Download Virginia Stage Company Producing Director

POSITION DESCRIPTION
February 2016
Virginia Stage Company
Producing Director
The Board seeks a managerially gifted artistic visionary to serve as Producing
Director to create compelling theatrical and theatre-education experiences, oversee
renovation of the magnificent Wells Theatre, provide responsible fiscal oversight,
and attract funding and other support from citizens of Norfolk and the Hampton
Roads region.
Founded in Norfolk in 1968 and adopting the current name in 1979, the Virginia Stage Company
(VSC) is the region’s only fully professional nonprofit resident theatre company and the only
Virginia theatre to commission new work on an on-going basis. One of just three Virginia
theatres to be a member of the League of Resident Theatres (LORT), VSC has an annual
budget of $2 million, a 31 member board, 38 full-time and 13 part-time staff, roughly 200
volunteers, about 3,000 subscribers, and an annual attendance of about 100,000. The
organization serves an additional 30,000 young people who participate in VSC’s extensive
education and community outreach programs throughout the Hampton Roads region which
includes Norfolk, Virginia Beach, and Newport News, an area rich in cultural attractions that
includes a major art museum, symphony orchestra, and opera company. In all, VSC strives to
celebrate the community’s rich diversity and reach out to the broadest possible constituency to
offer innovative ways for people to experience theatre.
Virginia Stage Company’s production history includes more than 27 world premieres, 15
Pulitzer-Price winning plays, and 30 educational shows created for Hampton Roads students.
VSC annually presents a season of six Mainstage productions between September and April that
represents a mix of drama, comedy and musicals. At least one production is from the American
Soil Series, which commissions plays about the region of Hampton Roads – a theatrical
exploration of the rich layers of earth, history and people that have formed the community.
This year’s American Soil play entitled “The Hampton Years” by Jaqueline E. Lawton explores
the true story of African-American art students and an Austrian-Jewish WWII refugee who
together rose above anti-semitism and Jim Crow Laws to create beautiful, poignant, lasting
works of art, and went on to establish Hampton University’s Art Department.
Historic Wells Theatre functions as the performance venue for the Virginia Stage Company.
Built in 1913, Wells Theatre is on the National Register of Historic Places and is particularly
noted as a well-preserved example of Beaux-Arts neoclassicism. The first theatrical season in
1913 featured Douglas Fairbanks, John Philip Sousa, the Ziegfeld Follies, Maude Adams flying
across the stage as Peter Pan and a production of “Ben Hur,” including eight horses running
onstage to the cheers of packed houses.
VSC acquired the lease for the Wells Theatre in 1979, and in 1986 raised $3.5m to undertake
necessary restoration work. In 2014, the Theatre was purchased by a VSC major donor and
gifted to the City of Norfolk. The organization has now embarked on a $4.5 million Centennial
Campaign (approximately $3.5 million has been raised to date) to: replace the current hemp &
sandbags rigging system, renovate the entrance and main lobby, add new seats, and modernize
lighting and soundstage technology.
A passionate advocate for the performing arts, the Producing Director will lead the theatre from
an artistic and operating perspective, and will also diversify and maximize funding for annual
operations, endowment and capital projects.
Virginia Stage Company
Producing Director
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BASIC FUNCTION
The Producing Director is a new position that replaces the co-equal partnership of Artistic
Director and Managing Director and becomes the one leader for Virginia Stage Company who
reports directly to the Board of Trustees and oversees both the artistic and operational sides of
the theatre. Currently, there are 6 direct reports including the General Manager, as well as the
Director of Accounting, Development, Marketing & Communications, Production, and Education
and Community Outreach.
The Producing Director will direct all of VSC’s artistic, educational, financial, strategic,
marketing, and fundraising activities. He or she will work with board and staff to provide
overall leadership to the organization as it grows its artistic and educational vision, renovates
the Wells Theatre, and expands its footprint in the community and nationally. Reporting to the
Board, the Producing Director is accountable for managing all aspects of the theatre’s
productions, programs and operations, providing responsible fiscal oversight, and for
enhancing, updating and implementing the Strategic Plan. The Director is expected to work
closely with the staff to ensure that the theatre:
•
Continues to build a reputation as a distinctive, exciting, thought-provoking theatre
which explores historical and popular culture through plays, musicals and educational
programming;
•
Retains current audience constituencies and builds constituents among a new
generation of supporters (including young professionals and the diverse communities
which form the local population);
•
Is financially and operationally strengthened by stewarding a growing development
function, diversifying earned income opportunities, and through efficient use of theatre
resources;
•
Renovates and modernizes its historic building and enhances its facilities.
