Magdalen College School (MCS) and Oxford Playhouse have created this opportunity to enable a talented, ambitious theatre maker to gain experience of professional theatre and apply their learning through a variety of school productions and outreach programmes. The post holder will undertake a wide variety of duties across both organisations, with opportunities for mentoring, training and shadowing from Oxford Playhouse. The role will be working with the MCS Resident Producer and the Programme, Participation and Artist Development team at Oxford Playhouse.

Main tasks and responsibilities:

At Magdalen College School, the Resident Director will work closely with the Head of Drama to maintain and develop the artistic and professional standards of school drama productions. This will include leading weekly sessions for the MCS Theatre Academy (years 9-11), devising and delivering a broad range of skills workshops for the students.

The Resident Director will be expected to direct at least three of the school’s productions over the year, working with a range of age groups. This will include reading scripts and choosing the title and aims for each production in agreement with the Resident Producer and Head of Drama. The Resident Director is expected to generate the overall vision and concept, hold auditions and cast, take rehearsals and lead the technical rehearsals. The students’ skills and abilities should be developed through this process in a creative and supportive manner. The Resident Director will lead the lower school Theatre Academy (year 7-8), which performs at least one play during the course of the year. The Resident Director will usually take a school production (with a Sixth Form cast) to the Edinburgh Fringe (or equivalent tour) during August.

Opportunities with Oxford Playhouse will be tailored, as best as possible, to the individual interests of the Resident Director post-holder. The theatre will provide mentoring and advice, throughout the year, including hands-on support with project management, funding applications, budget-writing, contracts, career development and industry introductions.

The Resident Director will work as Assistant Director on Oxford Playhouse’s pantomime, Sleeping Beauty, with specific responsibility for preparing the Young Company (12x young performers between the ages of 11 and 15). The role will support the Director, Toby Hulse, in full company rehearsals both through creative input and administrative tasks, ensuring good communication between the creative team and staff. The Resident Director will be expected to lead on line runs, understudy rehearsals and visit the show on a weekly basis to give notes to the company.

Further opportunities include leading and supporting the planning and delivery of Youth Theatre skills sessions at the Playhouse, as well as provide both administrative and dramaturgical support across Playhouse artist development schemes. Opportunities to direct and assistant/associate direct on Playhouse productions can be explored across the year, with previous examples including directing extracts of new writing from the Playhouse Playmaker scheme, co-directing short plays written by primary school children on our Primary Playmaker scheme, and assistant directing on the Playhouse Plays Out Tent community tour project.

For the duration of the residency the Resident Director will be expected to work within the policies and procedures of both organisations to ensure safe, legal and supportive working practices are maintained, and undertake any other duties reasonably requested or required to fulfil the objectives of the role.

Please note, the logistics of this application process are handled by Magdalen College School.

To apply for this position, along with an updated CV, please complete and send the following application form document to: [email protected]