Theatre Directors | Explore Directing Opportunities
View volunteer directing opportunities at Alumnae Theatre Company
Alumnae Theatre Company is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and has been staging adventurous theatre for over 100 years.
Call for Assistant Director/Stage Managers
New Ideas Festival 2023
Do you have a passion for creating new and innovative live theatre?
Alumnae Theatre Company is seeking non-union Assistant Director/Stage Manager submissions for the 35th annual New Ideas Festival.
A showcase of bold and adventurous one-act plays, NIF facilitates full productions for scripts 10-30 minutes in length. With performances running March 15–26, 2023, in Toronto, this two-week festival features a lineup of eight exciting short works (four presented in Week 1, and four presented in Week 2).
ATC is seeking an Assistant Director/Stage Manager for each short play. This combined role is perfect for artists with a knack for organization and an interest in production or for stage managers with an interest in artistic leadership.
NIF facilitates festival auditions, rehearsal and production space, technical crew, access to ATC’s costume and props collections, marketing and publicity.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:
To apply as an AD/SM for NIF 2023, please email nif@alumnaetheatre.com and include the following:
NIF welcomes voices from diverse communities, and encourages submissions from equity-seeking groups, including those who identify as Indigenous, Black, People of Colour, Women, Trans, Nonbinary, Queer, Seniors, and intersections of those identities and beyond.
IMPORTANT DATES:
Alumnae Theatre Company is a not-for-profit organization, and participating as an AD/SM in the New Ideas Festival is a non-union, non-paying volunteer opportunity.
New Ideas Festival 2023
Do you have a passion for creating new and innovative live theatre?
Alumnae Theatre Company is seeking non-union Assistant Director/Stage Manager submissions for the 35th annual New Ideas Festival.
A showcase of bold and adventurous one-act plays, NIF facilitates full productions for scripts 10-30 minutes in length. With performances running March 15–26, 2023, in Toronto, this two-week festival features a lineup of eight exciting short works (four presented in Week 1, and four presented in Week 2).
ATC is seeking an Assistant Director/Stage Manager for each short play. This combined role is perfect for artists with a knack for organization and an interest in production or for stage managers with an interest in artistic leadership.
NIF facilitates festival auditions, rehearsal and production space, technical crew, access to ATC’s costume and props collections, marketing and publicity.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:
To apply as an AD/SM for NIF 2023, please email nif@alumnaetheatre.com and include the following:
- A resume outlining theatrical experience
- A description of any stage management, technical or crew experience, or relevant skills
- Contact information (including email address, phone number and mailing address)
NIF welcomes voices from diverse communities, and encourages submissions from equity-seeking groups, including those who identify as Indigenous, Black, People of Colour, Women, Trans, Nonbinary, Queer, Seniors, and intersections of those identities and beyond.
IMPORTANT DATES:
- Rehearsal and Tech Periods: January 23–March 14 (Week 1) / March 21 (Week 2)
- Performances: March 15–19 (Week 1) / March 22–26, 2023 (Week 2)
Alumnae Theatre Company is a not-for-profit organization, and participating as an AD/SM in the New Ideas Festival is a non-union, non-paying volunteer opportunity.
Call for Non-Union Directors
Mainstage Season 2023/24
The plays selected for the 2023/2024 season are:
IF WE WERE BIRDS by Erin Shields
September-October 2023
Winner of the 2011 Governor General’s Award for Drama, If We Were Birds is a re-imagining of Ovid’s masterpiece, “Tereus, Procne, and Philomela." It uses this story as the basis for a harrowing exploration of the violence and revenge of contemporary war and its aftermath.
BETTER LIVING by George Walker
January-February 2024
Written by the multiple-time winner of the Governor General’s Award, the Dora Mavor Moore Awards, and the Chalmers Awards, Better Living is a black comedy that revolves around a family of misfit women and the father who deserted them after trying to burn the house down.
THE CHILDREN by Lucy Kirkwood
April-May 2024
Written by one of Britain’s hottest new playwrights, The Children revolves around two retired nuclear scientists, who are attempting to live a seemingly normal existence in an area devastated by a disaster at the local power station where they used to work, and an old friend who arrives with a frightening request.
