Venue Technical Director

Fine Arts Building, a historic landmark building located at 410 South Michigan Ave, home of the Studebaker Theater (a 600 seat proscenium), is seeking a dynamic leader to join our Production Department. We are building a talent pool to support our company’s growth and ensure our company is representative of the communities we serve. We view our employees and co-workers as equals who deserve our respect. It is important that we create and foster an affirming space for our employees to be seen as their full selves.

We are looking for a dynamic, strategic and thoughtful Technical Director to join our full-time team. Reporting directly to the Managing Artistic Director, the right candidate will have a strong background and expertise in technical theater, passion for production management and skill in leading a team.  You must be excited about stepping into a leadership role at a performing arts rental venue and working with a wide variety of clients within a multiplicity of artistic disciplines. You are someone who is strategic, empathetic, innovative, highly organized and a strong leader. You care about leading a team equitably and are equally passionate about cultivating and nurturing new talent. You enjoy working collaboratively as much as independently and someone who’d be excited about being part of a growing organization.

This role’s primary function is leading the production department and guiding our renters from advancement to opening night. As the Venue Technical Director you are also responsible for management and oversight of our venue’s technical department heads, stage crew and support staff, as well as managing maintenance of our technical systems and ensuring the Studebaker is an organized and safe working environment. You will have the opportunity to be hands-on with productions ranging from musicals, plays, orchestra concerts, operas, live recorded podcasts and dance shows while ensuring our renters’ needs are met and the venue is well cared for.  While the Studebaker is almost entirely a rental venue, we do occasionally co-present, with the Venue Technical Director acting as production manager in those instances. You will be expected to interact regularly with Fine Arts Building and Studebaker team members and renters, while enforcing and upholding Fine Arts Building policies.

Key responsibilities include:

Show Management, Advancement and Quoting

• Assesses show requirements and collaborates with clients to coordinate crew schedules and other production needs.
• Creates and approves labor quotes in the invoicing process, with support from the Assistant Technical Director.
• Communicates additional charges and scheduling changes to rental clients.
• Balances venue’s interest while also providing excellent client service.
• Executes accurate technical rider and admin paperwork to support renters pre-production.
• Management of Crews and Schedules

Manages Assistant Technical Director.

• Direct trainer of overhire crews for in-house systems: audio, lighting, video, and automation.
• Recruits, hires, schedules department heads and additional crew as required by production need.
• Supervisor and manager for crew, ensuring high operation standards and maintaining morale.
• Enforces safety throughout the theater during all aspects of production.
• Models behavior that creates a healthy work environment and positive department culture.

Video Understanding

• Experienced with SDI and HDMI protocols.
• Capable of troubleshooting, routing, and converting digital video signals, including HDMI to SDI.
• Proficient in using Qsys as the central infrastructure for routing audio to speakers and video to dressing rooms and production booths.
• Proficient in Blackmagic Video Systems and in operating the ATEM Video Switcher.
• Skilled in routing video signals using the Video Hub software.
• Familiar with the 40 x 40 and 20 x 20 video routers.

Audio Understanding

• Experienced with professional audio systems including L-Acoustics.
• Proficient in digital audio protocols such as Dante and MADI, including setting up multitrack recordings and QLab machines.
• Microphone knowledge: Dynamic, Condenser, Ribbon, etc.
• Understands audio signal flow, cabling, and audio progression.
• Familiar with analog splitters.
• Proficient in using Qsys as the central infrastructure for routing audio to speakers and video to dressing rooms and production booths.
• Capable of manually adjusting Qsys settings for special scenarios, such as operas or acoustic.
• Experienced with patching and routing on the Digico Quantum series of consoles.
• Skilled in patching both digital and analog sources into and out of the console.

Patchbays and Networking

• Primary troubleshooter for patchbays, with a strong understanding of signal flow and routing.
• Experienced with extensive digital and analog patchbays used for managing data and signals throughout the theater.
• Knowledgeable in IP networking, including basic subnetting and VLANs.
• Understands proper network configuration and troubleshooting.

ClearCom Communication Systems

• Experienced in establishing and editing profiles on ClearCom Edge and FreeSpeak II systems.
• Understanding of 2-wire and 4-wire communication systems.
• Skilled in setting up and operation of wired and wireless ClearCom units.

Automated Rigging Understanding 

• Familiar with Chicago Flyhouse EASE automated consoles.
• Hands-on experience with both permanent and temporary automated rigging systems.
• Basic understanding of winches and automated rigging components, including concepts such as soft limits, hard limits, load cells, acceleration, deceleration values, and cross grooves.

Lighting System Understanding 

• Proficient in setting up, patching, and operating the ETC ION and EOS consoles.
• Capable of addressing and troubleshooting lighting systems.
• Knowledgeable about networking and setup of sACN and ArtNet protocols.
• Efficient in integrating new equipment into the lighting system, including new fixtures or consoles.
• Candidates with previous experience as a Technical Director of a rental venue or with a strong background in production management are strongly encouraged to apply.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent required
• Will strike the right balance between providing excellent client service while also protecting the venue’s interests and assets.
• Provide onsite, point-of-contact supervision and instruction to renters
• Demonstrated ability and minimum 5 years leading technical and theatrical teams
• Communicate regularly with producers, directors, and remote production teams to prepare load-in, strikes, and other theater events: musicals, orchestral, dance, panel, etc.
• General understanding of contracts, production calendars, and theater timelines
• Lead the discovery and advancement of incoming production requirements: technical, materials, rider sheet analysis
• Lead Load-In’s and Strikes
• Manage catalog and maintain audio, lighting and video inventory, including house and auxiliary venue systems: Clear-Com, paging and monitoring, cue lights, assisted listening, audio description
• Possess a strong administrative, office, and communications background, with ability to create formal documents related to labor, equipment, or charge-backs
• Remain up-to-date with theatrical stage technology trends and equipment and possess a general understanding of existing Studebaker gear and technical abilities.
• Ability to lift up-to 40lbs; stand, walk for extended periods; and navigate multi-tier, historic complex
  Weekend, evening, some holiday availability is required

Ideal Candidates

• Candidates should possess the ability to work calmly and clearly in high-paced settings as a supportive member of team
• Value accessibility, supporting public audiences who will express a range and variation of physical ability: wheelchairs, assisted listening devices, canes, walkers, blind, deaf, captions, ASL
• Will elevate anti-racist practices and assist our team in dismantling the systemic racism perpetuated within arts and culture
• Passionately brings an appreciation of inclusivity to their role, peers, and our theater audiences, while identifying barriers that prevent full, human participation
• Passionate about developing new talent and building new models

Compensation

This is a full-time position with a starting annual salary range of $75,000 – $85,000 along with an employer paid benefits package including health, vision, dental, a generous PTO policy, transit FSA, and a 401k with employer match. Additional employee benefits include access to free rehearsal space and complimentary tickets to shows.

Schedule (40% Office/Admin 60% Production/Theater)
Acceptance of this position indicates a commitment to a fluctuating schedule and willingness to adapt to the varying theater programming.