RESIDENT PRODUCER Part-time; self-employed July December 2017 Jermyn Street Theatre was established in 1994 in the basement of a London restaurant, now Getti. It was converted into a 70-seat studio theatre in the heart of the West End. Over the past 23 years it has become London s leading studio theatre of its scale. It sits uniquely between the fringe theatres above pubs and in railway arches, and the major subsidized studios such as the Donmar Warehouse. In our programming, we balance new work against rediscoveries. In recent years, we have produced UK premieres of plays and musicals by Samuel Beckett, Henrik Ibsen, Stephen Sondheim, Terence Rattigan, Eugene O Neill and Tennessee Williams, while also taking risks on brilliant debut plays by a range of writers. We have recently been the Stage Fringe Theatre of the Year, and won and been nominated for numerous OffWestEnd and Critic s Choice Awards. Several of our productions, including Trevor Nunn s production of Beckett s All That Fall, Anthony Biggs production of I Loved Lucy, and Tom Littler s of Saturday Night, have transferred to the West End, Broadway, or both. Sir Michael Gambon, Richard Griffiths, David Warner, Joely Richardson, Danny Lee Wynter, Imogen Stubbs, Christopher Timothy, Sara Crowe, Jasper Britton, Issy van Randwyck, Dame Eileen Atkins, Imogen Stubbs, Danny Lee Wynter, Jimmy Akingbola and many more have starred at the theatre. But even more importantly, hundreds of young actors and writers have started out here. Some of them, such as Rosalie Craig (Evening Standard Award Winner), Joanna Christie (Narcos) and Tuppence Middleton (War and Peace) are internationally visible. Others have had their careers enhanced by this intimate theatre. The theatre is signed up to the Equity Fringe Agreement, guaranteeing a fair wage for all actors, creatives and stage management, and is now also signing up to the 50/50 campaign, ensuring 50/50 gender parity across each year both on and off stage. Historically the business model has been that the theatre produces about two productions per year running for about four five weeks. The rest of the year has been occupied by high-quality visiting productions brought to us by a range of experienced and developing producers, many of whose careers we have nurtured. Our small seating capacity means that productions are usually subsidized. Depending on scale, box office income amounts to between 30 65% of their overall budget, with charitable donations providing the remainder. The General Management of the theatre is undertaken by its co-founder, Penny Horner. Its other cofounder, Howard Jameson, continues as Chair of Trustees, and takes an active role in fundraising from the corporate sector. Anthony Biggs, Artistic Director since 2013, is handing over to Tom Littler, who has produced/directed six productions at the theatre, this summer. Tom Littler is an experienced director and producer. He ran the award-winning Primavera from 2006 2016, producing work in London and regionally. He has also been Associate Director of the Peter Hall Company, and Associate Director at leading new writing venue Theatre503. As a freelance, he directs all over Europe and the UK for theatres including Theatre Royal Bath, the Menier Chocolate Factory, the Gate, and many more.
