For more information about each hiring department at Williamstown Theatre Festival, including a sample schedule, application recommendations, and more, see the descriptions below.
If you have more specific questions, you can email jobs@wtfestival.org.
The Artistic Department is responsible for all programming and creative development endeavors of the Festival, managing play submissions, artists in residence, workshops, the L. Arnold Weissberger New Play Award, and the Fridays@3 reading series.
Department Overview:
The Artistic Department is responsible for all programming and creative development endeavors of the Festival, managing play submissions, artists in residence, workshops, the L. Arnold Weissberger New Play Award, and the Fridays@3 reading series.
The tentpoles of the Literary Department include*:
*All “tentpoles” listed here are subject to change.
The Year-round Players:
Interim Artistic Director: Jenny Gersten
Jenny is thrilled to be back at Williamstown Theatre Festival after previously serving as WTF’s Artistic Director from 2010 to 2014 and as Associate Producer from 1996 to 2004. In addition to this role, she serves as Line Producer for the National Tour of Beetlejuice, Executive Producer for the musical Born for This, and Producer of Musical Theater for New York City Center. Jenny produced the award-winning Off Broadway “pie shop” production of Sweeney Todd. She works with Jessica Hecht on The Campfire Project, an arts program that primarily serves Syrian refugees at a camp in Greece. Previously, Jenny served as Executive Director of Friends of the High Line and as the Associate Producer of The Public Theater in New York City. At sea, she is the Creative Producer of Virgin Voyages.
Artistic Associate: Lianna Rada-Hung
A proud child of immigrants, Lianna was born and raised in New York City and is an alumna of NYU’s Class of 2020 where she received her BA in Dramatic Literature with a minor in web programming and applications. She has worked as a stage manager for the Fridays@3 reading series at Williamstown, the original musical Ships: A Musical Trilogy at The Tank, and Legally Blonde and Beauty and the Beast produced by NYU’s Lamplighters, fighting for greater accessibility in theater through community outreach. Before her time at WTF, she was a Production Intern at Back Roads Entertainment, Sesame Workshop, and Late Night with Seth Meyers, where she was involved in all aspects of television production from show development to post production. She is excited to return to Williamstown for her third summer!
The Schedule:
Office hours are typically Tuesday – Sunday 10am-6pm during the season, plus occasional evening commitments (i.e., post-show talkbacks). Seasonal staff gets one day off per week.
Frequently Collaborates With:
Application Recommendations:
In Artistic, we are looking for individuals who love to read, write, think, and talk about new plays! Ideal candidates are able to balance strong opinions and point of view with an open mind, and approach new work analysis from both a dramaturgical and producing lens. We are looking for detail-oriented strong writers and critical thinkers with great organizational and communication skills, and a sense of humor.
The Audience Engagement Team is responsible for the overall patron experience at Williamstown Theatre Festival, encompassing the Box Office, Front of House Staff, and Volunteer Ushers.
Department Overview:
The Audience Engagement Team is responsible for the overall patron experience at Williamstown Theatre Festival, from selling tickets and answering questions over the phone to greeting patrons as they arrive and making them feel safe and welcome. We pride ourselves on the unparalleled customer service each of our guests receive whenever they interact with the Festival—often making that important, indelible first impression!
The Year-Round Players:
Director of Audience Engagement: Antonello Di Benedetto
Antonello has over 20 years of fundraising and sales experience. Prior to joining WTF in 2017, he was the Director of Development at Second Stage Theater where he oversaw the $65MM capital and endowment campaign to renovate the historic Hayes Theatre on Broadway. A native of Chicago, he started his professional career at the Illinois Shakespeare Festival while attending Illinois State University in the cornfields of central Illinois. Upon graduating summa cum laude, he moved to NYC to work for Manhattan Theatre Club. Six-and-a-half years and four fundraising positions later (most recently as Director, Special Events), he then moved to sunny San Diego to lead the individual giving efforts at La Jolla Playhouse. Antonello is the immediate past President of the Williamstown Chamber of Commerce and continues to serve on its Marketing Committee; he also serves on the Executive Committee for the Williamstown Cultural District and on the steering committees for the 1Berkshire Creative Economy Cluster and ArtCountry. Antonello co-hosts the weekly television program, Window on the Weekend, on WilliNet TV about the various events going on in the Northern Berkshires on behalf of the Williamstown Chamber.
