
Green Shoes Arts are seeking a National Theatre Connections Director
GREEN SHOES ARTS
Green Shoes Arts (GSA) delivers high quality arts projects for the community of Barking &
Dagenham and the surrounding area, enabling people of all ages and backgrounds to
access and engage with a wide range of creative and artistic activities. Based in Chadwell
Heath Community Centre in Dagenham, they have been serving their community since 2009.
They believe that artistic and creative activity provides huge benefits to well-being and
personal development. Their projects offer opportunities to disadvantaged and vulnerable
young people and adults with lived experience of mental health issues, physical and learning
disabilities, and social deprivation. They listen, respond to, and support the needs of our community, working to see positive change through participation in the arts.
THE ROLE
They are looking for an inspiring and enthusiastic Youth Theatre Director to direct their NT
Connections play. The production will be cast from members of the Green Shoes Arts Young
Actor’s Club. The YAC was created to provide both a positive creative space for young
people in the Borough of Barking & Dagenham, and to provide rigorous, dedicated training in
performance. They expect the successful candidate to continue this vocational training,
ensuring that members learn through rehearsal and performance, and to deliver a strongly
directed, powerful production that inspires and encourages members to continue their
training as actors.
JOB REQUIREMENTS
Essential
Experience of directing high quality performances with young people
Creativity, flexibility and focus as a team player
Commitment to personal development and collective learning through artistic practice
Engaging and inspirational practitioner for a wide range of young people
Demonstrable knowledge of contemporary theatre practice and training
A commitment to equality of opportunity, representation and access
An understanding of youth arts, issues, challenges and opportunities
Up to date understanding and commitment to safeguarding principles
A current enhanced DBS (or ability to achieve one on application)
Desirable
Experience working in professional theatre
A history of developing the creative practice of others
An understanding of strategic arts development
Experience of leading training programmes
Experience of evaluating projects
Job Responsibilities
Direct a high quality NT Connections production
Support GSA's accessible, inclusive & diverse practices
Plan, deliver, and contribute to evaluation of all rehearsals and performances
Support wellbeing across all activity
Uphold GSA's vision, values and policies
GSA invites applications from candidates who identify as; African or Caribbean heritage;
South, East, or South East Asian heritage; Middle East or North African heritage; refugee;
d/Deaf; Disabled; Neurodivergent; working class; and/or LGBTQI+, however will not expect
or require them to explore their identity in relation to these groups through this project. We
especially welcome applications from residents of Barking & Dagenham.
Type of engagement: Fixed term short freelance contract
Reporting To: Artistic Director
Responsible For: Participants
Hours of Work:
Attendance at casting and auditions (to be confirmed)
One weekday evening and one weekend afternoon each week (to be confirmed based on studio and successful candidate’s availability) from November 2023 to April 2024, with a target of 60 hours of rehearsal in total.
Two full days of rehearsal in April 2024 prior to performances.
Production meetings, Partner Theatre meetings, and meetings with GSA core team as required.
Attendance at the Director’s Weekend from Friday 27th to Sunday 29th October 2023.
Attendance at all performances. There will be at least two performances at our home venue (location to be confirmed), and one performance at our Partner Theatre, the Queens Theatre Hornchurch. The Partner Theatre Festival dates are: Thursday 18 and Saturday 20th April 2024 at the Queens Theatre Hornchurch.
If necessary, attendance at the National Theatre for the Connections Festival.
Additional commitments will be paid at a rate of £75/session.
GSA are able to offer a flat fee of £2500 to direct the NT Connections play.
Place of Work: Chadwell Heath Community Centre, 255 High Road, RM6 6AS.
APPLICATION
To apply, please send a cover letter answering the below questions. They would suggest that
each answer should be around 300 words. They are happy to receive applications as a video
or audio file of around 5 minutes. This should be sent to us as a WeTransfer link.
Questions to answer:
Can you give us an insight into your creative process when working with a cast of young people?
Why do you choose to work with young people, and what impact do you hope to have on them?
What is the piece of work that you have directed that you are most proud of, and why?
You should refer to the deliverables and person specification highlighted above.
Please also send an up-to-date CV and a completed Diversity Monitoring Form. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend a short interview and deliver a short workshop session to the Young Actors Club. The successful applicant will be asked to provide two professional references.
Please email your application to Artistic Director Sam Miller at [email protected] by 5pm on 18th September 2023 with the subject line ‘NT CONNECTIONS DIRECTOR’. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview and deliver a trial workshop during the week commencing 25th September 2023.