Assistant Stage Manager
The Badlands Amphitheatre is looking for assistant stage managers (ASMs) for their 2024 production of The Canadian Badlands Passion Play in Drumheller, AB. The Canadian Badlands Passion Play tells an epic story of faith, hope & love based on the life of Christ. It is performed on Canada’s largest outdoor stage, with a company formed of professional and semi-professional actors (supplemented by volunteer actors), working with a professional crew.
Job Description
The ASMs are a part of the stage management team, and assist the head stage manager to maintain a smooth rehearsal process, support the directing team, communicate across departments and run the performances. As part of a team of assistant stage managers, each ASM may have various individual responsibilities or areas to manage. Some of these responsibilities may be formalized while some may need to remain fluid throughout the process.Duties:
- Attending all rehearsals to take blocking notes, reset props, cue performers, sit on book or read lines for absent actors as required.
- Calling/signaling any cues to performers assigned to them by the head stage manager.
- Taking notes and relaying them to the head stage manager as they come up.
- Assisting actors with their questions and concerns.
- Building and managing paperwork to track rehearsal and show information.
- Keeping the backstage area a positive and safe work environment.
- Communicating between assigned departments and stage management.
- Setting up and striking the amphitheatre for rehearsals and performances.
- Assisting with the strike, costume returns and end-of-season storage of equipment.
- Attending production and design meetings as required.
Each ASM position may also be assigned different responsibilities such as:
- Props: Tracking, organizing, storing and maintaining set and prop pieces. Planning and documenting the show presets and the intermission set change. Collaborating with the directing and production team to provide the required prop/set pieces needed for rehearsals.
- Wardrobe: Coordinating with wardrobe to schedule fittings for all cast members. Tracking specific costume pieces, quick changes and any other wardrobe related notes that come up in the rehearsal process. Acts as a liaison between the cast and the wardrobe department. Track, maintain and store the prop weapons, shields and armour.
- Crowd: Working with the crowd director to track blocking notes, entrances, and exits. Answering any questions from the cast about their track and creating paperwork for them to reference. Setting up and updating the callboards throughout the season.
- Animals: Tracking what scenes will use animals, what animals are required and what their path would be. Coordinating with the animal wrangler on the care, feeding, watering and training of our animal cast members. Looking after the safety of the animals when they are brought into the rehearsal process.
- Fights: Working with the fight director to track and document the blocking of each fight. Learn the procedure for the crucifixion rigging and help make sure that the equipment is set up, stored and maintained properly. Maintain safe stage fighting practices by supporting all fight rehearsals and fight calls as instructed by the fight director.
Qualifications/Requirements:
- Previous stage management experience is a huge asset.
- Previous experience working in theatre in any capacity is required.
- Good interpersonal skills as the ASMs work closely with a large number of people daily.
- Great communication skills (both verbal and written).
- Comfortable working in a fast paced environment, with changing challenges requiring adaptive problem solving.
- Able to work with deadlines and manage their time and to-do lists to meet them.
- Can organize, document and track various kinds of information effectively.
- Can comfortably lift, move, push and/or pull items up to 25lbs.
- Comfortable working in an active job that may require you to be moving around the amphitheatre all day.
- Able to work outdoors in various weather conditions.
- Previous experience working with volunteers is an asset.
Important Information:
- This is a contract position from May 28 –July 26, 2024.
- The amphitheatre is an outdoor venue. We rehearse and perform in all kinds of weather, and on all kinds of terrain.
- The work week is six (6) days long with Tuesdays off, hours vary from day to day. During performances the work week shifts to three (3) days on and four (4) days off.
- Compensation is a contract amount starting at $6,000.
- Accommodations available.
- Meals are provided every Saturday (lunch) and Sunday (brunch).
To apply, email your resume to to production team at production@badlandsamp.com
