POSITION: Assistant Lighting Director
DEPARTMENT: Lighting
CLASSIFICATION: Full-time Salary, Exempt
SUPERVISOR: Lighting Director
OVERVIEW
Founded in 1947 by Nina Vance, the Alley Theatre is a pioneer of regional theatre, and one of the leading nonprofit theatre companies in the United States. The Alley has been awarded the prestigious Regional Theatre Tony Award and the Texas Medal of Arts Award. The Alley has transferred productions to Broadway, Off-Broadway, major European Festivals, and to 40 American cities. Unique among regional theatres, the Alley is committed to maintaining a Resident Acting Company and providing them with work year-round. Nationally recognized directors, actors, playwrights, and designers from across the country have regularly joined the Resident Acting Company.
Rob Melrose, Artistic Director at the Alley, took over as artistic leader of the organization in 2019. His vision for the future of the Alley is both thrilling and ambitious. His strategic goals include upholding the Alley’s artistic excellence, keeping longtime Alley Theatre devotees eager to return each season, and creating productions and cultivating new audiences that are as diverse and vibrant as the city of Houston.
Rob Melrose, Managing Director Dean Gladden and Alley’s leadership team are committed to promoting Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) in all aspects of the Theatre’s programming and operations. We are conscious about fostering an environment where everyone is encouraged to bring their authentic selves. We embrace differences and strive to be inclusive of all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.
JOB STATEMENT
Assisting in the leadership of the Lighting Team, the Assistant Lighting Director supports the Lighting Director in the management of the department through the execution of assigned tasks such as drafting, paperwork generation, inventory management, purchasing, payroll processing, pricing, and scheduling. The Assistant Lighting Director provides feedback and input on departmental policy as well as the hiring and evaluation of staff and represents the Lighting Director in the event of their absence.
Additionally, the Assistant Lighting Director serves as the Resident Assistant to Guest Lighting Designers. In this capacity, they provide tech table support as needed includingbut not limited totracking work and focus notes, executing any paperwork changes, instructing followspot operators, and ensuring that the design is well-documented. In this capacity, they are responsible for the final documentation package for each design.
JOB DUTIES
- Supports Guest Lighting Designers as needed during the technical rehearsal process on all productions.
- Maintains an ongoing list of work and focus notes according to departmental standard throughout the technical rehearsal process and ensures those notes are clearly articulated to the Electrics Supervisors and Lighting Director.
- Documents each production according to departmental standard and the needs of the Guest Lighting Designers includingbut not limited tomaking focus charts, cue lists, and followspot sheets.
- Accurately represents the capacity of the department when communicating with Guest Lighting Designers.
- Ensures that all drawings and paperwork accurately represent the show as installed and is responsible for the final archive documentation.
- Provides show running documentation to the Light Board Programmer and Operator.
- Assists the Lighting Director to advance shows as directed. Tasks vary based on the needs of the production calendar but can include attending meetings, evaluating design submissions, coordinating rentals, producing cost estimates, making show-specific purchases, drafting plots and schematics, and producing production paperwork.
- Facilitates the tech process by designing tech table layouts in coordination with the needs of the production and soliciting Cue Light placement from Stage Management.
- Assists the Lighting Director in tracking the inventory for in-house productions and external rentals.
- Assists in the overseeing of budgetary resources including making requested purchases, documenting purchases, and monitoring departmental spending and estimates to ensure compliance with the budget.
- Participates in the interview and hiring process for Lighting Department staff and overhire.
- Assists in the scheduling and payroll processing for Lighting Department staff and overhire.
- Provides feedback for Lighting Department employee evaluations.
- Assists in the development and documentation of departmental procedure and standards.
- Assists in the maintenance of departmental templates including venue drawings and paperwork templates.
- Represents the Lighting Director when they are unavailable and keeps the Lighting Director apprised of any information that develops during their absence.
- Assists in keeping the order and cleanliness of all departmental workspaces.
- Performs all work with a high attention to detail to the standards of the department as outlined by the Lighting Director.
- Participates in company and departmental meetings as fully as they are able for the betterment of the Lighting Department and the Alley Theatre at-large.
- Represents the theatre’s technical resources as required by the Production Manager for theatre programs includingbut not limited toadditional performances, special events, educational and community outreach programs, building rentals and other non-Alley building functions.
- Acts in concert with the theatre’s safety policies, including the fall protection and hardhat policies.
- Additional duties as assigned.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Assists in the development and documentation of departmental standards and procedures.
- Provides feedback to the Lighting Director in support of the employee evaluation process.
- Participates in the interview and selection process for new staff members and overhire in collaboration with the Lighting Director.
- Demonstrates best practices.
