Associate Artistic Director - The Children's Theatre Company

The new Associate Artistic Director joins CTC at an exciting moment for new play development. A new strategic plan recently adopted by the Board of Directors articulates a strategic focus to “Expand the canon of new plays for the stage and ensure a future life”. New play development activity will focus on several projects with commercial producing partners, other regional and TYA theatres, and a major new five-theatre initiative called “Generation Now” which was recently awarded a $1.5 million grant from the Mellon Foundation. Generation Now is a five‐year, partnership between five national theatre leaders: Native Voices at the Autry, the Latino Theater Company, Ma‐Yi Theater Company, Children’s Theatre Company, and Penumbra Theatre Company that will commission and develop 16 plays from writers who are Black, Indigenous, Latino, and Asian American.



CTC is committed to equity, diversity, inclusion and justice in our organization and our community, and thus we seek a broad spectrum of employees. We strongly encourage and welcome applicants who are Black, Indigenous or People of Color, as well as those who are from other underrepresented communities.



ORGANIZATION DESCRIPTION

Led by Artistic Director Peter C. Brosius and Managing Director Kimberly Motes, Children's Theatre Company (CTC) is the nation’s leading theatre for multigenerational audiences and is one of the 25 largest producing theatres in the United States. A winner of the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre, CTC creates extraordinary theatre experiences that educate, challenge and inspire young people. It has set standards of excellence in the quality of its productions, commitment to new work, and innovative education and community partnerships.



DESCRIPTION OF MINNEAPOLIS AND THE TWIN CITIES METRO AREA

Minneapolis and the Twin Cities area has a thriving and vibrant arts scene. The Twin Cities metro area is one of the largest theatre markets in the country, with over 150 theatres. Minnesota year in and year out ranks near the top nationwide in federal and state arts funding and has a strong history of private arts philanthropy.

The Twin Cities area is the second largest economic center in the Midwest and is annually ranked as a top area in terms of quality of life. It is home to several restaurants and chefs who are James Beard nominees or winners. The Minneapolis parks system has been called the best-designed, best-financed and best-maintained in America.



DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION STATEMENT

CTC is dedicated to increasing justice, equity, diversity and inclusion in our audiences, our programs and in all of our hiring for staff, artists, and recruiting of board members. CTC is committed to a future where our theatre is a home for all people, all families, and is truly reflective of our community. We are also committed to providing a work environment that is free from discrimination. CTC prohibits discrimination in employment against any employee or job applicant because of that person’s race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, sex, national origin, disability, genetic information, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, familial status, veteran status, status with regard to public assistance, membership in a local human rights commission or any other legally protected status.



POSITION SUMMARY

The Associate Artistic Director will oversee the artistic day-to-day operations including the season planning process, provide artistic support to productions, and lead, manage, and produce a robust roster of new play development activities that move new work from inception to the initial production. This position also serves as a key member of the artistic team to lead multiple new play collaborations for CTC including: 1) “Generation Now” initiative; 2) projects that have commercial theatre partners, and; 3) projects that involve multiple regional and TYA theatres. This role participates in season selection and planning, and identifies writers, creative team members, and potential producing partners and collaborates with various internal colleagues to connect new play and artistic activities to a variety of departments including Education, Community Engagement, Marketing, and Development. The Associate Artistic Director serves as a member of the senior management team, advising and assisting the Artistic and Managing Directors on institutional planning. They supervise the Casting Director and an administrative fellow focused on the Generation Now work.



ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS



Artistic Support and Season Planning

• Provide council to the Artistic Director in determining artistic goals, and priorities for programs, policies and season planning

• Lead and facilitate season planning process incorporating Production, Artistic and Administrative leaders

• Communicate information about the plays under consideration to relevant staff members and departments during season planning and budgeting processes

• Develop digital projects, touring opportunities and strategic partnerships with local, national and international theatres, including scheduling and budget development of co-productions

• Lead produce all transfers and co-productions

• Support efforts on commercial projects as needed

• Research and maintain knowledge base and relationships in the theatre field to be able to recommend artists, playwrights, directors, designers and dramaturgs for projects, with a focus on those whose perspectives are underrepresented in theatre

• Hire and schedule dramaturgs for projects and provide institutional support for both dramaturgs and commissioned playwrights

• Supervise Casting Director and work with them to scout productions locally and nationally for actors

• Recruit local assistant directors and assistant choreographers for productions

• Oversee work of Casting Director on AEA general auditions and Performing Apprentice auditions and participate as needed

• Recruit new members for acting company, as needed to meet CTC’s goals

• Work with Director of Production to ensure that the overall makeup of creative teams for the season is at least 50% BIPOC

• Research and hire cultural consultants for productions, as needed



Production Support

• Attend select rehearsals, including tech rehearsals and previews, and keep Artistic Director informed of progress and challenges

• Maintain quality of shows over the run, checking in with stage management and giving notes on performances

• Lead post mortem process for each production involving all relevant Artistic and Administrative departments

• Work with stage management and Education to eliminate barriers to participation for student actors



Directing and Actor Mentorship

• Direct shows on UnitedHealth Group Stage, Cargill Stage and Theatre Arts Training intensive productions as needed

• Meet regularly with Acting Company members, providing support and trainings as needed

• Coach student and adult actors as needed

• Lead the training and mentorship of the Performing Apprentices



New Play Development

• Lead and oversee the overall management of new play development including plans, activities, timelines, and budgets

• Lead CTC’s participation with the Generation Now consortium of theatres in the development of new plays associated with that project

