THEATRE PERSONNEL DESCRIPTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

IATSE WARDROBE

Running Crew Wardrobe Head:

• The person in charge of all the costumes once they are completed by the Designer and Building Wardrobe
• Responsible for scheduling of crew, and organization and maintenance of all wardrobe items, including dresses, suits, shirts, gloves, shoes, hats, socks and any and all items of clothing or accessories worn on the actor’s person during a performance
• Has excellent organizational and communication skills
• Deals with dressing assignments, the choreographing of performers’ costume changes, departmental problems, etc.
• If needed, may help in one Quick Change per performance

There is often an overlap between Wardrobe and Props regarding an individual item carried or used by an actor. The two department heads will consult as to what is practical. Typically, if the “prop” is worn on stage, it’s a costume. i.e. a flowerpot worn on a head.

Should a Wardrobe Head have a specific problem with a Member, they should try to resolve it between themselves – if it persists, they should inform the Steward. Should a Wardrobe Head have a specific problem with the Steward, they should try to resolve it between themselves – if it persists, they should inform the Business Agent.

Wardrobe Assistant:

• Helps the Wardrobe Head in carrying out their duties
• Stands in for wardrobe Head if necessary
• May also help in some Quick Changes (if required) but not to replace a Dresser

Dresser:

• Responsible for making sure one or more performers have the proper wardrobe items for each performance
• May help the performer to put on costume items (this is especially necessary in a period piece or other performance with specialized costumes, or in a Quick Change)

TYPES OF DRESSERS

Personal Dresser:

• Attends to a Star Performer
• Under a Pink Contract negotiated with a company for a performer
• Offers more personalized service than a regular Dresser
• Responsible for hanging costumes (at times, personal clothing)
• May be required to help with body makeup if no makeup artist is available
• May provide personal services, i.e. hot tea, water, or towels in the dressing room or in the wings, straighten up the dressing room (optional)
• May be asked to answer the dressing room door and relay information, or ask visitors to wait until the performer is ready to receive them
• Make the performer’s job at the theatre as easy and pleasant as possible (must learn where to draw the line)
• Be sensitive and judge how much attention your performer needs (be aware of overkill)

Offer these services in the frame of your job as a “Dresser,” not as a house cleaner or valet.

Principal Dresser:

• Usually assigned to one or more principals (Lead Performers) of a production
• Usually not responsible for hanging up personal clothing
• May provide some personal services, i.e. hot tea, water, towels offstage, etc. but be aware of one person taking up too much time and taking away service from the rest
• One system of dressing that is often used in the Ballet, is that the performer comes to the Dresser instead of the Dresser going into the dressing room (this may be a good system depending on the costume)

Chorus, Corps & Supernumerary Dresser:

• Usually assigned with most performers to one room and normally sharing responsibility with at least one other Dresser
• Offers fewer personal services and divides their time as evenly as possible, while trying not to show favoritism
• Not responsible for hanging up personal clothing or costumes (depending on the needs of the show and the instructions of the Wardrobe Head)
• Makes sure all costumes are properly hung-up
• Collects all laundry and delivers it to the Wardrobe Department as requested by the Wardrobe Head

Floaters:

• Fills in on Quick Changes and pre-sets of costumes on the stage
• Pickups and returns costumes to various parts of the theatre
• Usually not assigned to any one performer or dressing room
• May be assigned as an extra person to “float” between two or three chorus dressing rooms

OTHER ROLES IN THE DEPARTMENT

Milliner:

• Makes hats and headdresses for a production

Stitcher:

• Makes (builds) costumes, as well as repairs during the run of a production

WORKS CLOSELY WITH WARDROBE

Hair/Wigs:

• Often regarded as the same job but are quite different
• Responsible for the performers’ hair, whether their own or a hairpiece, whether natural hair (human or otherwise) or artificial.

Wigs often need to be re-set (styled and given a permanent or other treatment) very often. Hair & Wigs are also responsible for construction, placement, and maintenance of artificial beards, sideburns, moustaches, etc. Hats and headdresses are best pinned on by the Hair Department, so they stay put.

Makeup:

Theatrical lighting is artificial, and very powerful as opposed to ‘street’, ‘club’, or ‘office’ lighting which washes away facial features. Special makeup techniques are necessary to accentuate facial features or to make the performer look younger or older. The Makeup Department also deals with prosthetics (scars, contact lenses, wounds, blood, etc.).

TECHNICAL PRODUCTION ROLES (GENERALLY NOT IATSE)

Technical Director:

• Oversees the technical requirements of a production
• Coordinates all technical aspects of the production, from organizing crew calls to ensuring equipment is ordered, to liaising with the designers and sometimes adapting a design to fit the venue

Set Designer:

• Works with the director to create the scenic ‘look’ for the stage (buildings, furniture, floors, etc.) throughout the show and any accompanying props
• Sometimes also designs the costumes (any designer can design more than one element, or all of them)

Lighting Designer (LD):

• Responsible for the overall look of the lighting
• Consults with the Director about style and with the Set and Costume Designers about colour, and then decides on the type, position, focus and colour of every lighting instrument in the rig

Costume Designer:

• A member of the creative team for a show responsible for the clothes worn by the actors throughout the performance
• Works with the director to discuss the needs of the show before coming up with a series of sketches to illustrate the looks for characters
• Works with the wardrobe team at the theatre or production company to decide which items are already in stock, which can be adapted from existing stock, and which should be rented, bought, or made from scratch

Hair/Makeup Designer and/or Sound Designer:

These individuals (in consultation with the Director) oversee creating their part of the atmosphere needed.

