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  • 1.  Making case for full time Theater Technical Director

    Posted 04-27-2022 17:00
    Our school has never employed a full or part-time theater technical director. Administration has expected the school's IT dpt to help out where they can, and we've contracted lighting/sound/set design per production. I am making the case for a full time hire for many reasons (that you all would know)...safety, consistency, protection of technical equipment, student training...etc. 
    If you work for an independent school (preferably K-12) and do have a technical director, can you respond to this query? And if you don't mind answering a few other questions additionally-

    -salary range?
    -number of productions per year?
    -number of theater spaces?
    -teach tech class(es)?
    -does your school rent spaces to outside parties?


    Thank you so!


    ------------------------------
    Tracy Herber
    Theatre Director/Performing Arts Chair
    The Pembroke Hill School
    MO
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  • 2.  RE: Making case for full time Theater Technical Director

    Posted 04-28-2022 05:29
     I don't know the salary range but we do have a full time director whom we hired in 20-21 Because he has admin experience they justified it by putting in charge of Covid protocols. He has a study hall and works with development too for their events. We do three shows (no musicals) a year. He has a scene lighting class, a video production class, and will teach middle school drama. We have 4 day a week after school tech program. Don't know the salary range but I suspect the same as a full time teacher. Previously we had a part time teacher who worked a lot of unpaid hours who loved theatre. He was a sound engineer by trade, but also designed and constructed professional level sets and rigged lighting and constructed props. Biggest challenge will be finding one person with all the skills needed. Most tech people these days specialize. So might know sets but at a loss when confronted with a light board. Other challenges will be that person will quickly become popular with development and outside groups. Make sure your program takes precedence. That took us a few years! Good luck!



    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Making case for full time Theater Technical Director

    Posted 04-28-2022 13:00
    This has been discussed here several times, and the usual consensus is that there's a huge difference between a designer (any kind of designer) and a TD. As Elizabeth said above, most people specialize, and it's because they have different interests. Expecting someone who really wants a TD/carpenter/equipment job to also design can easily become a slippery slope, and the ones who will get the short end of the stick are the students. Finding someone who was trained in everything, and is really skilled in everything -- including teaching -- is getting more difficult by the year.

    I wrote a piece about TDs in my blog a few years ago, at https://setdesignandtech.wordpress.com/2016/07/21/the-technical-director/

    And one thing I mentioned in another blog post, about hiring designers, is that you want to take a long hard look at their design portfolio, 'cuz what you see is what you will get.

    ------------------------------
    George F. Ledo
    Set designer
    www.setdesignandtech.wordpress.com
    www.georgefledo.net
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Making case for full time Theater Technical Director

    Posted 04-28-2022 12:55
    I'm following this thread as my school too is finally discussing the possibility of a full time tech director (we are also a private school). I've been working 12+ years and we've never had a tech director either. The program is getting too big for me to do all the dept. head, directing and tech director jobs. We've split the directing job but it's still a no go for a tech director. Our tech side is sorely lacking. Any insight those schools that have a tech director could give would be amazing!

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    Jillian Lietzau
    Lutheran High School
    CO
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Making case for full time Theater Technical Director

    Posted 04-29-2022 10:05
    We have an Auditorium Coordinator in our district who essentially is responsible for all school events held in the high school auditorium.  This includes two full-length productions where he builds the set (separate set designer), designs the lights and sound, and runs the student production crew.  He also must set up and break down for the winter and spring music concerts/rehearsals and board of ed meeting in addition to any school evening event (honor society inductions, parent meetings, etc).  He is not a certified teacher and does not teach any classes.  He is paid $45,000 for this 10-month position and is given a separate contract for any outside vendors who rent our space.  Hope this helps--contact me if you have any questions!

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    Laura Russo
    Teacher/Director of Theatre Arts
    Chatham High School
    NJ
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    Original Message


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