The Schedule:
The schedule varies throughout the summer; the Audience Engagement team works six days a week (Tuesday through Sunday), with Mondays off unless there is a special event programmed.
Frequently Collaborates With:
Application Recommendations:
Do you love to talk about theater? Are you an empathetic listener? Love making someone’s first experience at the theater a memorable one? Then Audience Engagement may be right for you! We are looking for detail-oriented, personable, people-people. Ideal candidates will possess clear communication/interpersonal skills, an amazing sense of humor, and an ability to gracefully balance competing priorities under pressure. Previous customer service experience and working knowledge of databases are a plus!
The Business office manages all financial operations of the Williamstown Theatre Festival.
Department Overview:
The Business Manager is responsible for all daily financial operations of the Festival such as budget creation and tracking, payroll, any and all insurance claims, contract fulfillment, employee hiring and onboarding, and more. Over the summer, the department expands to include the Business Management Associate/Assistant(s) and Production Finance Assistant, who act as the liaison between Production Management and the Business Office to handle seasonal purchasing.
The Year-Round Players:
Business Manager: Emma Whittum
Emma just completed her 6th (!!!) season with WTF in 2022. She started as an Audience Engagement intern with WTF in 2017, came back as the Assistant House Manager for the 2018 and 2019 seasons and then joined the year-round staff in September 2019 as the Administrative Assistant in the Williamstown office after graduating from Muhlenberg College. Emma is a Berkshires native and has worked with many organizations in the area, such as the Clark, Jacob’s Pillow, Williamstown Chamber of Commerce, and the Williams College Dance Department. In addition to working with WTF, she acts as House Manager at the ‘62 Center for Theatre and Dance for the Williams College Theatre & Dance Departments, sits on the Board of Directors as Treasurer for Berkshire Dance Theatre (the studio she danced at for 14 years), is the Financial Assistant at The Print Shop Williamstown on Spring St and volunteers weekly at Williamstown’s local movie theater, Images Cinema.
The Schedule:
The Business Office typically operates Monday-Friday, 10am-6pm.
Frequently Collaborates With:
Application Recommendations:
In the Business Office, we look for individuals who enjoy working with numbers, have great organizational skills and attention to detail, and who are comfortable handling confidential/sensitive information. Individuals working in the Business Office tend to be good problem solvers who take initiative and enjoy both working independently and collaborating as a part of a small/close team. Individuals working in the Business Office should be familiar with Excel and Google Suite. Individuals will also gain experience working with the following: Quickbooks Online, Filemaker, Pex (petty cash management), Paylocity and PatronManager.
Company Management is responsible for the behind-the-scenes elements of living and working at the Festival.
Department Overview:
Company Management is responsible for many behind-the-scenes elements of living and working at the Festival. Under a broad framework, Company Management arranges travel and housing for Festival artists, coordinates with various departments at Williams College, generates select artist contracts, and helps all company members navigate day-to-day life at the Festival so that everyone can have what they need to do their work.
