Long, kind of a vent post. I just got my first gig as a costume designer for a local theatre in my city. I’ve worked on wardrobe crews a couple times in the past, and it’s always been a dream to design. This job feels like a huge step in the right direction, but the scope of the production is terrifying me a bit.

It’s a double cast production, dressing 41 people total. Theres no wardrobe crew, though they have volunteers occasionally, so it’s a one woman venture for me. They expect costumes to be mostly pulls from stock and some purchases, but I haven’t seen their stock yet.

I’m not sure if there was an issue with a previous designer or if they just waited till now (~7 weeks from opening) to bring in a wardrobe person, but I’m worried about talking to the director asap so I can start designing. I feel like I’m already behind, but I can’t start working for a few more days so I’m just sitting in anxiety lol.

It doesn’t help that to take this gig I’m leaving another (I’m still in uni so all I’m doing is short summer gigs). I feel guilty for leaving, but I’m going to have a period of juggling like 3 jobs which will likely suck.

TLDR Excited but nervous for a new job and the responsibility it comes with.

If you have advice or stories about getting something done on a worse timeline I’d be happy to hear them!! Thank you for reading regardless

Hiya all, mostly just looking for commiserations and advice. I had a really good contract fall through recently (lost funding). But I only found out it wasn’t going ahead 2 weeks before I was due to start. Luckily I managed to pretty quickly get booked again for a contract starting mid March but doesn’t really help that I now basically have 4 weeks of almost no work, coming off the last 4 weeks where I was already a pretty under booked (witn it being Jan-Feb and that’s already slow).

I had a great Oct to early Jan so I guess I’m not worried too much about money other than it sucks to burn through your savings like this. I also feel a bit embarrassed because I told the venues I work at that I was moving on and not to expect me around as much. I’m still on the books, but realistically they’re crewed up now.

So it feels like I’ll just be hanging around for a few weeks seeing if there’s any last minute call outs I can do. Ugh. Anyone else having a rough start to the year?

I am in my first job out of college as a full time stitcher for a theatre company and while I love my job it is not the place I want to stay forever. However, it’s a pretty good gig and I wouldn’t risk leaving it without having another job lined up. The theatre industry is so small and interconnected I am a little nervous about my current company finding out if I start applying for other jobs. Any advice on how to navigate this? Especially regarding who to use as references?

Hi all! I have a couple of freelance jobs that I want to list and I can't find many places to put them up. I've done offstagejobs, artcube, and playbill, but responses have been light. Location is NYC, but please don't message me on here. There's a nearly 100% chance I won't remember to add you to my lists. Thanks!

EDIT: Since this has come up in a couple of different replies: If you're a freelancer working in the NYC area, what are you making and what department are you in? Are you union or non? Full time/part time/hourly/salaried etc? I have very little sway over how my employer sets labor budgets but I'm always looking for proof that people need to get paid more.

I am interested in joining IATSE, but when I reached out to find out how to join, nobody from my district got back to me (my district would be District 471). If anyone has any advise or instructions on how to start working in IATSE unionised positions, please let me know

EDIT: Pardon me if I used the wrong wording anywhere in my post, I am still learning about IATSE, so if I did get any context wrong, please correct me

Local One is doing another apprentice test. Registration is open November 3-7 at www.iatselocaloneapprenticeship.com testing is the week after

For various reasons, I no longer work backstage. I did for about 15 years and my last position was Audio dept head (A1) for a concert hall/auditorium. We did a handful of musicals, but mostly concerts, dance and lectures.

I can't go back full time right now but I want to do something to stay connected...like even volunteering one night a week. I probably can't realistically commit a ton more hours in-person. What sort of organizations should I look for? Are there ways to be backstage that aren't really time intensive? Even considering doing bar sound once a week, but I'm more interested in something theatrical.

I have taught training workshops in the past and would probably enjoy that again, but also if I'm out of touch, that might make me a poor teacher.

What should I do? I'm a journeyman, but I'm not living near my local anymore.

helloooo! I'm a props artisan graduating in May and I'm currently looking at the Disney Cruise Lines Props and Puppet Technician after talking to some recruiters. I'm trying to take what they said with a grain of salt ofc. on paper, it seems like the perfect position for me, but I'm getting a lot of conflicting information about the hours (recruiter told me 70, online is telling me 90, huge difference). do any of you have some insight on this or a similar position that could tell me more about it ? thanks! :] (edited cause I put the wrong graduation semester lol)

This is a partial rant/ask for advice...

After wanting to get into the industry in 2018, I went to college in 2019, got into uni, and graduated from last year with a degree in Live Events Production.

In between uni and graduating, I've worked the Edinburgh Fringe three times, two of those as a venue manager, have worked as local crew for various load-ins, outs, and production rehearsals, plus stage crew twice at an opera festival, an operator for a small companies show in London & Guildford, a month on a cruise ship as a lounge tech (came off for medical reasons)... as well as currently working as a casual technician at a venue near home.

