Assistant Director Opportunity

Traverse Theatre Company Festival 2018 Production

The JMK Trust in partnership with Traverse Theatre is offering an Assistant Director Bursary to a participant of the JMK & Traverse Theatre Directors’ Group. The bursary is an arts scholarship, funded by the Leverhulme Trust, that will provide a learning and training opportunity for a talented emerging director, who has demonstrated a commitment to directing and a passion for theatre making. The recipient will become a Leverhulme Arts Scholar.

The Role

We are looking for an assistant director to work with Traverse Associate Director, Gareth Nicholls on an upcoming Traverse Theatre Company Festival 2018 production. The production shall be staged in Traverse 2. Details of the production are currently under embargo. Shortlisted candidates shall be made aware of the production and playwright when invited to interview.

  • The assistant director will undertake a six week full time placement including rehearsals and tech week.
  • Prior to rehearsals, the assistant director may be invited to auditions, production meetings and given research tasks by the Director.
  • The assistant director will be required to be available throughout the run to watch and note performances, at dates agreed in advance with the director.
  • The assistant director should have a good understanding of the Traverse’s artistic mission along with our current work and programming.
  • The assistant director will need to demonstrate a commitment to living and making theatre in or near the Edinburgh / Lothian area.
  • The assistant director will be an existing member of the JMK/Traverse Directors Programme, and if not already a member, must be willing to join the group and play an active role in programme’s development.

Rehearsals from: w/c 2nd July 2018

Technical week commencing: w/c 23rd July 2018

First preview: 27th July 2018

Press: 3rdAugust 2018

Closes: 26th August 2018

As Assistant Director, your duties would include:

  • To provide general assistance to the Director
  • As agreed with the Director, to carry out any research that will inform and benefit the production
  • To observe rehearsals and have input in discussions and production meetings
  • To assist the company in documenting the rehearsal process for the purposes of marketing, archiving and evaluating the project through blogs, social media and other forms as agreed
  • To observe and assist the Director in the production week as required
  • To attend and participate in post-show discussions and/or other engagement activity by mutual agreement with the Traverse Theatre
  • To support the company whilst the play is in performance as agreed with the Director and Stage Manager, including attending and noting the production
  • Any further duties as required by the Director and the Traverse Theatre Artistic Team

The bursary recipient will be a member of the JMK Traverse Theatre Directors’ Group and as part of the bursary will also be responsible for working with the JMK and Traverse Theatre to support the group until next year’s bursary recipient is chosen.

Bursary

The Leverhulme Bursary consists of £2,350.

About the Traverse Theatre

Formed in 1963 by a group of passionate theatre enthusiasts, the Traverse Theatre was originally founded to extend the spirit of the Edinburgh festivals throughout the year. Today, under Artistic Director Orla O'Loughlin, the Traverse is proud to deliver its year-round mission of championing creative talent by placing powerful and contemporary theatre at the heart of cultural life – producing and programming urgent and diverse work spanning theatre, dance, performance, music and spoken word.

Through the work it presents, the Traverse aims to both entertain and stir conversation – reflecting the times and provoking crucial debate amongst audiences, inspiring them to ask questions, seek answers and challenge the status quo.

The Traverse has launched the careers of some of the UK's most celebrated writers – David Greig, David Harrower and Zinnie Harris – and continues to discover and support new voices, including Stef Smith, Morna Pearson, Gary McNair and Rob Drummond.

With two custom-built and versatile theatre spaces, the Traverse's home in Edinburgh's city centre holds an iconic status as the theatrical heart of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe every August

Outside the theatre walls, the Traverse runs an extensive engagement programme, offering audiences of all ages and backgrounds the opportunity to explore, create and develop. Further afield, the Traverse frequently tours internationally and engages in exchanges and partnerships – most recently in India, New Zealand and Quebec.

About The JMK Trust

The JMK Trust was founded in 1997 in memory of a theatre director of thrilling promise, James Menzies-Kitchin, who died suddenly and unexpectedly at the age of 28. It runs the annual JMK Young Director Award and works with theatres around the UK in its Regional Programme to discover and support emerging theatre directors. The JMK's Assistant Director Bursary, funded by the Leverhulme Trust Arts Scholarships Fund, is another part of our work which enables directors to learn new skills through practical experience.

About Gareth Nicholls

Gareth is a Glasgow-based theatre director who aims to produce bold, challenging and uncompromising work with strong aesthetics and robust texts at their heart. He currently holds the post of Associate Director at the Traverse Theatre, previously in post as Citizens Theatre’s Main Stage Director in Residence (2014-16).

