Deputy director

DEPUTY DIRECTOR

Part-time; self-employed

July – December 2017

Jermyn Street Theatre was established in 1994 in the basement of a London restaurant, now Getti. It was converted into a 70-seat studio theatre in the heart of the West End. Over the past 23 years it has become London’s leading studio theatre of its scale. It sits uniquely between the fringe theatres above pubs and in railway arches, and the major subsidized studios such as the Donmar Warehouse.

In our programming, we balance new work against rediscoveries. In recent years we have produced UK premieres of plays and musicals by Samuel Beckett, Henrik Ibsen, Stephen Sondheim, Terence Rattigan, Eugene O’Neill and Tennessee Williams, while also taking risks on brilliant debut plays by a range of writers.

We have recently been the Stage Fringe Theatre of the Year, and won and been nominated for numerous OffWestEnd and Critic’s Choice Awards. A number of our productions, including Trevor Nunn’s production of Beckett’s All That Fall, Anthony Biggs’ production of I Loved Lucy, and Tom Littler’s of Saturday Night, have transferred to the West End, Broadway, or both.

Sir Michael Gambon, Richard Griffiths, David Warner, Joely Richardson, Danny Lee Wynter, Imogen Stubbs, Christopher Timothy, Sara Crowe, Jasper Britton, Issy van Randwyck, Dame Eileen Atkins, Imogen Stubbs, Danny Lee Wynter, Jimmy Akingbola and many more have starred at the theatre.

But even more importantly, hundreds of young actors and writers have started out here. Some of them, such as Rosalie Craig (Evening Standard Award Winner), Joanna Christie (Narcos) and Tuppence Middleton (War and Peace) are internationally visible. Others have had their careers enhanced by this intimate theatre.

The theatre is signed up to the Equity Fringe Agreement, guaranteeing a fair wage for all actors, creatives and stage management, and is now also signing up to the 50/50 campaign, ensuring 50/50 gender parity across each year both on and off stage.

Historically the business model has been that the theatre produces about two productions per year running for about four—five weeks. The rest of the year has been occupied by high-quality visiting productions brought to us by a range of experienced and developing producers, many of whose careers we have nurtured. Our small seating capacity means that productions are usually subsidized. Depending on scale, box office income amounts to between 30—65% of their overall budget, with charitable donations providing the remainder.

The General Management of the theatre is undertaken by its co-founder, Penny Horner. Its other co-founder, Howard Jameson, continues as Chair of Trustees, and takes an active role in fundraising from the corporate sector. Anthony Biggs, Artistic Director since 2013, is handing over to Tom Littler, who has produced/directed six productions at the theatre, this summer.

Tom Littler is an experienced director and producer. He ran the award-winning Primavera from 2006—2016, producing work in London and regionally. He has also been Associate Director of the Peter Hall Company, and Associate Director at leading new writing venue Theatre503. As a freelance, he directs all over Europe and the UK for theatres including Theatre Royal Bath, the Menier Chocolate Factory, the Gate, and many more.

Strategic objectives

Under Tom Littler’s leadership the theatre is entering a period of transition, away from its previous existence as a receiving house with occasional in-house work, towards becoming a producing theatre with a distinct identity.

This autumn features two in-house productions and two co-productions, one with Theatre by the Lake, Keswick, and one with English Theatre Frankfurt. In the spring, we expect to programme some visiting work but maintain a firm grip on programming and quality.

The autumn season features:

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  The Blinding Light, by Howard Brenton. World premiere. Jermyn Street Theatre production. Directed by Tom Littler.
  
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  Anything That Flies, by Judith Burnley. World premiere. Jermyn Street Theatre production. Directed by Alice Hamilton.
  
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  Miss Julie, by August Strindberg in a new version by Howard Brenton. World premiere. Jermyn Street Theatre co-production with Theatre by the Lake. Directed by Tom Littler.
  
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  The Hound of the Baskervilles, by John Nicholson and Steven Canny. Jermyn Street Theatre co-production with English Theatre Frankfurt. Directed by Lotte Wakeham.
  

Our short- and medium-term priorities are:

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  Fundraising – building a network of 25 major donors and a wider network of smaller donors, alongside Trust and Foundation applications.
  
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  Marketing – we are bringing all marketing in-house, producing a season brochure for each four-month season, employing a PR, imposing a tighter house style on all our print and online material, creating more digital marketing opportunities.
  
