Celebrating our 61^st Season

CALL FOR DIRECTORS

2019-2020 SEASON

Scarborough Players invites applications from Directors for the following productions:

• Rabbit Hole by David Lindsay-Abaire September 2019
• Miracle on 34^th Street adapted by the Mountain Community Theatre November/December 2019
• Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice adapted Christopher Baker March 2020
• The Government Inspector adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher June 2020

*Important:  Please, submit your application by March 2, 2019

PLEASE REVIEW THE ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENT FOR PRESENTATION/INTERVIEW* CRITERIA

Application Information

To apply, please prepare and submit the following items:

• A current resume highlighting relevant experience
• A cover letter stating the production title(s) in which you are interested
• Names and numbers of two arts-related references, for example, theatre groups for which you have worked with previously

*Submit your application by mail to:

Scarborough Players Hiring Committee

c/o 780 Birchmount Avenue, Unit #5

Scarborough, ON

M1K 5H4

*or by email to:  spdirectorhiringcommittee@gmail.com

(Please note: this is a new email address)

*Application Deadline is March 2, 2019

Interviews will be conducted likely in mid-March 2019 – times will be confirmed by the director hiring committee.

For further information, email spdirectorhiringcommittee@gmail.com

Additional notes:

• While we strive to interview as many candidates as possible. We cannot guarantee that all applicants will be interviewed.
• Productions are subject to availability of performing rights.
• Scarborough Players is a community theatre organization – non-union/non-paying
• Scarborough Players is a volunteer organization and we do not provide honorariums

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Celebrating our 61st Season

2019-2020 SEASON

DIRECTOR PROPOSAL CRITERIA

For your interview, please prepare a proposal describing your understanding of the play and how it will be realized in the production. The Hiring Committee asks that you please provide a written copy of your proposal at the interview. The copy proves to be most helpful during the committee’s deliberations. Please be sure to cover the following topics in your proposal:

• Story Telling i.e. What is the style of the production? What’s the primary action? How does this story engage the audience?
• Casting Requirements with brief character summaries (please do not recite from script; we’d like to know your perception of the characters)
• Audition Process
• Rehearsal Process
• Set and Props Concepts and Challenges, if applicable (please take into account our stage is a thrust stage and how you will take advantage of that)
• Lighting and Sound Concepts (and Challenges, if applicable)
• Hair and Makeup Concepts (and Challenges, if applicable)
• Costume Concepts (and Challenges, if applicable)
• Each production has a budget of $3,000, which will be strictly enforced.
  1. How do you see this budget being distributed? Ex. 15% costumes, 5% hair and make up, 35% set, 20% props, 5% sound, 20% lighting
  2. Is there anything in your concept for the production that may require special arrangements or costs? Ex., fight coordinator, hydraulic beauty shop chair that raises and lowers, revolving gobos, etc.
• Preferred Production Staff, if applicable
• Any commitments that would conflict with rehearsal or show dates

If you have not already submitted a resume of previous productions, please bring one to the director interview. If you have not already provided names and phone numbers of two references, please do so prior to the director interview.

A copy of the director job description and audition policy are available by request.

Please Note:

• The interview is 20 minutes total which includes a 10-minute presentation and 10 minutes for questions from the hiring panel.
• All plays this season are protected by Royalty Agreements – if your vision requires changes to the script not outlined in the agreement such as changing lines or when the play is set, please note that the permission of the playwright must be sought.

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JOB DESCRIPTION- DIRECTOR

The Director is hired by the Board of Scarborough Players to direct the play on its behalf and is ultimately responsible to the Board. During the interview, the Director will have communicated an artistic vision for the production and as such is expected to remain consistent with this original proposal. However, Scarborough Players also acknowledges that a director’s understanding of a play grows over time. Any significant changes to the vision as proposed will require Board approval. The Director agrees to make no changes, additions or deletions to the script without consent of the Board and acknowledges that permission to do so may need to be obtained from the publisher/rights holder.

The Director is responsible for the overall artistic concept of the play and will ensure that it is being properly carried out by liaising with production staff at regularly scheduled production meetings and whenever else necessary. The director is encouraged to suggest his or her own candidates for production staff, subject to the approval of the Producer and Players Board. The director will assist the producer in setting a budget for the show (maximum of $3000) but may not make or plan expenditures without approval of the producer.

The Director must attend all auditions and call-backs and is responsible for final casting within the guidelines set by the Scarborough Players Audition Policy.

The Director will set the rehearsal schedule and make it available at the first rehearsal. Rehearsals will take place on evenings and weekends and are usually held on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 7:30 to 10:30 pm and on Sunday afternoons 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm. The Sunday afternoon rehearsals can start earlier if needed. Sometimes Sunday evening rehearsals are required but not encouraged and should not end later than 10:00 p.m. Extra rehearsals may be scheduled if necessary if the unit is available. The Stage Manager is in charge of the rehearsal and has the authority to ensure that it begins and ends on time and to set one ten-minute break. Once rehearsals move into the theatre, they can start earlier to reflect call times. The times in the theatre are coordinated with the manager of the Scarborough Village Recreation Centre and are on a permit. There must be one “dark” night for the actors after the cue to cue and tech Sunday. It is best on the Monday following but could be on the Tuesday in the week of the show’s opening night.

At the end of the final dress rehearsal the Director’s artistic input shall be considered complete. At this point the Stage Manager is in charge of the production. The director is expected to attend both opening and closing nights, the audience talk-back (final Thursday of the run) and if the show is entered into the Act-Co Festival, the adjudication. The director may attend all performances free of charge taking an available seat. Once the show has opened, the Director is not allowed backstage without the permission of the Stage Manager and at no time may offer any further direction directly to cast or crew. Any notes the Director may have in the interests of maintaining the consistency of the vision of the play as directed can be given to the Stage Manager who will pass them on as the keeper of the Director’s vision of the play.

Considerations:

• We highly recommend the weeknight 7:30 start as it allows cast members to get home from work and have dinner. Also, if you start at 7:30 pm, you could have a production meeting earlier or invite an actor in early for a coaching session.
• We value Sunday afternoon rehearsals as this give the director at least 4 hours of rested, focused actors and provides time for runs, notes and repeat if needed. Again, production meetings can be scheduled for 11:45 a.m. and be done before rehearsal begins. Also the earlier time is great for photography sessions that do not impinge on rehearsal times.

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