Jobs behind the scenes in theatre

1. Qualifications alone are not sufficient.

Stagehand position does not need any professional qualifications. What you do need is a relevant background, relevant hobbies, and maybe some experience with local bands, amateur theatre, or informal labor.

If you're going to pursue a certification, I'm hearing that the business is significantly more interested in a BTEC in carpentry or electronics than a production arts degree right now. We know you'll be a skilled carpenter – and if you've done electronics, we know you'll understand how to disassemble a moving light. Production arts, on the other hand, is such a large range that it is too ambiguous for those who operate in the sector. We don't know what you've learnt or how far you've progressed.

2. Transfer your abilities

A degree program in production management may cost a lot of money and effort. After graduation, your competition will be someone who has worked their way up — they began as a stage hand, went on multiple tours as head of sound, and are now too old to haul speakers around, which is why they're moving into production management. Who do you think will be hired?

I'm also skeptical about all of these specialized degrees since I'm not sure how many production managers we truly need. I've seen it year after year: in every world tour, the same people perform the same duties with the same teams. Often, the only way in is via the dead man's shoes. When someone does get a chance, it will be someone who has previously proven themselves on projects of that size.

So, if you're going to get a degree, I'd recommend a humanities or business management degree rather than one unique to our field. However, spend all of your spare time volunteering at your student union venue and any other local arts place. At the very least, a humanities degree will provide you with some transferrable abilities. Then, if you get into the business and realize you despise the long hours, you may leave and pursue something different.

3. Gain experience as a member of a casual team.

If you wish to work in this profession, become engaged in your local music scene, student union, or student club. Spend all of your free time (student or otherwise) assisting bands at your local venues - lighting, sound, etc! This will provide you with valuable hands-on experience.

Keep an eye out for panto season, as your local community theatre will be hiring casual personnel. Crew Class and the Association of British Theatre Technicians (ABTT) are working together to provide a training course that will prepare you for your first day at panto and help you become valuable. You may advance if you make an instant impression.

The next step is to find employment with a local crewing firm. There are several of these, ranging from Rock City in Plymouth (and around England) to Stage Miracles in London. There is usually a local crewing firm and a local tiny theatre.

Senior technicians will be the backbone of theatres, performing all performances. When anything major comes to town, such as a touring opera, ballet, or Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, which needs an additional dozen bodies at each venue, they will hire more people. They will either have their own casual list or a contract with a crewing business. If your name is on that list, you will be contacted!

4. Spend as much time as possible in the correct spot.

This whole business is based on the concept of 'right location, right timing.' Your opportunity will come if you are always at the right place at the right moment. When a touring production of Joseph I that I was working on came in Blackpool, the head of sound had to depart because his wife was expecting a baby.

So sound 2 became head of sound, the techie junior became sound 2, and there was now room for a technical junior. There was a 17-year-old guy working on the casual crew. They asked him what he planned to do with the remainder of his career. We loved him because he was excellent and liked us, so we called his mother and informed her the score, and he hopped on a tour bus. As far as I know, he's still on the set!

5. Be the good person.

You may be excellent and have all the technical abilities, qualifications, and so on, but if you go on tour, people will have to live in a cramped area with you for six weeks in a hectic atmosphere. The issue is if they want to.

These positions are scarce and highly valued. Everyone will recognize you after you've become a face and have been doing it for three or four years. They'll know how you roll and your style, and you'll be able to start relaxing. However, in the early phases of your career, once you've done some casual crewing and gained some basic experience, every day is an audition. Never believe you've arrived and are untouchable. There are 1,000 people waiting in line behind you. Keep it in mind.

6. health and safety reign supreme.

This work came with a very hedonistic lifestyle in the mid-80s and early 90s – up to and including when Oasis were huge. We had some wild parties and did some insane stuff. Rock and roll riggers in the 1980s and 1990s were putting their lives in danger on a regular basis. They were always performing insane climbs — it was a pretty gung-ho, macho attitude.

However, it was about 20 years ago. We've progressed. And in a positive manner - health and safety are now top priorities. Sex, drugs, and rock & roll are things of the past. You won't stay long if you show up with that attitude. Health and safety, best practices, personal codes of conduct, personal safety equipment, harnesses, hard helmets, hi-vis, steely boots – all of these things that did not exist 20 years ago are now mandatory. If you don't have them, you'll be kicked from the site. Building site regulations apply.

7. Recognize the function of the backstage staff

The task is difficult and unglamorous. You will not be attending the after-show party. You'll be too busy disassembling the set and loading it into a truck. Hard labor, long hours, and a lack of sleep are reality. You will not get wealthy either.

However, work contentment is completely out of the question. If you're on a large music or theater tour, even if you're the lowest, humblest scaffolder, and you go up in an empty field and two weeks later you've erected Glastonbury, you can step back and say, "we did that."

You are only as good as your most recent job. It's not simple to enter into, and there are only a few employment openings in our business each year. However, if you can get into it, you may earn a livelihood while still having a lot of fun. Persist, do all the right things, and check all the appropriate boxes, and your opportunity will come.