Jerwood Assistant Director opportunity: Young Vic's 2024 Main House show

18 January update: As the shape of this show has evolved, we have more information we’d like to share regarding the role and the skills needed.

The show will have covers/understudies, and the Assistant will work closely with the director and choreographer on ensuring these performers are show-ready.

The Assistant Director should be confident in their ability to teach blocking to understudies and swings as part of preparing them for stepping into their various tracks. This will include detailed notation of blocking and reconciling this information with the stage management team. Ideally, the Assistant will have previous experience although this is not essential if they can demonstrate transferable skills.

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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 to 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 Scheme, supported by Jerwood Arts, will aim to provide up to five assistant directorships, which include an assistantship on a production in addition to a placement at the Young Vic.

The opportunity

We are looking for an Assistant Director to work on an as yet unannounced UK premiere of a contemporary piece of musical theatre.

The piece combines elements of drama, comedy and meta-theatricality; and the story explores rites-of-passage, rebellion, class and intergenerational conflict. It’s a journey of self-discovery towards becoming an artist.

The show incorporates various aspects of 20th and 21st century Black American culture and identity and makes use of a rich musical score combining elements of gospel, jazz, blues and rock.

The scheme

The scheme provides the assistant director with:

• An assistantship on the next Main House production at the Young Vic, which is the UK premiere of a contemporary musical theatre piece
• A two-week placement at the Young Vic, observing day to day running of the theatre, attending planning and management meetings and spending time in departments such as Marketing & Audiences, Production, and Development
• The opportunity to devise and lead one peer-led project for the Genesis Network
• A chance to work with the Taking Part department on workshops for schools and colleges inspired by the production
• A small pot of money to see shows

Fees

There is a fee of £4,500 to cover the period from Monday 2 April 2024 to Saturday 6 July 2024. The fee covers seven weeks of rehearsals, including a three-week tech and preview period, and seven performance weeks.

The Jerwood Assistant Director may 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 see two performances a week and support the show. Between Monday 2 April and Saturday 6 July, the Assistant Director will need to be within 25 miles of the Young Vic.

There is a two-week placement payment of £500 per week. The timings of the placement is to be mutually agreed between the Young Vic and the Assistant Director, but this should take place within four months of the production.

There is a £200 budget to cover the cost of seeing productions either in London or beyond.

How to apply

If you would like to apply, please download one of our recruitment packs at the bottom of this page. There is detailed information on key dates, eligibility criteria, and the link to the application form.

Applications will open at 3:00 PM on Friday 5 January, and close on 10:00 AM on Wednesday 24 January.

You don't have to be a member of the Genesis Network to apply for the opportunity, but we would encourage to join so you can continue to find out about events, workshops and opportunities. Please review the eligibility criteria here before you sign up.

If you have any questions or concerns related to the recruitment process, or would like to request an alternate format of the application pack, please email Khánh Hạ Nguyễn (first name Khánh Hạ, pronounced kahn-ha) on opportunitiescreatorsprogram@youngvic.org.

The Jerwood Assistant Director Scheme is part of the Young Vic’s Jerwood Artist Development Pathway. This Pathway is generously supported by the Jerwood Developing Artists Fund.