (hours 10am-4.30pm)
Break 19th Dec - 8th Jan
Rehearsals (in London): W/C 9th Jan - 20th Jan (hours 10am-4.30pm)
TBC Fit up: 22nd Jan
Tech: 23-25th Jan
Preview 1: 25th Jan
Press: 27th Jan
Fee:
£2,000 (£500/week)
Job Description/duties:
- to meaningfully contribute to the direction of the show by bringing your own ideas, giving notes, and discussing options. (You’ll have dedicated time throughout rehearsals to talk through your thoughts and notes with director Zach and will have the opportunity to give those notes to the performers and wider creative team)
- to focus on the logic and reasoning behind the staging, helping to create a cohesive production in which the references have consistent meaning. (Imagine a character is represented by a prop. Different prop choices might imply different things about that character. If we use a teddy bear to represent someone, what are we saying about them, and how can we refer to that character throughout the show with our choices in staging and performance?)
- to support the process of ensuring the narrative is clearly communicated. (We’ve been making this show for years, so an outside eye might be able to notice things we can’t. You’ll be able to tell us how the story is coming across and what needs to be clearer, suggesting ways to solve any problems you can see)
- to support the director with any administrative, logistical or practical responsibilities (we might ask you to put the kettle on every now and then but most of your work will be creative)
- to be involved in broader creative discussions about design, music, lighting, sound, and videography from a director’s perspective
Person Specification:
- we’re looking to hire an early career creative who hasn’t yet had paid directing work. (We’re defining ‘paid directing work’ as being contracted or employed in any directing capacity. If you’ve directed something and made money from the ticket sales, we’d still love to hear from you.)
- we’ll value applications from people who can evidence a dedication to directing theatre (for example having directed theatre productions at school, college, university, amateur societies, scratch nights, or any other unpaid or non-professional contexts.)
- we’re looking for someone who values and is excited by a collaborative creative process
- you’ll need the ability to communicate specifically and offer solutions.
- we’re looking for someone proactive who is actively working to further their creative practice.
- we want to work with people who have a clear idea of what they want from this opportunity and how it could progress their creative practice.
How to apply:
THE POSITION HAS NOW BEEN FILLED
Closing date:
30/10/2022