Strategic objectives Under Tom Littler s leadership the theatre is entering a period of transition, away from its previous existence as a receiving house with occasional in-house work, towards becoming a producing theatre with a distinct identity. This autumn features two in-house productions and two co-productions, one with Theatre by the Lake, Keswick, and one with English Theatre Frankfurt. In the spring, we expect to programme some visiting work but maintain a firm grip on programming and quality. The autumn season features: The Blinding Light, by Howard Brenton. World premiere. Jermyn Street Theatre production. Directed by Tom Littler. Anything That Flies, by Judith Burnley. World premiere. Jermyn Street Theatre production. Directed by Alice Hamilton. Miss Julie, by August Strindberg in a new version by Howard Brenton. World premiere. Jermyn Street Theatre co-production with Theatre by the Lake. Directed by Tom Littler. The Hound of the Baskervilles, by John Nicholson and Steven Canny. Jermyn Street Theatre coproduction with English Theatre Frankfurt. Directed by Lotte Wakeham. Our short- and medium-term priorities are: Fundraising building a network of 25 major donors and a wider network of smaller donors, alongside Trust and Foundation applications. Marketing we are bringing all marketing in-house, producing a season brochure for each fourmonth season, employing a PR, imposing a tighter house style on all our print and online material, creating more digital marketing opportunities. Programming for 2018 we are especially interested in plays and musicals that relate, in some way, to one of three broad themes: Europe and European drama; commemorating the end of the First World War in striking and original ways; the decade of the 1930s. Alongside our major productions, we intend to make more use of our Sunday nights for literary events and fundraisers. Board of Trustees General Manager - Penny Horner Artistic Director - Tom Littler Technical Manager Front of House and Box Office Deputy Director (part-time) Resident Producer (parttime) Artistic associates (advisory roles) Trainee Director (Birkbeck)
Resident Producer job description We are recruiting a part-time Resident Producer. The Resident Producer will work with our General Manager, Penny Horner, our Artistic Director, Tom Littler, our Deputy Director, and our Trainee Director (Birkbeck College). This is a training position and the Resident Producer will be mentored and guided, but we are looking for someone who brings substantial talent and experience to the table. The Resident Producer will work across three main areas: Line-producing all of Jermyn Street Theatre s in-house productions (in autumn these will be The Blinding Light, Anything That Flies, and to a lesser extent our co-productions of Miss Julie and The Hound of the Baskervilles). Including contracting, budgeting, accounting alongside our General Manager, Penny Horner. Marketing, including distribution of print, booking of advertisements, management of social media, distribution of ticket offers, organisation of press night and launch parties, and the preparation of a season brochure for spring 2018. Fundraising, including prospecting private donors and suitable T&Fs, contacting private donors and bid-writing for T&Fs. Our fundraising target is 300,000 p.a. an enormous increase. In other words, the Resident Producer position provides a full experience of the running of a busy producing theatre, including line-producing, marketing and fundraising. Mentoring We expect you to arrive with a significant skill-set and the aptitude to learn quickly, but we will also provide mentoring and masterclasses to support you. If you feel you need to develop particular skills, we will do our best to set up additional masterclasses and mentoring sessions. Your lead mentor will be Rachael Williams, Executive Director of the Park Theatre (formerly Executive Director, Improbable; Senior Producer, Gate Theatre; Development Department, English National Opera). Rachael will meet with you once a month to discuss any problems and challenges. There will be additional mentoring sessions: Theatre finance: Peta Swindall, Senior Management Accountant, Barbican Centre Evaluation and management: Jane Claire, Executive Director, English Touring Theatre. Fundraising from T&Fs: Poppy Burton-Morgan, Artistic Director, Metta Theatre Dealing with press and media: David Burns, West End PR. Commercial theatre and producing musicals: Peter Huntley, West End and touring producer. Touring on the mid-scale: Poppy Burton-Morgan and William Reynolds, Metta Theatre. Marketing, branding and press: Flavia Fraser-Cannon, West End publicist (formerly Producer at Theatre503). Negotiating with literary and creative agents: Helen Mumby, Macnaughton Lord Representation. Person specification The successful candidate will be someone keen to become the Executive Director, Financial Director, Development Manager or Marketing Manager of a major building or company one day. You will be an ambitious all-rounder, willing to get your hands dirty with all the many aspects of being a producer that do not involve glamour. You will be quick, friendly, and adaptable to the demands of a variable work environment. A natural selfmotivator, you will be happy and productive working alone, but also a keen team player, able to slot into a
