Job Description
Compensation: $40,000 per year
Starting Date: 7/1/22
Overview
Know Theatre of Cincinnati, a 99 seat contemporary theatre company heading into our 25th season, seeks a passionate, energized candidate to join its small and mighty team of full time employees as Resident Stage Manager. As a small company, Know’s staff is composed of artists who all wear multiple hats, and the most successful candidates will have an interest in making theatre as generalists alongside their specialties.
Know Theatre is Cincinnati’s Theatrical Playground. The Know showcases unexpected voices, new works, and plays that embrace the inherent theatricality of the live experience.
Know Theatre seeks to be a place where artists and audiences feel welcome to take artistic risks, creating work that is cutting edge and accessible. In order to achieve this mission, we require that all potential staff members and volunteers hold a strong commitment to anti-racism and oppression work and education. To learn more about our Anti-Racism Action Plan please visit:
https://www.knowtheatre.com/action-plan/
As one of only a handful of theatres around the country led by a designer, the team at Know Theatre prides itself on the production values it can achieve on a limited budget.
The Know produces 5-8 MainStage productions per season on a year round schedule, along with several smaller scale Second Stage productions and special events.
The Know also produces the annual Cincinnati Fringe Festival, a 14 day festival with pop up venues throughout our historic neighborhood, Over-the-Rhine.
Know Theatre believes that budgets are moral documents and a public summary of our current annual budget is available
here.
Stage Management at Know Theatre
The Resident Stage Manager position at Know Theatre is responsible for facilitating effective, healthy, and productive rehearsal and performance environments for MainStage theatre productions, in partnership with the director of each show and the staff of the Know.
In addition, this full-time, salaried position with benefits includes additional responsibilities supporting the Second Stage series of experimental works, the annual CincinnatI Fringe Festival, and general duties shared by all members of our dynamic administrative and production team.
A successful candidate will share a love of new plays, be a creative thinker who is comfortable working both independently and within a team, have experience in both the rehearsal room and in performance settings, will prioritize open and honest communication, and enjoy working in a collaborative environment with both resident team members and guest artists.
Job Specifications
The Resident Stage Manager (RSM) position at Know Theatre includes responsibilities that extend beyond the scope of traditional stage management positions. These responsibilities can be broken down into several categories.
- General
- MainStage
- Second Stage
- Fringe Festival support
- Inclusion in strategic/Season Planning processes
Compensation
This is a full-time salaried, overtime exempt position at $769.23 per week, paid bi-monthly ($40,000 annually). Find out more about Cincinnati’s cost of living
here.
Health insurance coverage is available through Know Theatre’s group plan.
Each full time Know Theatre employee is accorded 2 weeks of vacation per fiscal year, along with additional company-wide holidays. Vacation is scheduled as can be accommodated by KTC’s production schedule.
Company housing may be available for out of town candidates
Work Hours
The standard rehearsal week during MainStage productions is 30 hours per week (6 days of 5 hour rehearsals), with the possibility of additional rehearsal hours during tech weekend.We have pivoted from the traditional “10/12” tech rehearsal model toward a more balanced approach to “tech week,” generally using one 8 of 10 and one straight 6 rehearsal for our tech days. During production weeks and the Fringe Festival, weekly hours may exceed 50 - 60 hours per week - but, the company offers flexible hours between production processes as needed.
Over the last three seasons, the RSM worked an average of 46 hours per week. Our ongoing target is for every employee to work an average of 45 hours per week or fewer.
Specific Duties
Duties of the Resident Stage Manager include, but are not limited to, the following:
General
- Responsible for facilitating effective, healthy, and productive rehearsal environments, in partnership with the director of each show and the leadership and staff of the Know.
- Responsible for maintaining the artistic integrity of performances as established in the rehearsal process by the director, actors, designers, and technical staff.
- Facilitates communication between the cast & heads of other departments throughout the rehearsal and performance process.
- Keeps such records as are necessary to advise the Producer on matters of attendance, time, health benefits, or other matters relating to the rights of Equity members.
- Maintains discipline as provided in the Equity Constitution, By-Laws and Rules where required, appealable in every case to Actors’ Equity.
- Prepares and maintains a clean and functional rehearsal space and stage environment, including dressing rooms.
- Coordinates and schedules volunteer shifts for Assistant Stage Managers on a show by show basis.
- Coordinates with House Management during performances to ensure timeliness and efficiency in opening seating areas, curtain times, accessibility needs, and general audience navigation.
- Assists Technical Director and admin team in navigating necessary COVID-19 health protocols with regard to actor, director, and crew safety.
MainStage - Pre-Production
- Prepares calendars (rehearsal, tech, and performance), paperwork templates, and prompt book in advance of first rehearsal.
- Prepares the rehearsal hall in advance of rehearsal. This includes, but is not limited to: taping out the ground plan, setting up tables & chairs, and preparing the hospitality table.
- Assembles and maintains the Prompt Book which is defined as the accurate playing text and stage business, together with such cue sheets, plots, daily records, etc., as are necessary for the actual technical and artistic operation of the production.
