Why not become a member of our team
Join the team and get involved....
So if you are interested in any of the above or even if you just want to make friends and meet up at one of our many social events or theatre workshops, then please get in contact using the form on this page, as we would love to hear from you.
Questions and feedback
Do you have a skill you want to put ot good use....
Our cast works hard in rehearsals and has great fun both on and off the stage.
But It is not just acting, singing, and dancing that makes a show happen; there is important work to be done in Building Scenery & Props, Make-up, Costumes, Lighting & Sound, Children's Chaperones & Musicians, not to mention all the Front-of-House duties.
Why not become a member of our team
Positions needed to plan the show
Pre-production Teams & support
Director
A shows director is in charge of all areas of the production and they have the final say on all creative decisions from casting all the way through to the production run, and will need to work with the backstage, technical & wardrobe teams to bring their vision to the stage while remaining within the budget set by the society, some larger production, may also require an Assistant Director, to help shoulder some of these tasks.
Musical Director
As the name suggests, the Musical Director, or MD, is responsible for all of the Musical planning for the performance, they will be present as part of the audition panel, helping to cast the vocal talent for the show, take control of musical rehearsals and edit or transpose music as needed, they will also be responsible putting together and conducting the band/orchestra for the show run.
Choreographer
The Choreographer is responsible for planning and implementing all dances and movement pieces for the show. they will also be part of the Audition panel and will need to make sure their movement pieces are within the ability of all cast members and work in close contact with the director and musical director to help tie all three roles together.
Production Secretary
The production secretary holds the whole show together and works with all the members of the production team, to make sure everybody knows what they are responsible for and when and where it needs to be ready, they will often also be involved in rehearsals taking notes, and communicating out all important information to the whole cast, to put it bluntly, even the best cast shows don't run smoothly without a good production secretary, holding everything together.
Set Designers
Big empty blank stages are all right for standup comedy or a choir, however, actors need sets, in order to help tell the story, and the set designers are responsible for helping fill in these gaps, sometimes a set will be hired in and sometimes it will be built by the backstage team, a good set designer will work with what they have to produce a good set within the budget available.
Lighting Design
In charge of all aspects of lighting for a show once it gets into the theatre. They design the lighting set beforehand, before putting up all the lights during the get-in and then attending each night’s performance to run the lighting cues.
Support us during our productions
Positions needed during the run of the show
Stage Manager SM
The stage manager is a massive part of show week, organising the production once it arrives at the theatre. They put together their own stage crew and ensure the set is built quickly and safely, before overseeing the show itself, ensuring all scene changes are carried out efficiently. They also keep an eye on props/lighting/sound as required.
Deputy Stage Manager
Assists the stage manager and sits ‘on book’ during show week. They follow the script and ‘call’ the show, cueing in sound, lighting, and cast as required. They are effectively the spine of the show during its performance, from which everything else branches out.
Stage Crew
Every show week, we require a number of backstage helpers to ensure scenery and props get moved around on/off stage, operate curtains, and any other physical aspect as required by the production. They also help build the set and then take it down again at the end of the production.
Assistant Stage Manager
The main job of the ASM is to source all props that a production requires. They are responsible for transporting them to and from rehearsals in the run-up to show week so that the actors can get used to them, as well as during show weeks themselves.
Props Team
Another great opportunity to gain experience if you would like to take on the role of props in the future. This role is to assist the ASM with all props during the rehearsal/show week process and help them out whenever required.
Chaperones
If a show has children in it, licensed chaperones are required to supervise them and make sure CODS operates in line with The Children (Performances and Activities) (England) Regulations 2014. Their job will be to supervise children in rehearsals and show week, to make sure that they remain safe whilst in the rehearsal/theatre environment, make sure they get to the stage on time, and most importantly, have fun!
Wardrobe
Numerous people are required for every show to ensure that our actors look their best! Wardrobe people attend early rehearsals to measure up the actors for their costumes and then take a massive role during show week, organising the receipt of the costumes before allocating them to each actor in turn. They are always available backstage during a show performance to help with quick changes, make adjustments to costumes, and also mend the inevitable rips or lost buttons. They then organise the safe receipt of the costumes back from the actors when a show is finished, and ensure that everything has been returned in order to send them back to the costume hire place.
Dressers
Dressers float around backstage on show weeks with the specific job of helping the actors with quick changes.
Lighting & Sound
As in the above section, they attend performances on show week to run the lighting cues.
Often in musicals, we use multiple follow spots and so require people to operate them. The job involves sitting at the highest point in the auditorium and moving the spotlight to shine on the lead actors or certain scenes where required. Not much preparation is required beforehand as there are no specific requirements to attend any rehearsals, and full training is provided before the first performance.
Makeup
Attends before performances on show weeks to put make-up on any actors that require it.
Prompt
The job where everyone is pleased if you're not required to do anything!
Should the director request one, a prompter will attend rehearsals in the run-up to show week and sit with the script to prompt any actors who may forget their lines. They also sit by the side of the stage on show week to enact the same role.
Front Of House Team
Our Front of House Staff are essential to every show and a great way to support Promenade Productions. Duties include greeting patrons and ticket checking (these people will also act as 'fire-watch during a performance', sitting at either side of the auditorium to ensure everything runs smoothly), selling programmes, working behind the bar, and selling ice creams/tea, and coffee.