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  Programming – for 2018 we are especially interested in plays and musicals that relate, in some way, to one of three broad themes: Europe and European drama; commemorating the end of the First World War in striking and original ways; the decade of the 1930s.
  

Alongside our major productions, we intend to make more use of our Sunday nights for literary events and fundraisers.

Deputy Director job description

Thanks to a grant from the Carne Trust, we are recruiting a part-time Deputy Director. The Deputy Director will deputize for Tom Littler across all aspects of the artistic and commercial leadership of the theatre. This is a training position and the Deputy Director will be mentored and guided, but we are looking for someone who brings substantial talent and experience to the table. Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

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  Reading scripts.
  
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  Attending productions on behalf of the theatre, scouting possible collaborators and acting as an ambassador for Jermyn Street Theatre within the wider theatre ecology.
  
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  Casting – creating lists, checking availabilities, booking auditions.
  
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  Assisting with contracts for actors and creatives; dealing with agents.
  
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  Dramaturgical work on plays and musicals under consideration for 2018 programming.
  
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  Looking for plays, productions, and producers for spring and summer 2018.
  
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  Working as Associate Director to Tom Littler on the world premiere of Howard Brenton’s The Blinding Light.
  
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  Working on Trust and Foundation fundraising, and on private donations. Our fundraising target is £300,000 p.a. – an enormous increase.
  
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  Preparing and working on budgets.
  
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  Looking after major donors.
  
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  Helping the Resident Producer with marketing of the autumn season, social media, preparation of programmes and programme-playtexts, foyer displays, preparation of the spring season brochure.
  
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  Filming and editing a season trailer, and one short trailer for each production.
  
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  Creating additional digital content to accompany productions.
  
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  Curating/directing some of the Sunday evening events.
  

In other words, the Deputy Director position provides a full experience of the running of a busy producing theatre, including fundraising, marketing, programming, casting, dramaturgy, building relationships, and directing.

Mentoring

This is a training position. We expect you to arrive with a significant skill-set and the aptitude to learn quickly, but we will also provide mentoring and masterclasses to support you. If you feel you need to develop particular skills, we will do our best to set up additional masterclasses and mentoring sessions.

Your lead mentor will be Tom Littler, Artistic Director of Jermyn Street Theatre. Besides an ongoing conversation with Tom about your career ambitions, he will also meet with your formally once a month, and arrange introductions to other Artistic Directors when possible. There will be additional mentoring sessions:

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  Producing within a building: Rachael Williams, Executive Director, Park Theatre.
  
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  Theatre finance: Peta Swindall, Senior Management Accountant, Barbican Centre.
  
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  Evaluation and management: Jane Claire, Executive Director, English Touring Theatre.
  
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  Fundraising from T&Fs: Poppy Burton-Morgan, Artistic Director, Metta Theatre.
  
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  Dealing with press and media: David Burns, West End and regional theatre PR.
  
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  Commercial theatre and producing musicals: Peter Huntley, West End and touring producer.
  
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  Touring on the mid-scale: Poppy Burton-Morgan and William Reynolds, Metta Theatre.
  
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  Marketing, branding and press: Flavia Fraser-Cannon, West End publicist (formerly Producer at Theatre503).
  
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  Negotiating with literary and creative agents: Helen Mumby, Macnaughton Lord Representation.
  

Person specification

The successful candidate will be someone keen to become an Artistic Director of a building or company one day. You will be an ambitious all-rounder, willing to get your hands dirty with all the many aspects of being an Artistic Director that do not involve directing plays.

You’ll be calm and good-humoured under pressure, a perfectionist who knows that things go wrong sometimes, and an initiative-taker willing to ask for advice.

Essential:

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  An outstanding director of passion and taste.
  
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  More than two years of professional experience in directing.
  
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  Experience of directing at a high level, either as an assistant/associate in major venues (West End / NT / RSC / major regional reps) or as a director making work of exemplary quality on the fringe, in the regions, or elsewhere.
  
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  A passion for intelligent and provocative plays, writers, and actors (we do not programme devised work, circus, children’s theatre, or director-led theatre in the European tradition – not because we don’t like it, but it falls outside our brief).
  
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  Producing experience, whether as an assistant/intern in major venues, or on the fringe.
  
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  Charm, tact, and great interpersonal skills including a good phone manner and flawless written English.
  