The Year-Round Players:
Producer & Director of Organizational Culture: Danielle King
Danielle is committed to championing boundary-blurring, forward-thinking artists and the development of new, live, performance. In her most recent role as Managing Producer at The Tank, an 18-year old nonprofit arts presenter and producer committed to breaking economic barriers for emerging performing artists in the creation and presentation of new work, Danielle has focused on strengthening the organization’s infrastructure and evolving operations to meet the company’s rapid programmatic growth due to its move to a new two-theater home in 2017. With Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (2012-2019), Danielle designed and shepherded programs aimed at helping artists develop their practice and conduct research, and curated and produced platforms for artists to share their work with the public and transform public space, most notably through the annual River To River Festival. She also has supported the development and production of new plays at The Public Theater, Playwrights Horizons, Soho Rep, and Actors Theatre of Louisville, and for Clubbed Thumb, Siti Company, 13P, P73, and the TEAM. She spent six summers facilitating new play development at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center’s National Playwrights Conference and, with Artistic Director Wendy C. Goldberg, designed and launched the National Directors Fellowship, which supports early-career directors across the country. Danielle is a graduate of the American Express Leadership Academy and was a 2018 Distinguished Speaker at Teachers College, Columbia University. She holds a B.F.A. from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and a M.A. in Arts Administration from Columbia University.
The Schedule:
Daily schedule is dependent on production schedules and the arrivals/departures of visiting artists. Activities on any given day might include:
Given the nature of the work of the department, days off for the team are often staggered throughout the week to ensure coverage for company arrivals and departures.
Frequently Collaborates With:
Application Recommendations:
In Company Management, we look for individuals who have excellent communication and listening skills, are people-oriented, and have the ability to work independently as well as part of a team. Company Management interacts frequently with everyone at the Festival including artists, staff, and the Williamstown community at large. We address a wide-range of needs for the company that range from the planned to the unpredicted, and we look for those who enjoy thinking on their feet and taking quick action. The staff must be well-organized and detail-oriented, and a good sense of humor is a plus. The position does require changing over beds, moving supplies (particularly at the top and end of the season), and various tasks requiring lifting and standing for periods of time. Candidates with a valid driver’s license are strongly preferred.
Development plays a crucial role in ensuring the financial sustainability of WTF, building and maintaining strong relationships with donors and supporters, and raising funds to support WTF’s mission and programs.
Department Overview:
The Development Department supports WTF’s mission by generating revenue in the form of charitable contributions. We do this by making personal connections and telling a compelling institutional story, firmly aligned with the Artistic Director’s vision, WTF’s core values, and the Festival’s 69-year legacy of excellence.
The summer Development Assistant arrives in mid-June and helps to set up the summer Development office and assists in the execution of early-summer cultivation events. When the Development team arrives, they begin getting to know our donors and prospective donors through research activities. Throughout the summer, the Development Department greets and entertains donors and prospects at shows and events. The Development Department communicates with donors throughout the summer in-person, through the mail, via phone, via email, via text, and through our website and social media. The team’s goal during the summer is to educate and connect donors and prospective donors with WTF’s art, artists, and programs and get to know them better in the process.
The Year-Round Players:
Director of Development & Communications: Josh Martinez-Nelson
After graduating from Brown University with a degree in ethics and political philosophy, Josh moved to San Diego where he managed theater box offices before joining The Old Globe Theatre’s development department in 2008. At the Globe, he led the individual giving program through the recession and the final years of a $75MM capital campaign. In 2010, Josh moved to New York City to manage and eventually run Manhattan Theatre Club’s Patron Program. At MTC, he focused on improving the member experience and enjoyed five consecutive seasons of growth in memberships and revenue. Josh joined Williamstown Theatre Festival as Director of Development in 2015. In 2017, his responsibilities expanded to include customer communications.
Development Coordinator: Billy Issertell
Billy is originally from the suburbs of Philadelphia and is a graduate of Penn State University (‘21) where he studied finance with a minor in economics. While at PSU, he was a member of the Penn State Thespian Society and No Refund Theatre. There, he worked in nearly every aspect of theater including directing, technical direction, stage management, and lighting design. Before joining the Festival, Billy worked as a development intern at Barrington Stage Company in the Summer of 2019. He joined the WTF seasonal team as a Development Assistant for the 2021 Season and began working on the Festival’s year-round staff in September of 2021.
The Schedule:
Early June until Season Begins: 10am-6pm
Once Season Begins: The Development Office is open from 10am-6pm. Outside of these hours, Development staff will also be expected to greet guests before each performance.
Staff gets one day off per week. Which day may vary according to workload demands.
