DSM/Sound Op – Bing Live

Company profile

Minor Entertainment Group Ltd creates spectacular family theatre events. Bing Live is brought to you by the team behind In the Night Garden Live, which has toured across the UK in a purpose-built inflatable theatre and has been seen by over 900,000 people.

Bing Live launches in June 2018 and is a new stage production of the incredibly popular BBC children’s television series Bing, which will tour to theatres across the UK from June 2018 to April 2019. The production is directed by Will Tuckett.

Role summary

We are recruiting for a talented, hard-working and dependable Deputy Stage Manager who will cue and operate sound for all shows.

The touring company will be a cast of six including an understudy, plus a touring stage management team who we expect to be a CSM, DSM (who also ops sound – this role), an ASM (who also looks after puppet and wardrobe maintenance) and a second ASM (who also looks after prop maintenance). The production will tour in a single vehicle up to 40’ and haulage will be handled separately (you will not be expected to drive the van).

Schedule

Contract dates would be Sunday 20 May 2018 to Sunday 28 April 2019.

The tour will be split weeks, most commonly visiting two venues per week with a day for travel / get-in followed by two performance days of up to three shows per day. Occasionally, the production may visit three venues per week. There will be two days off each fortnight. The show will be approximately 75 minutes long, including an interval.
Rehearsals will be in London for four weeks from Monday 21 May and the production opens at the Alban Arena in week commencing 18 June.

Person specification

Essential:
• You have solid experience as a DSM.
• You’ll have solid experience of operating sound for performances, including balancing mics.
• You’ll have experience of fitting up sound on tour.
• You’ll be experienced at cueing performances.
• You can create and maintain prompt scripts for productions.
• You’ll be great with people and can support the CSM in sympathetically but firmly leading the team through a busy touring schedule.
• You’ll be technically conversant across all areas of theatre.
• You’re an excellent problem solver and enjoy a challenge.
• You have a good sense of humour and you’re happy to muck in to get the job done.
• You’re good with both spreadsheets and stage plans.
• You’re skilled with prop maintenance
• You’re attentive to detail.
• You care about the audience experience as much as we do.

Ideal:
• You’ll ideally have worked on some children’s theatre productions.
• You might have some experience with puppet maintenance (all characters in the show are represented by puppets).

Job description

You will report to the company stage manager.

Stage management:
1. You’ll create and maintain a prompt script for the production by attending rehearsals and liaising with the Director, Lighting Designer, Composer and Sound Designer for the production.
2. You’ll cue each performance.
3. You’ll support the CSM in leading the rehearsal room get-in and get-out.
4. You’ll support the CSM in leading the get-in and get-out at each tour venue.
5. During the rehearsal period, with the CSM and the director you’ll manage the daily schedule, the rehearsal room and all performer & crew calls.
6. You’ll assist with running prop maintenance as required.
7. You’ll ensure that all resets for rehearsals and performances are carried out effectively.
8. You’ll be able to cover the team’s show plots in the event that they’re sick or otherwise unexpectedly absent.

Technical management:
1. You’ll operate sound for all performances including balancing mics.
2. You’ll take specific responsibility for overseeing the sound fit-up at all venues.
3. If running maintenance is required, you’ll make sure it is dealt with quickly and appropriately.
4. You’ll make sure that stocks of consumables are maintained and that reorders are noted in the daily report for the office to process as required.

Company management:
1. You’ll support the CSM in managing the touring technical crew, performers and venue technical staff.
2. You’ll support the CSM in managing the onstage and backstage schedule for all performances in each city.
3. You’ll ensure a supportive environment and provide pastoral care to the touring company.
4. You’ll manage effectively with tact and sensitivity the interests of the producers and the touring company.
5. You’ll deal with all issues and requests from the touring company quickly and raise anything significant with the CSM.
6. You’ll ensure that any physical concerns or potential injuries among the cast are monitored and dealt with appropriately, liaising with the CSM and ensuring that any appropriate treatment is arranged.

Administration:
1. You’ll oversee the creation of the production bible with the CSM and make sure that it is kept up-to-date including crew and performer show plots.
2. You will be clear on our health & safety policies and procedures and be able to communicate them well.
3. You’ll attend and make a note of production meetings throughout rehearsals and production week.
4. You’ll coordinate with the CSM and circulate rehearsal notes as required.
5. You will manage a petty cash float for running expenditure and keep an accurate record of all petty cash expenditure (including ensuring VAT receipts are retained), settling periodically with the production office.

Fee and expenses

The salary range for this role for all performance weeks is £650-£700 per week.

When you are on tour you will be paid a touring allowance of £35.71 per night at each tour venue (equivalent to £250 per week). Travel whilst you are on tour will also be either arranged at the producer’s expense or you will be paid the cash equivalent for such standard off-peak rail fares as may be required to fulfil calls for the production. No travel or accommodation expenses are paid when you are required to work in London for rehearsals or in the event that the production sits down in London for a period longer than one week.

Holiday

Holiday will be designated throughout the contract, which will always be subject to a minimum of three days for each period designated.

How to apply

Please email a covering letter (no longer than 300 words please) and your CV to binglive.dsm-sound@minorentertainment.com with “DSM/Sound application” in the subject line. Please let us know in your application where you saw the job advertised.

Deadline

We will be holding interviews at our London office in week commencing 12 March 2018. Please submit your application by 10am on Wednesday 7 March.