- Responsible for pulling rehearsal props from theatre stock, and maintaining their functionality.
- Responsible for scheduling & running production meetings.
- Recruits ASMs as needed from local educational programs and the wider community based upon the needs of a production.
MainStage - Rehearsals/During Run
- Responsible for the calling of all rehearsals, whether before or after opening, and arrival times for actors and crew during performances.
- Responsible for maintaining the timely execution of rehearsals, including breaks (according to Actors Equity rules), work lists as agreed upon with the Director, and rehearsal endings.
- Works with the Marketing team to schedule photo calls and promotional video recordings as needed, based on what the rehearsal schedule can accommodate.
- If there is no Assistant Stage Manager for all or part of the rehearsal & performance periods, the RSM assumes the duties of the ASM. This includes, but is not limited to: tracking of all actors, props & costumes; creating backstage run paperwork, etc.
- Performs dimmer check and sound/video tests before performances, and troubleshoots any issues before contacting other technical personnel.
- Performs wardrobe maintenance and laundry duties as noted by the Resident Costume Designer.
- Assists cast members into any complicated costume pieces or makeup effects that they cannot do by themselves as noted by the Resident Costume Designer.
- Acts as Fight Captain & facilitates fight call as needed during all rehearsals and prior to performances unless the Fight Choreographer is in attendance. A cast member may be assigned as Fight Captain; the RSM will work with this cast member to facilitate fight calls to maintain the integrity of fight choreography throughout a performance run.
- Assumes active responsibility for maintaining the form and discipline of rehearsal and performance.
- Responsible for the execution of sound, lighting, and projection cues for all performances, as rehearsed and defined during the technical rehearsal period.
- In the event a production must take place off-site or in a touring capacity, RSM has responsibility of documenting processes for show set-up and strike in each off-site location, and will take the lead in executing set-up and strike for each performance.
- Maintains the artistic intentions of the Director and the Producer after opening, to the best of their ability, including calling correctional rehearsals of the company when necessary and preparation of the Understudies, Replacements, Extras and Supers, when and if the Director and/or Producer declines this prerogative.
Second Stage
- Coordinates Guest Stage Managers for SecondStage productions.
- Assists with pre-production items, such as calendar building, promotional material scheduling, etc., as needed by the particular production.
Fringe Festival
- Serves as Associate Production Manager for the Fringe Festival in coordination with Production Manager, including
- Assisting with managing the Festival technical calendar
- Scheduling offsite rehearsal and performance spaces
- Preparing venue tech kits for all offsite venues
- Serves as Venue Tech for the Know Theatre Mainstage space
- Assists with Fringe After Hours post-performance series as needed. This may include working with other Know team members to prepare the Underground space.
Inclusion in Strategic/Season Planning
- Assists in setting the season production calendar.
- Assists in maintaining a calendar of space usage throughout Know Theatre’s rehearsal and performance spaces.
- Along with the rest of staff, participates in the season selection process.
Additional Responsibilities
- Encouraged to attend any internal or external events as available
- May assist in answering phones during regular office hours when available.
- Participates in facilities cleanup and maintenance as needed.
These duties may be altered at the discretion of RSM’s supervisors (Artistic Director, Associate Artistic Director, and Operations & Company Manager) and with the agreement of RSM, based upon the needs of the company, and the particular skill set of RSM.
Qualifications
- Strong commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, including anti-racism and anti-oppressive work and education.
- Bachelor’s Degree in stage management, technical theatre, or equivalent educational or professional experience.
- Expertise in creating and maintaining stage management paperwork and documentation (reports, calls, run sheets, etc).
- Ability to run efficient rehearsals, meetings, and performances.
- Strong sense of emotional intelligence or “taking the temperature of the room”, the ability to identify potential problems and address them in a safe and effective manner.
- Experience in running safety calls and procedures
- Ability to remain calm and collected in stressful situations, especially if faced with emergencies where procedures must be followed to maintain the safety of those in the theatre.
- Familiarity with sound and lighting equipment and consoles.
- Proficiency with standard office software
- Clear and effective communicator, both written and verbal. Ability to work independently or collaboratively with designers, directors and other staff.
- Experience in managing crews.
- Theatrical background and understanding of the theatrical process.
- Ability to multi-task and work with deadlines. Must have the ability to plan projects and work independently.
- Demonstrates a commitment to open communication and to the value of teamwork in problem solving
- Understands the time commitment of the technical rehearsal process in a regional theatre setting, which requires weekend and evening hours. Can manage time effectively to balance workload between heavier weeks during tech and quieter periods between productions.
- Ability to lift 50 lbs and handle extensive standing, walking, and step-climbing.
- Possession of a valid Driver’s license or reliable transportation.
Know Theatre is an equal opportunity employer. Our work and the artists who make it should reflect the diversity of our community and the world around us. Applicants from all backgrounds are both welcomed and encouraged to apply.
Application Process
To be considered for the Resident Stage Manager position, please submit your current resume, a list of references, and a representative sample of stage management paperwork to
jobs@knowtheatre.com.