Resident designers / staffing regional theatre

[DaveySimps]

How many of you in the regional theatre world have resident designers on staff? Due to the retiring of our resident lighting designer and resident scenic designer (husband and wife), we are reviewing our staffing structure. We are considering eliminating the staff positions and opting to hire in freelance designers per show. If we choose to go this route, our perminate staff in lighting and sound would be as follows: Master Electrician (who will also serve as lighting board operator during runs of shows) and Assistant Electrician (who will serve as our sound board operator or sound engineer for musicals). We over hire electricians for hang and focus calls. I was just curious how the rest of you in regional theatre settings are staffed. I searched for other posts, but could not find anything that discussed this specific topic. We can stand to save some money on staffing without affecting the artistic aspect of our productions.

~Dave

[icewolf08]

We don't have a resident lighting designer, but we do have a resident scenic designer. Our resident scenic designer does 3 shows per season for us, and does some outside work. When not designing, the resident scene designer is the properties master. On the LX side, I am the ME, and I wish I had an assistant. I hire all my crew overhire, and when I need an assistant I just bring in one of my long time overhire people to help. Management finds this less expensive and less cumbersome than hiring me an assistant.

[Footer]

Most places are moving away from a "resident" positions, instead they keep on staff a lighting director, TD/PM, Props master, etc... Unless you are in a rep situation, I think a resident designers tends to stale out the designs. In a rep situation, its pretty close to a must. Get some new blood in there.

[Spikesgirl]

Originally Posted by Footer4321

Most places are moving away from a "resident" positions, instead they keep on staff a lighting director, TD/PM, Props master, etc... Unless you are in a rep situation, I think a resident designers tends to stale out the designs. In a rep situation, its pretty close to a must. Get some new blood in there.

Our shop foreman is also our resident set and lighting designer (and TD). He goes through the season and decides which shows he wants to do and then we go from there. We usually have outside set designers do the big musicals, unless he has a thought in mind prior to. I try to design two shows a year, usually the drama and the comedy, but it all depends upon my schedule and how many others have expressed an interest.

We have an outside sound designer for the musicals and do the others in house on an as-needed basis.

We do have outside folks that can be called in for lighting, but our TD tends to take care of it himself as that way he can work around the set construction.

Charlie

[DaveySimps]

Thanks for the replies so far. I welcome many more.

~Dave

[Grog12]

I think you should keep a resident designer...if you hire me!!! Or have freelancers come in....and hire me too!!!!