Theater Jobs at Harvard

Job Descriptions in the World of Harvard Theater (Or, "Everything You Wanted to Know About ASMs But Were Afraid to Ask")

No matter what your theatrical background coming into the world of Harvard Theatre, rest assured things here will work at least a little bit different than what you are used to. Harvard students produce roughly 60 productions a year, ranging from fully automated, professional spaces to House basements where bug repellant may be a budgetary concern. Nevertheless, several common themes emerge amidst the different levels of production here, which we will try to describe below. Each brief description will itself link to a much more detailed description of that position from people who have experience within the Harvard world (once those documents have been written!).

One thing you should know off the top: be prepared to wear many hats. Especially in House drama, show staff positions notoriously overlap, so seeing a "lighting designer cum stage manager" is not an uncommon occurrence. While on larger shows such as Mainstage productions or Gilbert and Sullivan shows you might have enough staff to handle all necessary positions, smaller shows may have only one person to handle several jobs.

That being said, here is a breakdown of various positions within Harvard theater (jobs with highlighted titles have links to much more extensive documentation, including resource links):

Producer

Responsible ultimately for the whole production. Controls all matters financial, including grant applications, reimbursements, and monitoring of ticket sales (if applicable). Usually in charge of finding technical staff, such as running crew and ops. A very high profile position in the show, a producer needs above all commitment and a excellent sense of organization. For larger shows, the duties of the producer are often assigned to several assistant or co-producers.

Director

Often, a director will come up with a show he/she likes, then finds people willing to help them achieve that vision. Casts show at Common Casting, runs rehearsals. Works with every single member of the staff intensely to achieve a cohesive vision for the show. Communication is the key, both with actors but also with the staff.

Choreographer

Choreographers design the dance in productions, either working with a director or on their own pieces. At Harvard, the choreographers of dance pieces often end up being the producers for their shows as well. When the dance is placed within a traditional dramatic piece, their role is much more limited.

Set Designer

Works with the director to create the physical space of the play. Works with the producer and TD to make sure said design is feasible. Draws up plans to be executed by the technical directors and build crew. Much like the Light Designer, at Harvard the Set Designer will most likely end up doing some of the set building him/herself.

Lighting Designer

The Lighting Designer, in cooperation with the director, decides on exactly how a production should be lit, using natural or artificial light sources. Designers are responsible for figuring out the specifications of the particular theater, working within the physical space and inventory, drawing up a plot, focussing said plot, and writing the light cues. At Harvard, the LD often ends up taking on many of the roles of the Master Electrician, since they are usually the most knowledgeable.

Sound Designer

The Sound Designer is charged with putting together the overall auditory environment of a production. This includes "live" onstage sound — which might be voices reinforced by mikes or created with buzzers and other contraptions — and pre-recorded "show soundtracks". A good aural environment can make or break many productions, so attention to detail and inventive use of music and sound effects is critical. At this level, most sound designers will also end up engineering and running their own work.

Properties Master/Designer

Most productions use a Props Master to deal with the large number of small items that a play needs. In larger shows, there may also be a Props Designer who will decide on exactly what the props should look like, in coordination with the Directors and Set Designers.

Stage Manager

The Stage Manager is in charge of the theater itself, and actually runs the show. In the real world, they are in complete control of every aspect of a production, and everybody, once the show is rehearsing in the space, answers to them. At Harvard, due to time pressures, the director often controls the rehearsals onstage and the stage manager knows somewhat less about the overall production. But once the show is actually running, the Stage Manager needs to be in complete control, and either making or delegating every decision.

Assistant Stage Manager

Often needed in larger productions, the ASM is often stationed just offstage to facilitate communication between the SM (who is out in the house) and actors, as well as ensuring safety. Often helps with complex set changes, quick changes offstage, or preparing the stage for performance.

Technical Director

Responsible for turning the set design into a practical set of working drawings and construction techniques, while ensuring a safe acting/working space for actors onstage. In an ideal world, the TD would simply take the set design and turn it into working drawings, which the Master Carpenter and construction crew then builds. At Harvard, the Set Designer and TD often invent construction techniques as they go along, and often end up doing the actual build themselves. The TD is also responsible for the actual setup of the set onstage.

Crew Chief

The Crew Chief is intended to take the burden of finding a scheduling staff off of the TD and Master Carpenter's shoulders. The CC will find out from the Master Carpenter what the build schedule is and how many carpenters will be needed on any particular day, and then make sure that they show up.

Master Carpenter

The Master Carpenter's job is supposed to be quite simple: take the working drawings from the TD, and using them, build stuff. After a quick glance at the working drawings, the MC should be able to schedule the build, order lumber, and then just pass that information on to the Crew Chief and TD, who make sure that the Carpenters are there at the appropriate times. This, of course, never happens, and in fact the Master Carpenter has virtually disappeared from the Harvard scene, her duties having been absorbed into the TD position. If your show can come up with a Master Carpenter, use them wisely!

Master Electrician

The ME is responsible for taking the light plot and making sure that all lighting units on the plot are hung in the correct locations and actually work. Coordinating the numbers of lights and circuits and allocating cabling, gels, and other accessories are the most important aspects of this role. At Harvard, the Light Designer often ends up sharing many of the typical ME roles, so the job gets done by both.

Sound Engineer

The Sound Engineer must take the sound design and ensure that it can be created in a given space. This involves selecting equipment to reproduce the various sound elements required, installing and testing it, and usually running the actual show.

Master Painter

A highly sought skill within Harvard theatre. Responsible for painting set elements under the direction of the Set Designer, but at Harvard the Master Painter often has the freedom to choose many of the design elements.

Carpenters/Electricians

When sets need to be built or lights hung, shows need Carpenters and Electricians. For most shows at Harvard, no experience is necessary to serve in one of these roles as you will be taught on the job. Often, actors serve in these roles when they aren't needed in rehearsal.

If you'd like more information on getting involved in theater, either contact one of the many theatrical groups on campus, or look into the classes and workshops available.