His recent shows have included Traverse Theatre Company’s How to Disappear by Morna Pearson, the Scottish Premiere of Yasmina Reza’sGod of Carnage, Traverse Festival 2017 hit Letters to Morrissey, and a sell-out production of Irvine Welsh’s Trainspotting – all of which went on to gain much critical acclaim, including four- and five-star reviews, plus a Fringe First award for Letters to Morrissey.

He has directed productions for a range of companies including National Theatre of Scotland, Traverse Theatre, Tron Theatre, The Arches, A Play, A Pie and A Pint, Macrobert Arts Centre, HighTide Theatre and The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. He trained in Contemporary Theatre Practice at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and previously held the posts of National Theatre of Scotland Emerging Artist and Imaginate Artist in Residence.

He has won several awards including three Fringe First awards (Educating Ronnie, A Gambler’s Guide To Dying and Letters to Morrissey), a Scottish Arts Club award (Donald Robertson Is Not A Stand-Up Comedian) and The Arches’ Platform 18: New Directions award (2011).

Interview Details

Interviews shall be held on Thursday 12th of April 2018. Those invited to interview, will be interviewed by Traverse Associate Director Gareth Nicholls and JMK General Manager, Jo Holding. Ahead of the interview candidates will be given details on the play and expected to come prepared to discuss their thoughts, along with answering questions on their skills and experience as relevant to the role.

How to Apply

Please send a completed application pack to by 6pm on Tuesday 27th of March.

Please detail:

  • Why you are interested in working with Gareth Nicholls on this Traverse Theatre Company Festival 2018 production
  • How this bursary opportunity will contribute to your professional development
  • Your relevant experience and what you can bring to the role

If you have any questions relating to the Traverse Theatre please contact

If you have any questions relating to the JMK Trust please contact


Application for JMK Assistant Director Bursary:

Traverse Theatre Company Festival 2018 Production

  1. Personal Details

Surname:
Forename(s):
(underline name you are known by)
Permanent Address:
Postcode:
Telephone No. (include STD code):
Mobile No.
E-mail:
National Insurance No:
  1. Other Information

This position is due to commence on 25th June 2018. Is there any reason why you would be unavailable to commence work at this time?
Interviews shall take place on Monday 19th March. Individual interview timeslots will be available for interviews. Do you have any pre-existing commitments which would make you unavailable for interview on this date?
If you have a disability, we ask you to tell us about any adjustments that you would wish to be made to the selection or interview process in light of your disability. In order to make such adjustments we may need to pass this information onto others (for example, the selection panel).
How did you learn of this post?
Have you ever been convicted of a criminal offence?
(Declaration subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974)
  1. Conditions

Only applications which contain all the requested information will be considered. Information in support of your application will not be accepted after the closing date for receipt of application.
Before you submit your application, please ensure that you are eligible for this post by referring to the job specification and information for applicants. If you are successful at interview, a complete enquiry of your eligibility will be made. If you are uncertain about any aspect of your eligibility, please contact us.
A candidate found to have given false information or wilfully to have suppressed any material fact will be liable to either disqualification or, if appointed, to dismissal.
Late applications will not be accepted.

4. Educational Qualifications

To the extent that you consider that education qualifications are relevant to the post, please complete this section.

Subject / Level
e.g. Standard/
Higher / Result

5. Referees

Please give the name, address and telephone number of two referees, one of whom should be your current (or most recent) employer:
Name
Address
Telephone No:
E-mail:
In what capacity does this person know you?
Name
Address
Telephone No:
E-mail:
In what capacity does this person know you?

6. Employment History

To the extent that you consider it relevant to the post, detail your previous employment, including self-employment and freelance work, starting with the most recent.

Name, Address & Phone No. of Employer/Contractor / Job Title and Main Duties/Freelance contract details / Length of time in Post / Reason for leaving

7. SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE

Please study the Job Description. Use this space to demonstrate that you have the skills and knowledge we have asked for. You may also use this space to include any other information which may be relevant to your application.

8. Declaration

The information given in this application is complete and correct to the best of my knowledge. Under the terms of the Data Protection Act 1998, I agree that the information given in this application and any Equal Opportunities Monitoring form may be processed to provide management information for recruitment and equal opportunities monitoring purposes. This information will not be retained longer than it is needed and paper records are normally disposed of after 6 months. Applicants will have the right of access to any information held about them.
Signed Date
If your application is submitted by e-mail we will require you to sign this form if invited to interview.

Please send your completed application to:

Please send a completed application pack to by 6pm on Tuesday 27th March.

Application Pack Page 1 of 8

Traverse Theatre (Scotland) Limited Registered in Scotland SC076037 Registered Charity No. SC002368 Vat Registration No. 356 0682 47 Registered Office Traverse Theatre, 10 Cambridge Street, Edinburgh, EH1 2ED