Frequently Collaborates With:
Application Recommendations:
Development is a social job so we have found that “people people” excel in this department. It is essential that you are self confident, have a good sense of humor, and can carry a conversation with any personality. Excellent attention to detail helps as we want to get to know our patrons well and help connect them with the art they support by identifying their interests and following up with them, enhancing their experience. You should enjoy taking care of people and value leveling up others’ experiences, surprising them in unexpected and thoughtful ways.
Health & Safety works with all departments to develop a company culture that prioritizes physical safety through the creation and implementation of robust safety policies, procedures, and resources.
Department Overview:
Health & Safety works with all departments to develop a company culture that prioritizes physical safety through the creation and implementation of robust safety policies, procedures, and resources. Health & Safety ensures all those working at the Festival understand and participate in creating a physically safe work environment.
The Year-Round Players:
Producer & Director of Organizational Culture: Danielle King
Danielle is committed to championing boundary-blurring, forward-thinking artists and the development of new, live, performance. In her most recent role as Managing Producer at The Tank, an 18-year old nonprofit arts presenter and producer committed to breaking economic barriers for emerging performing artists in the creation and presentation of new work, Danielle has focused on strengthening the organization’s infrastructure and evolving operations to meet the company’s rapid programmatic growth due to its move to a new two-theater home in 2017. With Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (2012-2019), Danielle designed and shepherded programs aimed at helping artists develop their practice and conduct research, and curated and produced platforms for artists to share their work with the public and transform public space, most notably through the annual River To River Festival. She also has supported the development and production of new plays at The Public Theater, Playwrights Horizons, Soho Rep, and Actors Theatre of Louisville, and for Clubbed Thumb, Siti Company, 13P, P73, and the TEAM. She spent six summers facilitating new play development at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center’s National Playwrights Conference and, with Artistic Director Wendy C. Goldberg, designed and launched the National Directors Fellowship, which supports early-career directors across the country. Danielle is a graduate of the American Express Leadership Academy and was a 2018 Distinguished Speaker at Teachers College, Columbia University. She holds a B.F.A. from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and a M.A. in Arts Administration from Columbia University.
Director of Production & Operations: Justin Bell
Over the last decade, Justin has worked for a wide variety of entertainment companies in various roles. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, he proudly worked as a stagehand with IATSE Local 16 for four years on various events, productions, and concerts throughout the region. Transitioning to the East Coast for production management, Justin worked two summers at Williamstown Theatre Festival and several Broadway productions with Aurora Productions. He then worked at Second Stage Theater as the Associate Production Manager where he managed productions ranging from new Broadway works to off-Broadway revivals. In addition, he helped to oversee the reopening of Second Stage’s Broadway theater, The Hayes, after the completion of a multi-year renovation. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, Justin rejoined Aurora Productions as a Production Manager for various Broadway National Tours and productions around the country. Justin served as Interim Director of Production for Williamstown in 2022, joining the team full-time at the start of 2023.
The Schedule:
Daily hours are generally 10am-6pm during the season unless a specific project warrants shifting, plus occasional evening commitments. The day off is typically Monday, in alignment with the day off for productions.
Frequently Collaborates With:
While this team interfaces with all departments and all company members, in its daily operations, the team most frequently collaborates with:
Application Recommendations:
We are looking for individuals who have strong project management skills and are interested in helping us build and establish a comprehensive safety framework, including protocols and good practices. In your cover letter, please speak to your theater production knowledge and experience and how and why you’d like to translate those skills into being a partner in developing a company culture that prioritizes physical safety.
Marketing is responsible for developing and implementing strategies to promote WTF’s productions, events, and brand to potential audiences, donors, and supporters.