Production Manager:

• Responsible for all technical preparations, including budgeting and scheduling, and for realizing the visions of the Producer, Director, and Choreographer within constraints of technical possibility and budget
• Must have detailed knowledge of all production disciplines including a thorough understanding of the interaction of these disciplines during the production process

IATSE CREW HIERARCHY

Production Crew Department Heads:

• For the setup and/or load-in of a production, the person responsible for the installation and assembly of sets, lighting, costumes, props, etc. for a particular department
• Their job ends when the production opens

Department Heads and Assistants:

• In charge of the various technical departments, such as Carpentry (which includes Flies and Automation), Electrics, Props, Wardrobe, Hair and Wigs, Makeup, etc.

Head Carpenter:

• “Traditional Head” of the Production Crew
• Supervises the setup of scenery
• In charge of the handling and the maintenance of scenery
• Crew includes an Assistant, Flyperson, and Stagehands on deck

Head Electrician:

• Supervises the handling and focusing of lighting instruments, the maintenance of all electrical equipment, and the operation of the board for lighting cues
• Responsible for water problems in the building

Head of Props:

• Responsible for the care and maintenance of set and hand props, rugs, ground cloth, floors, crates, spills, and mechanical sound effects
• Also responsible for trick devices handled by the performers that are too small to be classified as scenery

Head Sound Person:

• Responsible for the recording of and editing of show tapes, including the operation of sound equipment
• Supervises the placement and installation of speakers and microphones
• Maintains all sound equipment and the stage intercom system, including wireless mics on performers

Running Crew:

• The show crew that is responsible for the operations and maintenance of the show while in performance

IATSE Local 58 – represents stagehands in live theatre and concerts in Toronto

IATSE Local 873 – represents workers in film production in the Toronto area

Many times, a film will want to use one of our venues (and crew) to produce part of a movie or TV show.

MORE BACKSTAGE PERSONNEL (NOT IATSE)

Production Stage Manager (PSM):

• Refers to the stage manager who is responsible for overseeing the entire stage management department for a company
• Companies who work in rep or have a lot of shows in a season will usually hire more than one Stage Manager and several ASMs, and divide the shows between them (separate stage management “teams”)
• All stage managers (calling and assistants) will usually report to the Production Stage Manager even though the PSM may not be directly involved in their particular production.
• On an exceptionally large show or a touring show, the duties of the PSM and Company Manager can sometimes overlap

Stage Manager (SM):

• Responsible for maintaining set by the Director
• Responsible for scheduling, organizing rehearsals and managing the performers.
• During the run of the show, the Stage manager calls cues and is responsible for maintaining the artistic integrity and production standards of the performance according to what the director wants
• Starts each performance and gives all cues for lights, sound, and scenery shifts to the crew members during the performance
• Makes up show reports after every performance
• Posts all daily calls and schedules, understudy and clean up rehearsals

Assistant Stage Manager (ASM):

• Assists the SM in all duties and sometimes calls the show
• Can be focused on the far side of the stage, from where the SM is calling the cues

House Manager:

• Responsible for the Audience’s safety and comfort before, during and after a performance
• Turns the “House” over to the Stage Manager at the half hour, for the duration of the show only
• In some theatres, the House Manager oversees the whole theatre (box office staff, ushers, custodial staff, maintenance, etc.

Front of House (FOH):

• Includes box office staff, ushers and bar staff

Artistic Director:

• For a theatre company (rather than a venue), in charge of programming
• Selects Directors, Designers and other senior artistic types

Talent:

• Can refer to Actors, Dancers, Directors, Designers, Choreographers, Musical Directors, etc.
• Oddly, not commonly used to refer to musicians

Canadian Actors Equity Association (Equity) – represents Actors, Dancers, and Stage Managers. There are Canadian, British, and American versions.

ACTRA (Association of Canadian Radio and Television Artists) – represents actors in film and television.

Many actors belong to both organizations.

Musical Director:

• In complete control of the music in the production, under the overall control of the Director
• Rehearses the Singers and Musicians, and usually arranges the music too
• Usually, but not always, is also the Conductor

Musical Contractor:

• Employs the individual Musicians, based on criteria laid out by the Director and the Musical Director
• In charge of contracts, wages, and administration for the Musicians

Conductor:

• Usually, but not always, is also the Musical Director
Conducts the orchestra or band during rehearsals and performances

Toronto Musicians Association – Local 149 of the American Federation of Musicians represents musicians in the Toronto area. We encounter them as pit musicians, and at the ballet and opera orchestras.

Administration:

• Includes payroll, purchasing, production management, etc.

Company Manager:

• On a tour, the Company Manager is responsible for the well-being of the cast and crew of the show; ensuring their arrival at the venue, dealing with their payments, any disputes, and generally ensuring all is well and happy
• On a production that stays in one theatre, the role is more administrative; dealing with payroll and other matters connected with the cast and crew of the current production

Promoter/Producer:

• The person or group responsible for the financial and contractual side of a production
• Can include the raising of money to stage the production, renting the venue, hiring publicity staff, Director, Musicians and cast