• Supervise the Generation Now Fellow, who is responsible for organizing convenings, staff-to-staff or board-to-board encounters

• Recommend artists to the Artistic Director for consideration for commissions and advise on artist selection for specific CTC projects

• Seek out opportunities to partner with other theatres, new play development programs, commercial and independent producers, etc. to co-commission and co-develop new work

• Maintain a high level of familiarity with the field of children/young adult/multi-generational literature, television and film in order to identify source material for adaptation, including reading and watching new releases, tracking the market (New York Times Best Sellers lists, Publisher’s Weekly reports, etc), talking with librarians, teachers, parents and kids for recommendations

• Work with CTC’s Managing Director and Director of Production on contracting artists as necessary

• Organize, budget and schedule all workshops, readings and conversations regarding new play development, including travel, hotels, schedules, per diems for traveling artists

• Support the Artistic Director in commissioning and nurturing new plays

• Build collaborative relationships with senior staff members, production staff and departments; proactively communicate information about plays in development internally and externally

• Partner with Education to develop engagement opportunities for children and families to connect to artists, new work and the new work process



Budgeting

• Create and manage the annual budget for new play development by working with Artistic Director, Managing Director, and Director of Finance to set budgets that support artistic goals and are responsive to the fiscal needs of the theatre

• Manage and report on expenses monthly

• Work with Business Office to ensure the timely pay out of artists’ fees, contract and handle payroll for artists involved in new play development activities (workshops, readings, etc)



Assist Development Department in identifying funding sources, cultivating donors, and crafting proposals for the support of new work

• Advise on selection of projects for specific grants, institutions and/or individual donors

• Generate language to frame, contextualize and describe the project; provide budget information as needed

• Liaise with artists to provide work samples and other needed materials for grants



Collaborate with all departments in the furtherance of CTC’s goal of being an anti-racist/anti-bias theatre that works towards Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion



• Assist with monitoring and ensuring access, representation, participation, and decision making for historically marginalized communities in the Artistic Department, new play development projects, and in all aspects of CTC’s operations

• Assist, as a member of the senior staff team, with the creation and implementation of JEDI-related goals and initiatives

• Work with the Director of Community Partnerships and Inclusion to analyze Artistic Department or production needs for anti-bias or cultural specific training and workshops

• Study topics that lead to a deeper understanding of how white supremacy, racial violence, and systemic racism have shaped American society and how that shapes CTC’s workplace and the lives of CTC employees

• Encourage and empower everyone to speak out against racist workplace practices and policies

• Provide leadership with empathy for all staff

• Positively contribute to the ACT One platform, creating a future where our theatre is a home for all people, all families, reflective of our community



Other important duties

• Serve as a member of the Senior Staff

• Participate as staff on the New Business Initiative Board Committee; attend all full Board meetings

• Co-lead the Impact Advisory staff committee

• Serve as a leader to the field of new play development

• Proactively contribute to CTC’s mission to educate, challenge, and inspire young people and their communities

• Other duties as assigned



POSITION QUALIFICATIONS

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Analytical Skills - Ability to use thinking and reasoning to solve a problem

• Autonomy - Ability to work independently with minimal supervision

• Budget Management – demonstrated ability to allocate expenses and stay within financial constraints

• Collaboration - Ability to work with others and be a positive team member contributing to a positive culture

• Communication - Ability to communicate clearly and concisely

• Computer skills – demonstrated ability to use Microsoft Office Suite, email and calendar programs

• Conceptual Thinking - Ability to think in terms of abstract ideas

• Consensus Building - Ability to bring about group solidarity to achieve a goal

• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems

• Diversity Oriented - Ability to work effectively with people regardless of their age, gender, race,

ethnicity, religion or physical abilities

• Emotional Intelligence – Ability to perceive, manage, understand and reason with emotional responses of self and others

• Inclusive – Skill and value of providing equal access of opportunities and resources for people who might otherwise be excluded or marginalized

• Initiative - Ability to make decisions or take actions to solve a problem or reach a goal

• Judgment - The ability to formulate a sound decision using the available information

• Persuasive - Ability to influence others to change position or to adopt a specific point of view

• Problem Solving - Ability to find a solution for or to deal proactively with work-related problems

• Project Management - Ability to organize and direct a project to completion

• Time Management - Ability to utilize the available time to organize and complete work within given

deadlines

• Working Under Pressure - Ability to complete assigned tasks under stressful situations



Experience

• Demonstrated experience as a stage director of productions, readings, and workshops

• Demonstrated ability in budgeting, producing and managing large artistic projects

• Demonstrated ability to serve the needs of the theatre and the needs of artists, directors and designers at the same time

• Demonstrated ability to negotiate and mediate with actors and creatives

• Demonstrated ability to supervise and motivate the work of others

• Ability to positively contribute to an anti-racist/anti-bias organization and work to dismantle structural racism in theatre

• Experience working in a professional theatre environment with a strong focus on new work



Other Qualities

• A commitment to ethical conduct in all respects of the work environment

• A commitment to creating a just, equitable and inclusive work environment

• A commitment to the protection of confidential information to which this position has access



COMPENSATION

The starting salary range for this full-time position is between $71,000 and $79,000 annually. Benefits include medical, dental and vision insurance; short-term and long-term disability and life insurance; vacation and sick leave; nine paid holidays; and a 403(b) retirement savings plan.



TO APPLY

Please send a cover letter and resume to Andrew Robertson, Director of Human Resources at jobs@childrenstheatre.org. Please include the name of the position(s) to which you are applying in the subject line of the email.


Salary: $71,000 to $79,000