Department Overview:
Marketing is responsible for developing and implementing strategies to promote WTF’s productions, events, and brand to potential audiences, donors, and supporters. The Marketing department works closely with other departments, such as Artistic and Development, to ensure that WTF’s mission and programming are effectively communicated to the public through e-blasts, print and digital advertisements, season programs, and supplementary season artwork. The Marketing Department is also the liaison between the Festival and the local and national press outlets. They coordinate press tickets, manage press opportunities (interviews, features, etc), and write press releases. The Marketing Department manages the Festival social media channels, including building and distributing Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube content. Finally, the Photo/Video team within the Marketing Department oversees the recording/documentation of most Festival events and performances, as well as the gathering of promotional assets, ranging from donor event photography, to behind-the-scenes photo/video, to internal archival video recording of all productions.
The Year-Round Players:
Director of Development & Communications: Josh Martinez-Nelson
After graduating from Brown University with a degree in ethics and political philosophy, Josh
moved to San Diego where he managed theater box offices before joining The Old Globe Theatre’s development department in 2008. At the Globe, he led the individual giving program through the recession and the final years of a $75M capital campaign. In 2010, Josh moved to New York City to manage and eventually run Manhattan Theatre Club’s Patron Program. At MTC, he focused on improving the member experience and enjoyed five consecutive seasons of growth in memberships and revenue. Josh joined Williamstown Theatre Festival as Director of Development in 2015. In 2017, his responsibilities expanded to include customer communications.
Marketing & Communications Coordinator: Nicky Longo
Nicky was thrilled to join the WTF Staff last spring as the Marketing & Communications Coordinator after graduating from Bates College with a double major in Theater (Directing concentration) and Psychology. Nicky’s thesis in psychology focused on how American intellectual property law mediates artists’ creativity. Recent directing credits include Venus & Adonis (Cambridge Chamber Ensemble, assistant director, d. David Gammons), Grand Concourse (senior thesis in directing at Bates College), A Zoo Story (independent study in directing, Bates College), and Pillow Talk (The Bates College Robinson Players). While at Bates, Nicky was the Artistic Director of the Robinson Players, the college’s student produced theater company and the department’s Social Media Manager, a position which led him to this role at Williamstown. Nicky is dedicated to expanding WTF’s audiences across communication platforms and the Festival’s social media channels.
Director of Audience Engagement: Antonello Di Benedetto
Antonello has over 20 years of fundraising and sales experience. Prior to joining WTF in 2017, he was the Director of Development at Second Stage Theater where he oversaw the $65MM capital and endowment campaign to renovate the historic Hayes Theatre on Broadway. A native of Chicago, he started his professional career at the Illinois Shakespeare Festival while attending Illinois State University in the cornfields of central Illinois. Upon graduating summa cum laude, he moved to NYC to work for Manhattan Theatre Club. Six-and-a-half years and four fundraising positions later (most recently as Director, Special Events), he then moved to sunny San Diego to lead the individual giving efforts at La Jolla Playhouse. Antonello is the immediate past President of the Williamstown Chamber of Commerce and continues to serve on its Marketing Committee; he also serves on the Executive Committee for the Williamstown Cultural District and on the steering committees for the 1Berkshire Creative Economy Cluster and ArtCountry. Antonello co-hosts the weekly television program, Window on the Weekend, on WilliNet TV about the various events going on in the Northern Berkshires on behalf of the Williamstown Chamber.
The Schedule:
Office hours are 10am-6pm during the season, plus occasional evening commitments (i.e. post-show talkbacks, celebrations, press performances, etc). During the summer, the marketing staff usually takes Monday off all together unless there is a project on that day when another day of the week will be designated as the day off.
Frequently Collaborates With:
Application Recommendations:
The Marketing Department looks for individuals who can see a project from concept to completion and who can work on predetermined schedules and deadlines. We look for individuals with a keen eye for detail, a creative aesthetic, and a passion for the performing arts. Experience with the Google Suite (Drive, Docs, Sheets, etc.) is required for all positions. Experience with the Adobe Creative Suite is required for Photo/Video and Design positions, specifically Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and Premiere. Experience with social media management, and knowledge/awareness of press outlets and procedures strongly preferred. Experience with copywriting, proofreading, and editing is also a plus. Experience with rudimentary HTML is also a plus.
