Technical Director/Lighting Designer

Technical Director/Lighting Designer

Midland Community Theatre (MCT), one of the largest community theatres in the country, is seeking a multi-talented and experienced Technical Director/Lighting Designer to join our Artistic Team. 

The Job:

Technical Director: The Technical Director is responsible for the overall technical execution of productions, overseeing set construction, lighting, sound, and rigging. They manage technical staff, coordinate installations, and ensure that all equipment and processes comply with safety standards while supporting the creative vision. MCT is looking for a strong Draftsman/Carpenter.  Scenic Designers assist with procurement of materials and manage budgetary controls at this time.  These roles can change with the desire of the right candidate.

Lighting Designer: The Lighting Designer works to install, operate, and maintain lighting equipment. As Designer, this individual will produce production designs or mentor those interested within our community. They lead a crew to execute lighting plots, troubleshoot technical issues, and ensure that all lighting installations meet safety and performance standards. Board Operators are recruited for each production, while the lighting designer trains these individuals the LD is not responsible for performance duties.

About the Candidate:

This individual will be part of a team responsible for designing and/or mentoring designs for approximately 8 productions per year across 3 stages. As live entertainment is a highly reactive and evolving field, the most important attributes in a team member are as follows: patience, willingness to learn new skills and technologies, and the ability to systematically identify and troubleshoot technical issues. This role requires organizational, artistic and collaborative skills to work efficiently with directors, designers, staff and volunteers equally.  The ideal candidate will be a career focused artist, whether their long-term goals be with MCT or elsewhere.  A strong collaborative team makes MCT an ideal location to finetune a personal artistic aesthetic.

Our Facilities and Community:

Midland Community Theatre (MCT) is located in friendly and warm Midland, TX. Serving Midland, as well as the greater Permian Basin and West Texas, MCT has been in operation for 76 years. Housed in two company owned facilities, MCT operates three stages. The Davis Theatre is a wide-angle traditional Wagnerian stage with 5-Panel LED-Wall/Display. The Mabee Theatre is a versatile Black-Box space. The Davis and Mabee Stages are housed in the Cole Theatre, currently under a major lobby renovation that will add to the artistic aesthetic of the building and adding greater connection with the MCT Community. The Historic Yucca Theatre is a renovated vaudeville house designed in the Egyptian Revival style; and houses the annual summer fundraiser, Summer Mummers, one of the nation’s longest running repertory melo-dramas. 

Responsibilities Include:

Lighting Design
Design or Mentorship of designs for season productions.
Maintenance of Lighting Equipment.
Maintaining an orderly workspace.
Track and communicate procurement needs of lighting materials.
Serve as Master Electrician for Theatrical Needs.
Supervise and Train Volunteers in the areas of;
Board Operation
Theatrical Electrician Work
Lighting Hangs
Lighting Design when appropriate.

Technical Direction
Draft Scenic Build Plans from Scenic Elevations.
Research, source, and lead constructing (serving as Master Carpenter) scenery using various materials and techniques.
Organize and lead scenic strikes
Assist in coordinating the procurement of materials and supplies needed for construction and maintenance.
Delegate tasks effectively and provide training/guidance to all team members as appropriate. Fostering a collaborative and positive work environment.
Work closely with the production team to ensure timely delivery of scenic elements into rehearsal and performances.
Attend production meetings, technical rehearsals, and preview performances to provide support and adjustments as needed.
Ensure all units are safe, functional, and meet the needs of the performers and production team.
In Tandem with Scenic Designers, supervise and train volunteers in the areas of;
Carpentry
Paint 
Scenic Build

Qualifications:

Required;
A Bachelor’s Degree in Theatre or a related field.
Strong Carpentry Skills
A minimum of 2 year of experience in leading scenic construction and management.
Strong Artistic Skills with an emphasis in collaboration, creativity and attention to detail.
Knowledge of Adobe Suite, AutoCAD or equivalent computer programs.
Excellent organizational and project management skills
Strong verbal and written communication skills.
Flexibility to work evenings and weekends for rehearsals and performances as needed, and volunteer builds in coordination with fellow staff.

Prefered;
An MFA in Theatre Design.
3+ years of experience in scenic construction and management for theatrical productions.
2+ years experience with Adobe Editing, AutoCAD and or ZooKeeper software.
Welding Experience
Experience building rapport with and recruiting volunteers
Knowledge of safety regulations and best practices in construction and rigging.

Compensation: Full-time Salary, $45 – 50,000 includes full health insurance for employee (including spousal and dependent contributions), pension and paid vacations.

Interested Candidates should send cover letter, resume, and sample of work or website information to Adam Sahli, Artistic Director: [email protected]