IMMEDIATE PRIORITIES
The Director’s immediate priorities will be to:
•
Understand all facets of Virginia Stage Company, including the theatre’s history, culture,
staff, finances, play schedule and new play development initiative, education and public
programs, facility and infrastructure, operations, capital campaign and renovation plans;
understand the diverse local and regional constituencies in Norfolk and the Hampton
Roads community;
•
Manage the business affairs of Virginia Stage Company, including cash flow, with the
intent of supporting the mission and goals while achieving greater financial growth,
funding diversity and supporting permanent sustainability;
•
Review the current status of the theatre’s Mainstage and education programming, and
take charge of in-process work related to current and planned productions, events,
performances and school programming;
•
In conjunction with the artistic team, develop an artistic vision of plays and programs
that can be administered within appropriate budgetary constraints, and that will inform,
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Producing Director
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attract and engage the interest of a diverse Hampton Roads public while also securing
recognition nationally and even internationally;
•
Oversee the renovation of the Wells Theatre with Board and staff and work with the
Board to complete the fundraising for the capital and endowment campaign;
•
Serve as the chief fundraiser and marketer for the theatre; work closely with the staff,
the Board, and advisors to expand and diversify revenue streams;
•
Build on the Theatre’s strong reputation by continuing to cultivate relationships with
existing and new key stakeholders in the community in order to enhance and develop
support for programs, including partnership opportunities with other arts, educational
and cultural institutions locally, nationally and internationally; and with local artists,
community and business leaders;
•
Work with the Board to articulate its role and fulfill its governance responsibilities; help
build strong relationships among Board, staff, volunteers, donors and subscribers;
•
Work with the Board to update long-range strategic planning and implement VSC’s
shared values, mission and vision;
•
Identify and suggest new board members whose talents, interests and commitment will
help to further Virginia Stage Company’s mission, and will help to expand funding
opportunities;
•
Hire, supervise, motivate, develop and evaluate staff, ensuring that staffing is
appropriate to meet the organization’s goals; ensure that approved policies are
consistently implemented;
•
Work with the staff to understand their contributions, strengths and concerns; instill a
strong sense of partnership and cohesion across the organization; use open channels of
communication to reinforce a culture of excellence toward achieving the highest
standards of theatre practice;
•
Join other arts leaders in the region to advocate for increasing public support of a
growing regional arts culture and community that has gained national prominence.
IDEAL EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS
The ideal candidate has the following experience and qualifications:
•
Arts professional with management experience in a theatre or performing arts
organization known for innovative programming, artistic excellence, and strong ties with
the community; an extensive background or passion for theatre and educational &
public programming would be an advantage; knowledge of current trends and
developments in the performing arts;
•
The ability to work successfully with donors, community leaders, performing artists,
educators and the theatre’s Board to strengthen the theatre; measurable and successful
results in selling tickets and raising funds and in identifying, cultivating and soliciting
donors and other sources of revenue and in managing change; a detailed understanding
of operations and financial management (inc. revenue and expense models) and ability
to analyze financial reports and develop and monitor realistic budgets, particularly in a
theatre or similar environment, would be an advantage;
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Producing Director
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Experience working with playwrights, theatre directors, actors, designers, educators and
others as active and valued collaborators; demonstrated ability to forge mutually
respectful and effective relationships with a diverse group of personalities to deliver
exceptional theatre experiences to the public; an individual with a passion for connecting
the public with theatre; who will enjoy connecting members of Norfolk and surrounding
communities, as well as visitors to the region, to the Virginia Stage Company;
•
Outstanding oral and written communication skills, including the means to address
issues in non-confrontational and non-polarizing ways, but nevertheless with
determination; a track record as an effective advocate for his or her organization.
•
A leader adept at planning, prioritizing, organizing and following through; a hard worker
with a high energy level who welcomes accountability; a good listener and strategist;
comfortable receiving input from many sources;
•
Someone who imparts trust, integrity and solidity and guides others in a similar vein; an
ability to disagree without being disagreeable; a team player and team builder; someone
who enjoys working in close collaboration with staff, Board and community members
able to connect with a broad spectrum of community members and partners; a person
with a sense of humor and perspective.
For more information please contact:
Lee Kappelman
(202)803-6674 or [email protected]
Mark Oppenheim
(415) 762-2640 or [email protected]
m/Oppenheim Associates
425 Market Street, Suite 1020
San Francisco, CA 94105
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