People & Culture staff, with the Producer & Director of Organizational Culture and WTF’s People & Culture consultants K+K Reset work to facilitate a nurturing, supportive work environment.
Department Overview:
People & Culture staff, with the Producer & Director of Organizational Culture and WTF’s People & Culture consultants K+K Reset work to facilitate a nurturing, supportive work environment. The team is available to be a resource as staff navigate the unique work-live experience of the Festival- no concern or question is too big or too small. The team also conducts various trainings, receives and reports on feedback of company members’ experiences, facilitates affinity groups, and conducts inquiries for serious grievances.
The Year-Round Players
K+K Reset
Kiah Jones and Karen Robinson bring a combined 50+ years of experience in HR, Learning & Development, Talent Acquisition, and People Management. As of 2019, they have supported 30+ Broadway shows with their expertise. A few of the shows they support include Moulin Rouge!, Phantom of the Opera, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, and Macbeth. Together, in addition to co-founding K+K Reset LLC (https://kkreset.com), they both sit on the Board for the National Association of African Americans in Human Resources. K+K Reset, LLC is a Certified M/WBE – a Minority Women Owned Business Enterprise.
Producer & Director of Organizational Culture: Danielle King
Danielle is committed to championing boundary-blurring, forward-thinking artists and the development of new, live, performance. In her most recent role as Managing Producer at The Tank, an 18-year old nonprofit arts presenter and producer committed to breaking economic barriers for emerging performing artists in the creation and presentation of new work, Danielle has focused on strengthening the organization’s infrastructure and evolving operations to meet the company’s rapid programmatic growth due to its move to a new two-theater home in 2017. With Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (2012-2019), Danielle designed and shepherded programs aimed at helping artists develop their practice and conduct research, and curated and produced platforms for artists to share their work with the public and transform public space, most notably through the annual River To River Festival. She also has supported the development and production of new plays at The Public Theater, Playwrights Horizons, Soho Rep, and Actors Theatre of Louisville, and for Clubbed Thumb, Siti Company, 13P, P73, and the TEAM. She spent six summers facilitating new play development at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center’s National Playwrights Conference and, with Artistic Director Wendy C. Goldberg, designed and launched the National Directors Fellowship, which supports early-career directors across the country. Danielle is a graduate of the American Express Leadership Academy and was a 2018 Distinguished Speaker at Teachers College, Columbia University. She holds a B.F.A. from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and a M.A. in Arts Administration from Columbia University.
The Schedule:
Daily hours are generally 9am -5pm or 10am – 6pm during the season. The day off is typically Monday, in alignment with the day off for productions. There may be times when company members need to contact someone outside of regular business hours.
Frequently Collaborates With:
While this team interfaces with all departments and all company members, in its daily operations, the team most frequently collaborates with:
Application Recommendations:
We are seeking individuals with social work or counseling experience who are empathetic, active listeners, excellent communicators, and discrete when handling individuals’ private information. Familiarity with theater and the creative process is preferred.
The Producing office liaises between all departments at the Festival to ensure they are working toward the goal of making WTF’s summer season a reality.
Department Overview:
The Producing office is the coordinating force behind creating the Festival. We ensure that all departments are talking to one another and working toward the goal of making WTF’s summer season a reality. We make sure each production maintains its artistic integrity while adhering to the budget set at the beginning of the season.
