Assistant Director Program: Further Than the Furthest Thing by Zinnie Harris directed by Jennifer Tang

 

Assistant Director Program

Part of the Young Vic’s Jerwood Artist Development Pathway

Further Than the Furthest Thing by Zinnie Harris directed by Jennifer Tang

The Young Vic is committed to providing opportunities for directors and theatre makers to develop their craft and to expand their knowledge and practice. Learning from experienced directors by assisting is a vital chance to develop skills and understanding. Equally, having the chance to spend time in a theatre and understand how the departments work together to produce work is also an important aspect of a director and theatre maker’s knowledge.  Each year the Assistant Director Program, supported by Jerwood Arts will aim to provide up to five assistant directorships, which include a placement at the Young Vic in addition to an attachment to a production. 

 

THE PROGRAMME

The program provides each assistant director:

• An assistantship on a Young Vic production or co-production
• A two-week placement observing day to day running of the theatre, attending planning and management meetings and spending time in departments such as marketing, production and development 
• The opportunity to devise and lead two peer-led projects for the Genesis Network.
• A chance to work with the Taking Part department on delivering a programme of work for schools and colleges inspired by the show they have assisted on
• A small pot of money to see shows

Each assistant will receive a fee to cover the assistantship on a production, placement and the direction of a short piece.    

 

ASSISTANTSHIP ON A PRODUCTION

At present we are looking for an assistant to work on a Young Vic production of Further Than the Furthest Thing by Zinnie Harris and directed by Jennifer Tang.

 

KEY DATES

Rehearsals from                   Monday 30 January 2023                                           

Technical Rehearsals           Wednesday 1 March 2023

First Preview                         Thursday 9 March 2023

Press Performance               Thursday 16 March 2023              

Final Performance                Saturday 29 April 2023                                        

 

FEE

There is a fee of £4,500 to cover the period from 30 January-29 April 2023.  The director will be required to undertake some research and attend meetings prior to the rehearsal period.  You will be working full-time up to the press week and then part-time during the run to support the show.   During the time period the assistant will need to be within 25 miles of the Young Vic.

Two-week placement payment of £500 per week (mutually agreed with Young Vic and assistant director).

 

We are looking for an assistant director who:

• Has assistant directed on at least two productions
• Has directed at least one professional production (with professional* actors not student actors)
• Has specific interest in the craft of the actor and can demonstrate their sensitivity to actors and their ability to support their process
• Interest in collaborative process 
• Interest in making sustainable work Experience of using movement and voice work in their productions
• Experience of dramaturgy and/or working on new plays  
• Experience of pre-production factual and visual research
• Has a good understanding of music and uses it in their practice
• Can provide a clear analysis of why this opportunity would provide an invaluable step in their own artistic evolution (as opposed to career development)
• Is capable of devising and running workshops for schools and colleges and has an interest in contributing to resource materials for teachers (no previous experience is necessary)

 

* We would define professional, as: the team who created and realised the production have or hope to have theatre as their main career focus and source of income.    

HOW TO APPLY

If you would like to apply please send a CV and a letter (one A4 page), video file (two to three minutes) or audio file (two to three minutes) telling us:

• What the opportunity will mean in terms of your artistic evolution.
• Your relevant experience and why you are interested in working with Jennifer Tang.
• Please confirm that you are fully available for the relevant dates.

 

We are also interested to know (in approximately 200 words) about a piece of work you are making, have made or have seen where music is used in a powerful or innovative way. 

Please also complete the Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form and the Access Rider or provide your own if needed.

Filling in the form will help us to be as representative as possible, in the makeup of our creative teams. Our aim is to embrace diversity, ambition and excellence. To achieve this, it is useful for us to know a certain amount about who you are. 

Please confirm that you are free for a majority of the dates outlined above.  If you know you have any prior commitments during the rehearsal period outlined above, please let us know and we will try to accommodate these as much as we can. 

Please address and send your application to Sue Emmas, Associate Artistic Director at opportunitiescreatorsprogram@youngvic.org.  The video or audio file should be submitted via WeTransfer or equivalent.

Please add your name, telephone number and email address to every page you submit.

Please tell us your access requirements so we can get appropriate provision in place as soon as possible.  Send in your access rider or alternatively you can complete the form found on the website

 

SELECTION PROCESS

The deadline for applications is noon 21st November 2022. Depending on the volume of applications there may be two stages in the selection process. We will contact everyone who expresses an interest and arrange initial 15-minute meetings on Zoom.  These Initial meetings will be held on 23, 24 or 25 November 2022 and we will send out a link so you can sign up to a date and time of your choice.  If a second stage of meetings is required they will be held between 30 November and 2 December 2022.

