Download stage management mentor - Young and Hungry Arts Trust

STAGE MANAGEMENT MENTOR
The Role of Mentors
Every year Young and Hungry runs the Festival of New Theatre, comprising three new New
Zealand scripts written specifically for youth audiences. The Festival is performed and
designed by 15-25 year olds in a two-week season at BATS Theatre, with each of the three
productions being performed every night.
An integral part of producing the Festival of New Theatre is the involvement of professional
theatre practitioners as mentors. Every year Young and Hungry has the pleasure of working
with experienced practitioners who impart their wisdom and share their knowledge with New
Zealand ’s emerging theatre talent.
Young and Hungry is forever indebted to all of the mentors who have worked with us over
the years; and to those who will become involved in the process this year. The role of the
mentor is invaluable; and although our contribution to you is minimal in terms of your time,
commitment and passion - we hope the role contains of multitude of other – priceless –
rewards: not least becoming part of the legacy of developing and nurturing emerging
theatrical talent in New Zealand.
On behalf of the Young and Hungry Trust Board, the playwrights, the actors, the costume
designers – all the new talent coming through this year’s Festival – thank you for your
support which makes the staging of this year’s Festival possible.
Stage Management Mentor
The rehearsal and design process for the Festival of New Theatre runs over eight weeks to
ensure that enough time is given to both the actors' development of their characters and the
technical students' realisation of their design.
As Stage Management Mentor you would be responsible for training Stage Manager Mentees
in, and ensuring the professional deliver of, all aspects of Stage Management for each of the
three Festival productions. The Stage Management Mentor will provide ongoing support and
guidance to assist Mentees in achieving their greatest potential, while fulfilling the needs of
the shows’ Directors and other Festival personnel as where applicable.
Position:
STAGE MANAGEMENT MENTOR
Reports to:
Production Manager and/or Programme & Partnerships Manager
Works Closely With:
Theatrical Directors, Design Mentors, Stage Management Mentor
Oversees:
Stage Manager Mentees
External Relations:
Liaises with service providers, contractors and other external
partners as required by this position
KEY RESULTS
ACTIVITY
Mentorship
Coordinate and facilitate a workshop or workshops wherein you
educate the Stage Manager Mentees on all procedural facets of
stage management
Provide written documentation to each Stage Management Mentee
that clearly identifies the job responsibilities including, tasks,
services, timelines and industry terminology (if applicable)
Provide Stage Manager Mentees with ongoing training and support
required to develop their skills in all aspects of stage management
Act in a supervisory capacity and oversee all processes to ensure
the professional delivery and execution of services and tasks,
which fall under the responsibility of a stage manager, as defined
by the industry standards
Work together with the Production Manager, Directors and Design
Mentors to facilitate access to any resources and information
required
Production
Assist the Production Manager in adhering to production week
schedules, pack-in/pack-out tasks, health & safety procedures and
BATS Theatre policies
Work closely with the Stage Manager Mentees to ensure that all
stage manager processes are set up and responsibilities are clearly
defined
Be available to assist and/or take over the Stage Management
Mentees in the event that they have difficulty or are unable to
carry out their stage management duties. In the case of a Stage
Management Mentee being unable to continue, the Stage
Management Mentor with take over the position until a
replacement Stage Manager Mentee is found.
Safety and Security
Assist the Production Manager and the Programme & Partnerships
Manager in implementing a comprehensive Health & Safety and
Risk Analysis Plan.
Assist Stage Manager Mentees in educating the casts and crews of
about proper Health & Safety practices.
Work with the Production Manager to ensure building security
procedures are understood and followed by all Festival personnel
Together with the Production Manager, maintain responsibility for
the safety of the performance venue during pack in, and
throughout the season until pack out is completed
Together with the Production Manager, ensure all Young & Hungry
personnel operate within all BATS Theatre – and by extension,
Council and Government - regulations, at all times.
Communications
Work with all festival personnel to ensure that communication
pathways are effectively utilized and any conflicts and/or
misunderstandings are resolved in a respectful, professional and
timely manner.
If a conflict or serious incident should arise, the Stage
Management Mentor must complete an incident report and inform
the Programme & Partnerships Manager immediately
Administration
Attend weekly Production Meetings reporting on all progress,
requirements, challenges and/or issues that require attention or
resolution
Maintain accurate records of volunteer hours worked by each
Stage Manager Mentee and provide these details in your weekly
Production Meeting report
Provide procedural documentation to the Programme &
Partnerships Manager covering all aspects of this position
Together with the Production Manager, keep inventory of all
equipment purchased, hired and/or borrowed
Where practicable, assist with festival tasks and projects as
reasonably requested by the Production Manager.
Reports
The Stage Management Mentor will provide a comprehensive
report detailing the 2012 Festival season. This report should
include: analysis of timelines and processes; evaluations of Stage
Manager Mentees; successes and outcomes; budget actuals, and;
recommendations for the 2013 festival season.