The Year-Round Players
Producer & Director of Organizational Culture, Danielle King
Danielle is committed to championing boundary-blurring, forward-thinking artists and the development of new, live, performance. In her most recent role as Managing Producer at The Tank, an 18-year old nonprofit arts presenter and producer committed to breaking economic barriers for emerging performing artists in the creation and presentation of new work, Danielle has focused on strengthening the organization’s infrastructure and evolving operations to meet the company’s rapid programmatic growth due to its move to a new two-theater home in 2017. With Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (2012-2019), Danielle designed and shepherded programs aimed at helping artists develop their practice and conduct research, and curated and produced platforms for artists to share their work with the public and transform public space, most notably through the annual River To River Festival. She also has supported the development and production of new plays at The Public Theater, Playwrights Horizons, Soho Rep, and Actors Theatre of Louisville, and for Clubbed Thumb, Siti Company, 13P, P73, and the TEAM. She spent six summers facilitating new play development at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center’s National Playwrights Conference and, with Artistic Director Wendy C. Goldberg, designed and launched the National Directors Fellowship, which supports early-career directors across the country. Danielle is a graduate of the American Express Leadership Academy and was a 2018 Distinguished Speaker at Teachers College, Columbia University. She holds a B.F.A. from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and a M.A. in Arts Administration from Columbia University.
the Schedule
The schedule can vary from week to week, depending on whether productions are in rehearsal and/or tech, but typically involve some daytime hours in the office and checking in on rehearsals and with various departments. When a production is in tech and/or previews, the daily schedules are adjusted to ensure there is always a member of the Producing team covering evening tech or preview. The day off for the Producing team is generally Mondays.
Frequently Collaborates With:
Application Recommendations:
In the Producing Department, we are looking for a passion for creating and producing theater, a penchant for organization and collaboration, and excellent communication skills! The job is a blend of both administrative computer work and being out and about engaging with different departments or in rehearsal rooms, so we seek individuals who like a variety of tasks within their day and can be flexible to adapt to the needs of a particular day or production process.
The Production department is a team of technicians, designers, and collaborators that works closely together to support the design and technical aspects of all Festival productions.
Department Overview:
The Production department at the Williamstown Theatre Festival is a team of technicians, designers, and collaborators that works closely together to support the design and technical aspects of all Festival productions. In collaboration with creative teams and other guest artists, production staff work throughout the summer to implement the creative vision for Festival productions and other operational tasks that support those efforts. In addition to overseeing the technical needs of the Festival, members of the production department work to develop institutional foundations for future summers. Working as a part of a larger team that’s redeveloping parts of the Festival, the Production staff voices suggestions about how to support the artistic and operational goals of the Festival.
The Year-Round Players:
Director of Production & Operations: Justin Bell
Over the last decade, Justin has worked for a wide variety of entertainment companies in various roles. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, he proudly worked as a stagehand with IATSE Local 16 for four years on various events, productions, and concerts throughout the region. Transitioning to the East Coast for production management, Justin worked two summers at Williamstown Theatre Festival and several Broadway productions with Aurora Productions. He then worked at Second Stage Theater as the Associate Production Manager where he managed productions ranging from new Broadway works to off-Broadway revivals. In addition, he helped to oversee the reopening of Second Stage’s Broadway theater, The Hayes, after the completion of a multi-year renovation. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, Justin rejoined Aurora Productions as a Production Manager for various Broadway National Tours and productions around the country. Justin served as Interim Director of Production for Williamstown in 2022, joining the team full-time at the start of 2023.
The Schedule:
Schedules can vary day to day depending on the production schedule. In general, production staff can be expected to work five days a week although some six day work weeks will be required in support of a certain production’s rehearsal, load-in, tech, and performance needs. The start, end, and span of a workday can all vary greatly pending the daily needs of the Festival. Production Staff will work varying shifts but are given at least a 10-hour turnaround time.
Frequently Collaborates With:
Application Recommendations:
Ideal candidates are motivated, organized, have dependable follow-through, and are adept at finding unique solutions to various challenges. The nature of the Festival requires strong time management and multitasking skills as multiple projects are often in production simultaneously. We look for individuals who have a dedicated interest in their specialization, may have already had some training in their field of study, and are interested in honing their skills further through hands-on production assignments and institutional opportunities. Your cover letter is especially important to get a sense of any skills or personality details that are not explicitly mentioned in your resume. Due to the high volume of applications, please limit your cover letter to a couple of paragraphs.
By Phone: 413.458.3200
By Email: wtfinfo@wtfestival.org
By Snail Mail: PO Box 517
Williamstown, MA 01267