 

ELIGIBILITY

Director’s applying for the award must meet the following criteria:

• Be a UK resident at point of application
• Be available for the appropriate dates. If you have prior commitments please let us know in your application letter.
• You do not have to be a member of the Young Vic’s Genesis Network but we would encourage you to join so you can continue to find out about events, workshops and opportunities.   You can sign up HERE    

 

There is an opportunity to work as a Trainee Assistant Director on the show and if you are unsure which role would best suit your experience and skills please get in touch with us on creatorsprogram@youngvic.org.  Alternatively, we will meet everyone who expresses an interest and can talk then about which role might be most appropriate.

We actively work to create a team at the Young Vic that is made up of people from a variety of backgrounds with different experiences, skills, and stories to join us and influence and develop our working practice.

It is important to us that the lived experience of our team accurately and fairly represents the participants, audiences, and communities we serve.  We specifically welcome applications from candidates from the following groups, which we believe are under-represented in our workforce and in theatre more widely:

• Black and Global Majority
• Deaf and or disabled
• Neurodivergent
• Working, benefit, criminal class
• LGBTQIA+

We are committed to inclusive working practices and ensuring access. We will ask you about any access requirements you might have at each stage of the process. The pack is available in a range of formats, and we welcome written, audio, video applications (please see below for more detail).

 

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

Closing date for applications is noon Monday 21 November 2022.

We will get back in touch with everyone who applies but if your availability changes please contact Tia Ali opportunitiescreatorsprogram@youngvic.org so we can withdraw your expression of interest.   

 

ABOUT YOUNG VIC

The Young Vic has always been more than a theatre – bigger than a building; it’s a set of values that uphold the conviction that theatre is an indispensable part of civic life.  Whether on our stages at our home on The Cut, touring to schools and community centres across South London, premiering a play in the West End or on Broadway, streaming our work across the country and around the world – we are actively working to be a theatre for everyone.

Our Anti-Racism Commitment 

Our leadership team and staff share a joint commitment to prioritising the wellbeing of Black and Global Majority people at the Young Vic. We are working together to create a culture of care for all, but especially those with lived experience of racism, and we commit to holding each other accountable for building and maintaining this culture. We believe that making the Young Vic an anti-racist organisation makes the culture better for everyone. 

 

The Language We Use and Why 

We believe that language is important and empowering. Where possible we are specific as possible with our language and avoid defaulting to umbrella terms or making assumptions about people’s identity or experience. 

When we can’t be specific, we say ‘Black and Global Majority’ instead of phrases like 'Person of Colour' and 'BAME'. This is because the term ‘Black and Global Majority’ does not centre whiteness and is also factually true - over 80% of the world’s population make up the Global Majority. 

 

Our Values at the Young Vic

We are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone is treated with fairness, dignity, respect and importance, and shows respect for themselves, others and our community regardless of seniority or area of work.  Our values are as follows:

We believe theatre is at its best when everyone participates. We begin by asking, who isn’t here that should be? Then we make certain they are. At the Young Vic, everyone belongs, everyone is welcome.

We are driven by relentless curiosity and debate. We believe in the power of stories to help us see the world in new ways. We believe in being a forum for discussion and opposing views, in the possibility of fostering understanding and shifting perspectives.

We believe in pioneering and leading into the unknown. We innovate in how we make work and how we share it. We push against the status quo to challenge whose voices are celebrated, and whose stories are told.

We are led by the creativity of our people and the limitless possibility of imagination.

We believe in pushing limits and reimagining what’s possible. We make space for the unexpected, and we move quickly to make the most of opportunity.

We collaborate: working together to achieve shared goals. We believe our organisation is made stronger by including varied and unique perspectives and talents in every aspect of our work. We are committed to reflecting the great diversity of our city onstage and off.

We prioritise kindness, we lead with heart, with care, and with the wellbeing of our people - our staff, participants, volunteers, theatre makers, civic leaders, advocates, supporters, and audience members.

We are committed to openness rooted in trust. We believe in being held to account - apologising when we’ve not upheld our values or when we’ve caused hurt or confusion and learning from our mistakes.

About the Young Vic’s Jerwood Artist Development Pathway

The Young Vic’s Jerwood Artist Development Pathway is a holistic program of industry entry points and progression routes for early-career artists.  In partnership with Jerwood Arts we offer traineeships, assistantships, opportunities to build creative skills and collaborative networks.  This crucial pathway is generously supported by the Jerwood Arts Developing Artists Fund.