People Strategy, Equity, and Culture

Performing Arts Center Rental and Technical Coordinator

  • Title: Performing Arts Center Rental and Technical Coordinator
  • Category: Academic Professional
  • FLSA: Exempt
  • Level: 5

Job Summary

The Performing Arts Center Rental and Technical Director works with the Theater Coordinator to manage the operations of the PAC, the Little Theatre, and associated equipment. The incumbent in this classification coordinates the scheduling of and implements rental and campus events in the PAC, the Little Theater, and the PAC classroom.  The incumbent will instruct classes in technical theater, and selects, schedules, trains and directs rental production crews, including student and casual workers.  Supervises the Scene Shop, including overseeing the construction and rigging of scenery, lights, sound, and projections for rental and theatre main-stage productions.  Serves as technical director for rental events.  Responsible for the safe and effective implementation of rental events—incumbent has independent decision-making authority and works with little or no supervision.

Typical Duties and Responsibilities

  1. Serve as technical director for rental events. Meets with clients to determine timelines and required preparations for rental events and productions, including client expectations for lighting, sound, rigging, stage arrangement, equipment, and production crew.  Responsible for assuring that client technical and production needs are met, including troubleshooting issues and problems that may arise.  Makes independent decisions to assure client satisfaction and safe rental events and productions.
  2. Instruct technical theater credit courses, up to ten hours per week. Develop and revise curriculum and course content outcome guides.
  3. Select, schedule, coordinate, and direct rental production crews, including student and casual workers, according to the needs of the client.  May coordinate house management requirements for rental productions (e.g., ushers, ticket booth, house manager, and custodial staff).  Screen, interview, and hire staff.  Process appropriate paperwork.  Participate in resolution of performance issues, as needed.
  4. Responsible for day-to-day operation of the Scene Shop, including overseeing the building of sets for rental events and for outside clients, as well as scenery for main-stage theatre productions.  Trains Scene Shop workers in proper safety procedures and monitors workers to assure that they follow the procedures.
  5. Trains and directs crews in proper technical staging methods and practices, including especially appropriate safety procedures in the work area.  This includes working with stage lighting and light board, sound system, moving sets, rigging curtains and set pieces, and other production support activities.
  6. Assist with the marketing of the PAC, including providing guided tours of facilities.
  7. Maintain necessary inventory of tools, materials, and supplies, as well as assure that facilities and equipment are in proper condition for rentals.  Inspect, repair, or replace rigging hardware, lighting instruments/cables, and sound equipment as needed.  Submit maintenance requests to the Service Request Center as necessary.
  8. Provide back-up coverage for the Theatre Coordinator as necessary.
  9. Perform related duties as assigned.

Work Environment and Physical Requirements

Varied locations, including classroom, stage, scene shop, and office environments. Construction of sets and placement of lighting requires the ability to bend, stoop, crawl, and climb. Ability to lift and place sets that may weigh up to 50 pounds.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree with concentration in Technical Theater in addition to technical training in multipurpose performance facility operations required. Experience performing the duties of this job may substitute for the degree requirement on a year for year basis.

Demonstrated experience in an educational theater environment required. Experience in facility management and scheduling practices commonly used in running a multi-use theatrical facility. Demonstrated experience overseeing varied production crews.  Demonstrated ability to interact effectively with internal and external clients.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge of:
  • Equipment commonly found in a theater facility, e.g., scene shop, rigging, lighting, sound, house and stage areas, etc;
  • Technical theater operational procedures, including lighting, rigging, sound systems, set construction and audio-visual equipment;
  • OSHA and other local, state, and federal guidelines related to theater practices, as well as safe procedures for the construction and installation of scenery, rigging, and lighting;
  • Effective management and scheduling techniques used in multi-use theatrical facility;
  • Effective supervisory practices and techniques;
  • Current instructional methods, materials, and curriculum development.
Skills in:
  • Technical theater instruction;
  • Supervising assigned staff and in theater management;
  • Operating a variety of office, scene shop, and stage production equipment;
  • Prioritizing and managing multiple projects or to change priorities quickly.
Ability to:
  • Work in stressful situations and remain calm;
  • Train and oversee the work of others;
  • Work with an ethnically and culturally diverse population;
  • Cooperatively identify and resolve problems or issues with students, staff, and clients;
  • Communicate effectively in oral and written form;
  • Work a varied schedule.

Reviewed: 12/2018

  • Revised: 5/2006
  • Replaces: Performing Arts Center – Production and Safety Coordinator; 12/2005