variety of different contexts in the theatre, offices, meetings and rehearsal rooms. You will be excited to learn about unfamiliar aspects of the job, be confident and take initiative, but willing to ask for help. You ll be calm and good-humoured under pressure, a perfectionist who knows that things go wrong sometimes, and an initiative-taker willing to ask for advice. Essential: A producer of outstanding potential, imagination, and attention to detail. Substantial experience of producing / general managing / fundraising / marketing in professional theatre, either in junior positions within larger organisations (subsidized or commercial theatre) or in making work of exemplary quality on the fringe. Tact, patience and charm. Excellent written English and a gifted and confident communicator in person, on the phone, and in writing. Ethical commitment to 50/50 gender parity among actors and creatives. Graphic design skills; Excel; Word. Experience of applying for T&F funding (including GFTA) and writing funding bids. Experience with producing and managing budgets; handling invoices and receipts; authorising and recording spending. Experience of print and online marketing. Experience of using social media for marketing purposes. A passion for theatre and especially for 19 th and 20 th century plays and musicals, as well as new writing. An impressive work ethic. Desirable: Web skills. Experience of fundraising from private donors and looking after major donors. A network of fundraising contacts. A proven track-record of fundraising success. Experience of casting, negotiating with agents, and contracting artists. Experience of organizing classy events, parties, and receptions. Good relationships throughout the London theatre scene with literary, creatives and actors agents, with producers, with writers, with actors, and with creatives. Experience with contracting creatives and actors. Fundraising experience including a track-record of successful bid-writing. Experience of dealing with major private donors. An impressive knowledge of British and European playwriting, especially from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Time commitment We expect a time commitment of 20 30 hours (averaging 24 hours, or three full weekdays per week) throughout the six months. There will be some evening and weekend work. We recognise that the Resident Producer will take on other work. It is also natural that some weeks will be busier than others. You will remain self-employed and responsible for managing your own time, and although we will contract you on a first-call basis, we will always do our utmost to accommodate your other commitments. However, we would recommend that you do not take on the producing of another major production elsewhere during this period.
Remuneration and status A minimum of 750 each month based on the time commitment above. If, by agreement, you work longer hours at any point, an additional fee will be negotiated in good faith. You will remain a self-employed contractor throughout the period and will invoice monthly. To apply Please send: A covering letter of no more than one page of A4, paying due attention to the person specification above. Please be as specific as you can about your skills and experience in line-producing, fundraising, and marketing. A CV of no more than one page of A4. The application form. Please send two hard copies marked RESIDENT PRODUCER to Tom Littler, Jermyn Street Theatre, 16b Jermyn Street,, and an email copy to jermynstreettheatrejobs@gmail.com. There is also a separate equal opportunities form. This should be sent separately as indicated. Deadline Friday 21 st April at noon. Any applications arriving after this will not be considered. Your application will be read by a small panel of producers and colleagues. We will attempt to process applications and invite candidates to interview by Tuesday 2 nd May. We will do our best to reply to all applicants, but it may take us some time. Feedback will not be offered on unsuccessful applications. Interviews First round interviews will be held in London on Tuesday 9 th May. Second round interviews will be held in London on Wednesday 24 th May. The contract runs from 1 st July 31 st December.
RESIDENT PRODUCER APPLICATION FORM Remember to include your covering letter and CV. Name: Address: Email: Phone: Your three most recent theatre jobs: We want to build a picture of your skills. Please tick/mark honestly to indicate how you feel about the following elements of running a small theatre: Negotiating with agents Dealing with experienced creatives Doing accounts and cash-flow projections Managing budgets Writing and issuing contracts Line-producing a production Casting using Spotlight Casting calling agents Arranging press nights and fundraisers Networking at press nights and events Researching T&F opportunities Writing funding bids for T&Fs Researching private donors Fundraising from private donors Marketing using social media Writing marketing copy Talking to the press and media Graphic design Dealing with printers, distribution and ads Creating programmes of a high standard Doing formal evaluations for funders Very confident & love it Very confident but don t love it Quite confident some experience Lots to learn exciting! Fills me with dread
For spring 2018, we are considering programming a one-person show originating from off-broadway. It has been directed by an esteemed American director and has strong reviews. It is about a well-known Jewish modern artist who lived in New York and Italy. The show already exists but would need a new design (based on the original). The original American actor would perform it. It does not have any attached funding, but it requires only a short period of re-rehearsal. What are the principal challenges you might foresee and how might we overcome them or research them? (200 words at most): How might we fundraise for that production, assuming we need to raise 20,000 of subsidy. Who might be our principal donors, how might we research them and approach them / secure their backing? (100 words at most): How would you market it? Who would the target audience be and how might you try to reach them? (100 words at most): Can you suggest any co-producing partners/theatres for this play, in this country or abroad? Or, if you think it should only play at Jermyn Street Theatre, why? (100 words at most):