Accepting applications for 2 positions at AHSDFA’s Provincial Festival

The Alberta High School Drama Festival Association (AHSDFA) is taking names for 2 crucial positions open for the upcoming Festival. This is to enable a more equitable approach with our hired positions in the association.

Both Back of House Manager and Front of House Festival Director positions are open for anyone (previously in this role and new to the role) to consider. These roles are paid positions and without them the Festival cannot run. If you would like to consider taking this role on and would like more info, refer to the job descriptions below. Interested parties can submit their name and experience particulars at the Fall AGM as well as via email.

Deadline to submit: October 15, 2016.

Participation within (past & current) Alberta Zone & Provincial Drama Festivals would be an asset in this position but is not necessary.

Fall AGM Sunday, September 18 at 11am
Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive HS, Red Deer, 4204-58 Street.

BACK-OF-HOUSE FESTIVAL MANAGER

Job Description – Backstage Festival Director

The Backstage Festival Director shall:

• Liaise with the Front of House Festival Director.
• Be responsible for the RDC Technician hires (along with President).
• Create Festival schedule yearly:
  • Gather registration information from the secretary/ online registration system.
  • Create a schedule of Performance sessions:
    • Session 1: Thursday, starting at 12pm.
    • Session 2: Thursday, starting at 7pm.
    • Session 3: Friday, starting at 12pm.
    • Session 4: Friday, starting at 7pm.
    • Session 5: Saturday, starting at 12pm.
  • Create a schedule of Tech Times:
    • One hour tech time per performance group.
    • Prior to a Performance Group’s session, in reverse order of performances in that session.
  • Create a Dressing Room schedule ahead of time so that performance groups can unpack while waiting for tech times.
• Liaise with the technical directors (Audio, Lighting, Stage Manager, Technical Adjudicator) to ensure transparent communication
• Act as Stage Manager for the Performance sessions:
  • Give each group 10 and 5 minute warnings.
  • Guide groups when and where to wait prior to their performance.
  • Help keep performance groups informed.
  • Ensure timing of each performance is accurately completed.
    • Time of show starts with first cue.
• Give feedback to Executive.
• Ensure the tech team and adjudicators are fed.
  • Provide water.
  • Pizza.
• Ensure the Festival Banners are hung inside the theatre.
• Ensure the Adjudicator table is set up.
• Oversee the Student ASM Position:
  • Student ASM Responsibilities:
    • Arrival Greetings.
    • Ensure schools know where to load and unload set.
    • Give a tour to all schools who request it.
    • Liaise with schools and Stage Manager.
    • Communicate appropriate stand by times with schools.
    • Help schools with questions.

TERMS AND PROCESS OF RELEASE:

The Backstage Festival Director shall:

• Be in office for no less than two years.
• Be required to be re-elected every two years.
• Be released from the board if duties are not being fulfilled by a majority vote from the executive.
• Be replaced by the Vice-President until elections can be held at the next general meeting or by a competent member.

Qualifications and Skills:

• Commitment to the development of theatrical skills for youth.
• Commitment to the AHSDFA.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Basic computer communication & word skills.
• Organizational, initiative & completion skills.
• Knowledge of the challenges of teaching drama.
• Knowledge of quality in theatre.
• Phone and email skills.

Benefits:

• Connections with drama teachers in the province.
• Honorarium of $1000.00, as previously approved by the executive.

Time and Financial Requirements:

• Expenses generally covered by the organization.
• 5 hours for September’s meeting.
• Planning, organizing -20 hours.
• 3 days work at the festival & preparation time.

Deadline to submit: October 15, 2016.

FRONT-OF-HOUSE FESTIVAL MANAGER

Job Description – Front-of-House Festival Director:

The Front-of-House Festival Director shall:

• Liaise with the Backstage Festival Director.
• Plan and organize all events for participants except those that relate to putting the plays on the stage.
• Manage adjudication rooms and sending students to the correct placements for private adjudications.
• Be the Front of House Manager during the festival:
  • Set up registration desk with other executives:
  • Help run registration.
  • Be at the FOH desk for ticket sales and registrations 30 minutes prior to all Performance Sessions.
  • Check in at the FOH desk between all shows.
• Create a Facebook Group for the Provincial Festival, on a yearly basis.

REQUIREMENTS:

The Front-of-House Festival Director shall:

• Liaise with Red Deer College staff and instructors.
• Be on headset for the entirety of the festival, to liaise with the SM and ASMs.
  • Let FOH staff know when to flash lights/ close doors.
• Obtain all the workshop leaders for the festival.
• Obtain resumes and synopsis for each workshop.
• Organize the workshops, equipment and rooms for the festival.
• Hire the caterers for the banquet.
• Hire the DJ for the dance for the banquet/celebration.
• Ensure that a program is co-created for the festival.
• Supervise the registration desk for the festival.
• Ensure that Theatre Alberta and AFA sponsor signs are visible.
• Ensure that participants have paid and have identification tags.
• Set out workshop sign-up sheets.
• Greet the workshop leaders and take them to their rooms.
• Obtain feedback from the participants.

TERMS AND PROCESS OF RELEASE:

The Front of House Co-Festival Director shall:

• Be in office for no less than two years.
• Be required to be re-elected every two years.
• Be released from the board if duties are not being fulfilled by a majority vote from the executive.
• Be replaced by the Vice-President until elections can be held at the next general meeting or by a competent member.

General Duties:

January:

• Contact Red Deer College to find out who might want to give workshops at the Festival in May.
• Find other instructors to fill the needs of the Festival based upon available rooms.

February:

• Finalize workshops and book rooms.
• Hire the caterer and the DJ.

March:

• Contact Front of House and Facilities at RDC.

April:

• Ensure that insurance has been taken out on the festival (with President).

Late April:

• Finalize and touch base with all workshop leaders. Ask them what they need for their workshops, then purchase items for them.

May:

• Collect registration forms from Secretary to see numbers.
• Create a program for the festival (template exists), including:
  • Workshop Information.
  • Festival Schedule.
  • Adjudicator Information.
• Gather all necessary materials for the festival.
• Ensure that registration materials are ready – receipt book, cash box, pens, posters etc.

At festival:

• Be at registration, Thursday, 10am.
• Be present as the FOH manager, on headset, for the entirety of the festival.
• Greet the Workshops leaders and take them to their rooms Friday/ Saturday morning (be available at registration desk by 8am).
• Organize the students into workshops each morning.
• Ensure that cheques are issued to caterers, DJ’s and workshop leaders.
• Ensure the cashbox is safe for the entirety of the festival (between shows, etc).
• Go to registration desk between every show.

Review and Approval Date: Approval, October, 2015.

Qualifications and Skills:

• Commitment to the development of theatrical skills for youth.
• Commitment to the AHSDFA.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Basic computer communication & word skills.
• Organizational, initiative & completion skills.
• Knowledge of the challenges of teaching drama.
• Knowledge of quality in theatre.
• Phone and email skills.

Benefits:

• Connections with drama teachers in the province.
• Honorarium of $1000.00 should the money be available.

Successful candidates may have participated (past & current) within Alberta Zone & Provincial drama festivals but this is not a necessary qualification.

Deadline to submit: October 15, 2016.

Contact: Trina Penner M.Ed., B.A., B.Ed,
trina.penner@rdpsd.ab.ca
www.albertadrama.com
President, Alberta High School Drama Festival Association