Guest Director (School House Rock Live, Jr.)
Harvey S. Firestone
High School in Akron, Ohio, is now accepting applications to fill the
position of GUEST DIRECTOR for the upcoming production of School
House Rock Live, Jr. The guest director reports to and works closely
with the theatre director on the direction of a 45-minute theatre production of
a touring production specifically designed for students in grades K through 5. The
guest director will be responsible for setting and fulfilling an appropriate rehearsal
schedule and to work directly with a student choreographer.
This production of School House Rock Live, Jr. has one scheduled performance to
be held at the Akron Civic Theatre on Sunday, November 18, 2012. Auditions are
tentatively scheduled to be held Monday, September 24, 2012. Rehearsals are
tentatively scheduled to begin Monday, October 15, 2012.
Firestone Theatre is a highly respected, pre-professional
theatre education program housed at Firestone High School, a large public urban
school with a highly-diverse community of learners.
This is a part-time position with somewhat flexible hours
generally scheduled for weekdays between the hours of 3:30 and 7:00 p.m.
Tasks, Activities, and Responsibilities
The
Guest Director will:
· assume
responsibility for all creative aspects of a production with a cast of not more
than 9 students
· collaborate
with theatre director in the creation an appropriate rehearsal schedule
· maintain
established rehearsal schedule to the greatest extent possible
· establish
good attendance practice by starting and ending each rehearsal according to the
published schedule
· conduct
rehearsals without the direct supervision of the theatre director
· make
consistently positive contributions to the creative process
· serve as a mentor / role model to high school students,
sharing knowledge, skills, and guidance
· maintain and reinforce an
environment of safety for all students and staff
· assume reasonable responsibility
for the general upkeep of rehearsal space
· work collaboratively with theatre
staff, student leaders, and parent volunteers on the creative process as
appropriate
· maintain
an “open door” policy for all rehearsals so that other members of the
production team and/or school administrators may observe without prior notice
Skills and Qualifications
The
candidate must:
· be an experienced educational
theatre professional
· have demonstrated creative experiences
working collaboratively with young performers
· be
subject to an official background check before working with minors
· possess
at least a high school diploma or GED
The
outstanding candidate will:
· possess excellent organization and
communication skills
· be reliable with a strong work
ethic and professional behavior
· practice patience, creativity, and
flexibility
· easily work collaboratively as part
of a team
· work well with people from a wide
variety of backgrounds.
Potential Rehearsal Schedule
A
successful candidate will:
· plan an appropriate rehearsal
schedule with approval of the theatre director
· work a mutually agreeable but as
yet undetermined number of rehearsal hours
· be available mostly during the
after-school period weekdays from 3:30 – 7:00 p.m.
· be available for production and
other meetings as appropriate
Details of Compensation
The
Guest Director will:
· be paid a mutually agreeable
stipend as a community resource, seasonal employee
· not technically be an employee of Harvey
S. Firestone High School or the Akron Board of Education.
· not be eligible for any fringe benefits
To Apply:
Send
cover letter and resume to Theatre Director, Harvey S. Firestone HS, 333
Rampart Avenue, Akron, OH 44313.
Deadline: Wednesday, August 29, 2012. E-mail
applications will also be accepted to FirestoneTheatre@gmail.com
Program Description
Harvey S. Firestone High School is the home of the high
school component of the district’s nationally recognized Visual and Performing
Arts Program. Students select from five successful programs: choral music,
dance, instrumental music, fine art, and theatre. Each program is intensive and
designed for the serious student who is intent on pursuing an arts career.
Firestone Theatre is the play production component of
this program and features a full season of plays and musicals. We provide
students with pre-professional opportunities to appear on stage and to
contribute to the creative process via a backstage or support role. Firestone
students are not just actors but also designers and technicians; our students
design sound, lights, scenery, props, ad many other aspects of production. Students run the equipment, pull props, play
an instrument for the musical pit, focus lights, sell tickets, serve as ushers,
and record sound effects as well as build, paint, and move scenery. A few
especially talented students have earned the privilege of directing a
production in the annual festival of one-act plays.
Firestone students are active in state and area
activities of the Educational Theatre Association. Hundreds of students have
attended conferences and other events as part of the Thespian Troupe 5570. A
number of students have received the Bob Fose Memorial Scholarship which
represents the highest individual award given to a Thespian in the State of
Ohio. Dozens of Firestone students have successfully competed in the Individual
Theatre Events Competition at the State Thespian Conference. Students have
earned first place in categories such as Monologue Performance, Solo Pantomime,
Duet Pantomime, Duet Musical Theatre, Solo Musical Theatre, Stage Management, and
Prop Design.
Six Firestone Theatre productions have been selected by
the Ohio Educational Theatre Association since 1997 as featured, full-length
productions at the State Thespian Conference. Those plays include Macbeth (2008), for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf (2006), The Servant of Two Masters (2004), Dear Gabby: the Confessions of an
Over-Achiever (2010 and 2000), The
Seagull (1999), and Much Ado About
Nothing (1997). These selections represent the highest honor available to
high school theatre productions in the State of Ohio.
One Firestone Theatre production, The Seagull, was invited as a featured production to the
International Thespian Festival in 1999.