DEADLINE TO APPLY: 11:59pm EST on Monday, February 6, 2023
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:
To apply, please send email to
directorselectionatc@gmail.com
including the following:
Feel free to pass this information along to any non-member artists you think may be interested. The Alumnae Theatre Company is a community theatre run by volunteers. This is not a paid position.
If you are selected to pitch, you will receive a full copy of the play(s), guidelines for your written submission and an invitation to present your pitch via Zoom.
Pitch interviews will take place at various times on Tuesday, February 21, in 20-minute intervals for each play – including questions from the Director Selection panel.
The Alumnae Theatre welcomes voices from diverse communities and encourages submissions from equity-seeking groups, including those who identify as Indigenous, Black, People of Colour, Women, Trans, Nonbinary, Queer, Seniors, and intersections of those identities and beyond.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Mainstage Season 2023/24
The plays selected for the 2023/2024 season are:
IF WE WERE BIRDS by Erin Shields
September-October 2023
Winner of the 2011 Governor General’s Award for Drama, If We Were Birds is a re-imagining of Ovid’s masterpiece, “Tereus, Procne, and Philomela." It uses this story as the basis for a harrowing exploration of the violence and revenge of contemporary war and its aftermath.
BETTER LIVING by George Walker
January-February 2024
Written by the multiple-time winner of the Governor General’s Award, the Dora Mavor Moore Awards, and the Chalmers Awards, Better Living is a black comedy that revolves around a family of misfit women and the father who deserted them after trying to burn the house down.
THE CHILDREN by Lucy Kirkwood
April-May 2024
Written by one of Britain’s hottest new playwrights, The Children revolves around two retired nuclear scientists, who are attempting to live a seemingly normal existence in an area devastated by a disaster at the local power station where they used to work, and an old friend who arrives with a frightening request.
DEADLINE TO APPLY: 11:59pm EST on Monday, February 6, 2023
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:
To apply, please send email to
directorselectionatc@gmail.com
including the following:
- A note about which play or plays you wish to pitch for.
- A resume outlining your theatrical experience
- A description of any relevant skills
- Contact information (including email address, phone number, and mailing address)
Feel free to pass this information along to any non-member artists you think may be interested. The Alumnae Theatre Company is a community theatre run by volunteers. This is not a paid position.
If you are selected to pitch, you will receive a full copy of the play(s), guidelines for your written submission and an invitation to present your pitch via Zoom.
Pitch interviews will take place at various times on Tuesday, February 21, in 20-minute intervals for each play – including questions from the Director Selection panel.
The Alumnae Theatre welcomes voices from diverse communities and encourages submissions from equity-seeking groups, including those who identify as Indigenous, Black, People of Colour, Women, Trans, Nonbinary, Queer, Seniors, and intersections of those identities and beyond.
We look forward to hearing from you!
General outline of directing opportunities at Alumnae Theatre:
They are all volunteer opportunities.
Calls and timelines for these opportunities vary each year.
Toronto's Alumnae Theatre Company puts out calls for Theatre Directors.
Please keep checking back here for details of these Theatre Directing opportunities.
__________
1) Open to both Non-Members & Alumnae Members
New Ideas Festival (staged in March)
Call for Directors for the New Ideas Festival is usually in September/October.
Alumnae Theatre Company invites non-union Directors to apply to direct one of the many plays (running time 10 to 40 minutes) for New Ideas Festival (NIF). This juried festival of new plays, works-in-progress, and experimental theatre is performed in March.
FireWorks Festival (staged in Nov.)
Call for Directors for the FireWorks Festival is usually in April.
FireWorks is a development festival, dramaturgy will continue right through production, and the writer will be part of the process.
Casting/rehearsals begin September. Alumnae is a non-professional theatre, committed to the highest standards of performance and production and diversity among artists. Performed in the Alumnae Theatre Studio - there are usually 2-3 new plays as part of the Festival.
Each play runs for one week, Wednesday to Sunday, with two performances on Saturday.