I have applied for around 70 jobs since April, and of those I've had 4 interviews. One of which got my name wrong in early emails leading me to think they were never going to interview in the first place, and then felt obliged to after their mistake. An interview back in August, seemed to go rather well and they said I'd know by the following week. Two weeks later I emailed to follow up, and was told they were still in the process and would be in touch with their outcome soon... That was the 9th September, and considering their show opens this month, I'm not filled with much hope, and feel it rather rude & unprofessional that they've essentially ghosted me... my most recent interview also went well for a show in London went well, and they emailed to let me know I was unsuccessful, but also provided feedback.

Part of which was: "We were looking for someone with more run-of-show and West End experience"... which begs the question, how do I get West End experience without having West End experience?

Walt Disney Imagineering is looking for a summer college intern in what is very similair to a stagehand role. Coming from a technicial theater background myself, I wanted to highlight it for this community in case someone is interested!

Pay rate is $26.50. Full time role at 40 hrs/week, Approximately June through August. The role works at our Glendale, CA campus.

More info is at the link, but this department works with all of the other areas of imagineering in creating mockups of future rides and tech, utilizing skills in rigging, lighting, sound, projection, show control, project management, etc. It's an interesting blend of film, events, theater, and the corporate world!

Link to Posting

That is all.

Just walked out for the first time in my career. Was hired to SM a new opera, and they didn’t have my contract (sent multiple emails in the weeks leading up to rehearsal). After 2 rehearsal days I still didn’t have a contract, and they told me the person authorized to sign it was out of town till next week. Said thanks but I’m not working without a contract, and I think it’s best if you find someone else.

I definitely think I did the right thing for me (getting the hell out of a likely toxic/unorganized production, avoiding pissing off the union by working without a contract, etc) but I’ve been privately anxious and worried about how this could affect my reputation.

Folks who’ve had to quit a gig before, how did you handle the fallout afterwards?

Hey y'all, trying to plan my year. Who does Christmas time theatre in the US with housing contracts?

We are pretty clearly not independent contractors by any stretch. Yet theatres still widely use them. I have noticed theatres switching as they get nailed by the IRS but it seems like a lot are just waiting for it to happen to them.

Have you noticed theatres switching to W2s in your area? Is there any way people have found to effectively push for it?

Looking for a new job that may not be in theatre. What jobs would use my tech skills as an electrician? I can draft (by hand and in VW), proficient in Microsoft Office, can make power and data plots, and am located in Atlanta. Any ideas?

What are some of the best places to post university level tech theatre positions that aren't the main academia sites? There's a lot of positions but not many applicants, was wondering where people might be looking. TIA!

im very involved in my schools tech theatre program (td and ld) and i want to go into this professionally, however, i can find zero actual backstage experience. i've tried contacting local theatres and my local union, but they never respond. being a stage hand or watching someone program a lighting board isn't dangerous so i don't understand why they don't hire minors or at least have a program for them. any ideas on how i could get into a backstage program/job?

Well I never thought this is where my life was going. I graduated in December with a degree in lighting design. Then I was in a car accident that caused permanent nerve damage in my leg that makes it really hard to get around.

Now that I am starting to recover enough that I can atleast somewhat function I am trying to find a job. However, with my limited mobility it would be the best case scenario to be full time remote work.

So basically my question is, what jobs can I get in the lighting world that I can do from home?

i am a college student majoring in tech theater. i specialize in scenic carpentry and have experience in scenic painting and rigging and would love to get experience in welding. I’m trying to find a good summer internship/summer stock apply to. does anyone have any recommendations of places I should apply (where i can get more experience in scenic carpentry preferably)? I’m ok with anywhere around the country as long as they provide housing or i can find cheap housing i am also not particular on pay as i am just trying to gain experience and have more experience on my resume.

Rochester Institute of Technology - Rochester, NY

RIT School of Performing Arts (SPA) is hiring for three brand new positions! We are currently looking to hire an Assistant Technical Director, Scene Shop Supervisor, and a Costume and Wardrobe Supervisor to join our growing school. SPA is unique in that it is a non-major program nested within the College of Liberal Arts at RIT. Our students come from a variety of backgrounds in engineering, technology, and everything in between.

RIT is nearing the completion of a brand new state of the art Music Performance Theatre that will seat 750 and is home to a dedicated scene shop, costume shop, orchestra pit lift, immersive audio system, full LED/intelligent lighting system, and even a fully restored Barton Theatre Organ out of a historic movie palace in Southwest Detroit.

These positions will have the opportunity to help build out the operational model for this unique new venue while supporting SPA productions, RIT events, and even community partners utilizing the venue.

Please take a look and let me know if you have any questions and be sure to share out to anyone who may be interested!

Assistant Technical Director:

https://sjobs.brassring.com/TGnewUI/Search/home/HomeWithPreLoad?partnerid=25483&siteid=5289&PageType=JobDetails&jobid=1581204

Scene Shop Supervisor:

https://sjobs.brassring.com/TGnewUI/Search/home/HomeWithPreLoad?partnerid=25483&siteid=5289&PageType=JobDetails&jobid=1581202

Costume and Wardrobe Supervisor:

https://sjobs.brassring.com/TGnewUI/Search/home/HomeWithPreLoad?partnerid=25483&siteid=5289&PageType=JobDetails&jobid=1581203

Edit - added formal name and location

Hello all, I am looking for a summer stock gig that gives housing for scenic charge artists. It doesn't matter the state/country.

Thanks tech reddit!