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  Ethical commitment to 50/50 gender parity among actors and creatives.
  
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  Computer literacy.
  
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  Casting experience.
  

Desirable:

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  Video/film skills and experience.
  
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  Graphic design expertise and experience.
  
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  Good relationships throughout the London theatre scene with literary, creatives’ and actors’ agents, with producers, with writers, with actors, and with creatives.
  
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  Experience with contracting creatives and actors.
  
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  Fundraising experience including a track-record of successful bid-writing.
  
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  Experience of dealing with major private donors.
  
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  An impressive knowledge of British and European playwriting, especially from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
  

Time commitment

We expect a time commitment of 15—20 hours per week (averaging 16.5 hours, or two full weekdays per week) throughout the six months. There will be some evening and weekend work. During the rehearsal and production period of The Blinding Light (7 August—12 September) this will rise to a full-time commitment, supported by an additional production fee.

You should expect that some weeks will be busier than others, and we will also do our best to accommodate your commitments. We recognise that you will be working elsewhere throughout the period. However, we are looking for a regular commitment of time, and so the period cannot overlap with your directing or producing a full production at another theatre.

Remuneration and status

£500 each month thanks to a £3000 grant from the Carne Trust, plus a separate top-up fee (tbc) for associate directing The Blinding Light. You will remain a self-employed contractor throughout the period and will invoice monthly.

To apply

Please send:

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  A covering letter of no more than one page of A4, paying due attention to the person specification above. Please be as specific as you can about your skills and experience.
  
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  A CV of no more than one page of A4.
  
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  The application form.
  

Please send two hard copies marked DEPUTY DIRECTOR to Tom Littler, Jermyn Street Theatre, 16b Jermyn Street, London SW1Y 6ST, and an email copy to [e-mail].

There is also a separate equal opportunities form. This should sent separately as indicated.

Deadline

Friday 21^st April at noon. Any applications arriving after this will not be considered.

Your application will be read by a small panel of producers and colleagues.

We will attempt to process applications and invite candidates to interview by Tuesday 2^nd May.

We will do our best to reply to all applicants, but it may take us some time. Feedback will not be offered on unsuccessful applications.

Interviews

First round interviews will be held in London on Tuesday 9^th May.

Second round interviews will be held in London on Wednesday 24^th May.

The contract runs from 1^st July—31^st December.

DEPUTY DIRECTOR – APPLICATION FORM

Remember to include your covering letter and CV.

Name:

Address:

Email: Phone:

Your three most recent theatre jobs:

Please tick/mark to indicate how you feel about the following elements of running a small theatre:

	Very confident & love it	Very confident but don’t love it	Quite confident – some experience	Lots to learn – exciting!	Fills me with dread
Scriptreading and reporting
Dramaturgy with young writers
Dramaturgy with major (established) writers
Seeing productions and spotting talent
Networking at press nights and events
Writing funding bids for T&Fs
Researching private donors
Looking after private donors
Writing marketing copy
Talking to the press and media
Doing budgets and accounts
Casting – using Spotlight
Casting – calling agents
Researching plays and reading at speed
Assembling creative and production teams
Curating literary events, fundraisers etc.
Working as an associate director
Graphic design
Filming and editing video trailers
Knowledge of the 19^th/20^th century canon

Please suggest a play that you think Jermyn Street Theatre should be programming in 2018 that fits (in the loosest sense) one of these three themes: Europe; World War One; the 1930s. It could be an existing play (ideally a rediscovery rather than a classic), a new play you’d like to commission, or a new translation of a European play. Think about the feasibility of staging it, given our stage space and the need to pay actors and creatives.

Tell us about the play (100 words at most):

Who would your dream team be? Choose a suitable director (not you), creatives, perhaps lead actors – aim high, but be realistic. (100 words at most):

How would you fundraise for it? Can you identify particular funding sources? A play with four actors probably requires about £30,000 in donations; more for a bigger cast. (100 words at most):

How would you market it? Who would the target audiences be and how might you try to reach them? (100 words at most):

Can you suggest any co-producing partners/theatres in this country or abroad? Or, if you think it should only play at Jermyn Street Theatre, why? (100 words at most):

Please send your application form, CV and covering letter, to [e-mail] and send two hard copies marked DEPUTY DIRECTOR APPLICATION to Tom Littler, Jermyn Street Theatre, 16b Jermyn Street, London SW1Y 6ST