__________
2) Open to Alumnae Members:
3 Mainstage Shows (staged in Sept/Oct, Jan/Feb, April/May)
Call for Director/Producer Pitches and/or Pitch-a-Package for Mainstage shows are usually in September.
At that time, the Alumnae Mainstage Programming Committee seeks submissions from members and member teams:
Options for Directors or Director/Producer teams:
1. Pitch to direct a play from our shortlist of plays (Directors may pitch for more than one play)
2. Pitch to direct a play of your choosing that fits our criteria
3. Do both!
Are you a Director who is interested in pitching a play about which you are passionate?
Are you able to form a Director/Producer team (Designers and SM's) with other Alumnae members?
Are you a solo Producer interested in producing one of the plays on our shortlist?
__________
Write Now! Challenge (staged in Oct.)
Call for Directors who are Active Alumnae Members, for the Write Now! Challenge is usually in September/October.
The Write Now! Challenge is an Alumnae New Play Development Group event for it's group members to write a 10 minute play - over a weekend - based on a mystery subject.
Each play gets assigned a Director and it is presented, as a reading, a week later in the Alumnae Studio Theatre, usually on on a Sunday.
Audience is invited, and there's free admission.
There is typically one rehearsal.
__________
Big Ideas Festival of Readings (staged in May)
Call for Directors who are Active Alumnae Members, for the Big Ideas Festival is usually in November/December.
At that time, the Alumnae's New Play Development Group seeks experienced Directors to connect with Playwrights for our ‘Big Ideas’ play reading week of new works, which runs May.
They are all volunteer opportunities.
Calls and timelines for these opportunities vary each year.
Toronto's Alumnae Theatre Company puts out calls for Theatre Directors.
Please keep checking back here for details of these Theatre Directing opportunities.
__________
1) Open to both Non-Members & Alumnae Members
New Ideas Festival (staged in March)
Call for Directors for the New Ideas Festival is usually in September/October.
Alumnae Theatre Company invites non-union Directors to apply to direct one of the many plays (running time 10 to 40 minutes) for New Ideas Festival (NIF). This juried festival of new plays, works-in-progress, and experimental theatre is performed in March.
FireWorks Festival (staged in Nov.)
Call for Directors for the FireWorks Festival is usually in April.
FireWorks is a development festival, dramaturgy will continue right through production, and the writer will be part of the process.
Casting/rehearsals begin September. Alumnae is a non-professional theatre, committed to the highest standards of performance and production and diversity among artists. Performed in the Alumnae Theatre Studio - there are usually 2-3 new plays as part of the Festival.
Each play runs for one week, Wednesday to Sunday, with two performances on Saturday.
__________
2) Open to Alumnae Members:
3 Mainstage Shows (staged in Sept/Oct, Jan/Feb, April/May)
Call for Director/Producer Pitches and/or Pitch-a-Package for Mainstage shows are usually in September.
At that time, the Alumnae Mainstage Programming Committee seeks submissions from members and member teams:
Options for Directors or Director/Producer teams:
1. Pitch to direct a play from our shortlist of plays (Directors may pitch for more than one play)
2. Pitch to direct a play of your choosing that fits our criteria
3. Do both!
Are you a Director who is interested in pitching a play about which you are passionate?
Are you able to form a Director/Producer team (Designers and SM's) with other Alumnae members?
Are you a solo Producer interested in producing one of the plays on our shortlist?
__________
Write Now! Challenge (staged in Oct.)
Call for Directors who are Active Alumnae Members, for the Write Now! Challenge is usually in September/October.
The Write Now! Challenge is an Alumnae New Play Development Group event for it's group members to write a 10 minute play - over a weekend - based on a mystery subject.
Each play gets assigned a Director and it is presented, as a reading, a week later in the Alumnae Studio Theatre, usually on on a Sunday.
Audience is invited, and there's free admission.
There is typically one rehearsal.
__________
Big Ideas Festival of Readings (staged in May)
Call for Directors who are Active Alumnae Members, for the Big Ideas Festival is usually in November/December.
At that time, the Alumnae's New Play Development Group seeks experienced Directors to connect with Playwrights for our ‘Big Ideas’ play reading week of new works, which runs May.
