MCS Resident Director (Fixed term, one year)

Submitted by recruitment@oxf... on May 4, 2023 - 11:09
Salary / Fee: 
£24,014
Closing Date: 
Monday, 15 May, 2023

Magdalen College School & Oxford Playhouse are seeking to appoint an enthusiastic and versatile Resident Director on a 1-year Fixed-Term Contract for the academic year 2023-2024. This residency opportunity, now in its thirteenth year, is a fantastic opportunity for a talented, ambitious theatre maker to gain experience of professional theatre and apply their learning through a variety of school productions and outreach programmes. The post holder will be employed by the school, with extensive opportunities for developing professional skills and experience through training, mentoring, shadowing and delivery at Oxford Playhouse.

At Magdalen College School, the Resident Director will work closely with the Head of Drama to maintain and develop the artistic and professional standards of school drama productions. This will include leading weekly sessions for the MCS Theatre Academy group (years 9-11), devising and delivering a broad range of skills development workshops for the students, as well as the Lower School Theatre Academy (years 7-8), which performs at least one play during the course of the year.

The Resident Director will be expected to direct at least three school productions over the year, working with a range of age groups. This will include reading scripts and choosing the title and aims for each production in agreement with the Resident Producer and Head of Drama. The Resident Director is expected to generate the overall vision and concept, hold auditions and cast, take rehearsals and lead the technical rehearsals. The Resident Director will usually take a school production (with a Sixth Form cast) to the Edinburgh Fringe (or equivalent tour) during August.

Opportunities with Oxford Playhouse will be tailored, as best as possible, to the individual interests of the Resident Director post-holder. The theatre will provide mentoring and advice, throughout the year, including hand-on support with project management, funding applications, budget-writing, contracts, career development and industry introductions.

The Resident Director will work as Assistant Director on Oxford Playhouse’s pantomime Jack and the Beanstalk, with specific responsibility for preparing the Young Company (16 young performers between the ages of 11 and 15). The role will support the Director in full company rehearsals both through creative input and administrative tasks, ensuring good communication between the creative team and staff. The Resident Director will be expected to lead on line runs, understudy rehearsals and visit the show on a weekly basis to give notes to the company.

Further opportunities may include leading and supporting the planning and delivery of Youth Theatre skills sessions at the Playhouse, as well as providing both administrative and dramaturgical support to the Playhouse Playmaker artist development scheme. Opportunities to direct and assistant direct on Playhouse productions can be explored across the year, with previous examples including directing extracts of new writing from the Playhouse Playmaker scheme, co-directing short plays written by primary school children on our Primary Playmaker scheme, and assistant directing on the Playhouse Plays Out Tent community tour project.

Contact Details: 

To apply for the position, applicants must download and send their Application Form and CV to: recruitment@mcsoxford.org

Application form can be downloaded from the OP website: https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/jobs/mcs...

Closing date: Mon 15 May 2023, 12noon

Interviews: w/c Mon 22 May 2023

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