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Theatre People


Basic Job Descriptions

What are the tasks and responsibilities of those who work in theatre? 

While job descriptions may vary from company to company, use the menu at right for information on basic expectations and activities common to a list of key positions.

Graphic of 8 human shapes in different colors

Because community theatres vary so widely in size, composition, resources and offerings, it's difficult to specify exactly the responsibilities of any one person in a particular position. Sometimes a person may need to fill more than one responsibility, or--due to the nature of the theatre or the production--may have to add layers to their job that might not be true in other theatre companies.  

That said, the most important issue is to make sure that each person's job is well defined, so that there's little chance for confusion about their area of responsibility, or what they are expected to accomplish.

How to Use These Pages

The descriptions listed to the right provide a broad perspective on the duties and responsibilities of each position.  Because theatres vary greatly, it is not possible to provide a single job description that can be used in all cases.  If you are writing or revising a job description for your theatre company, use the information we provide as a starting point, rewording as needed to clarify what your theatre requires of that position. 

In some cases, we have provided links to actual job descriptions (although we have removed the original theatre company's name, and substituted the name "Poorhouse Players."

More Resources
  • Sample Contracts.  A contract need not be complicated. It may be enough to list basic responsibilities, as can be seen in these downloadable contracts, provided in MS Word format by an AACT-member theatre. More contracts are available to AACT members in this site's Resource Library (you must be signed in to view).
  • Further Reading: How to Run a Theater: Creating, Leading and Managing Professional Theatre, by Jim Volz.
  • Job postings on this website include job descriptions, which can be helpful in better understanding a position's purpose and requirements. AACT's member-only Resource Library has an extensive sampling of job descriptions, as well as downloadable articles, forms, and other resources.
  • Click here for more on the benefits of AACT membership.

 

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