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Statement of Diversity / Inclusivity

Shakespeare In Action is seeking young performance professionals in various departments for the filmed stage production called Nona’s Malaika. 

SIA is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion and to building an organization that reflects the communities we serve.   We strongly encourage applications from folks who reflect our community, including: Black, Indigenous, and radicalized communities; Two-Spirit, non-binary, trans, lesbian, gay, bisexual and queer people; and newcomers. SIA is also prioritizing candidates that live, work, and/or have a relationship with the diverse communities in northwest Toronto, including but not limited to: Weston, Mount Dennis, Rockcliffe-Smythe, Pelham, and Rexdale.

A bit about us:

SHAKESPEARE IN ACTION (SIA) is an theatre education company, and in 2019 became the resident professional theatre organization at the Artscape Weston Common, in Toronto’s Weston community.  After a change in leadership in 2020, SIA has engaged in a strategic revisioning process which centres SIA’s mandate around serving, reflecting and engaging children, families and seniors in this under resourced community.  SIA acknowledges we are at the early stages of our journey centring equitable practices, and invite you to follow our progression here. SIA is excited to continue our relationship with Katia Cafe-Febrissy, the writer/director of NONA’S MALAIKA, and re-imagine this project in a digital theatre format.

A bit about the production:

NONA’S MALAIKA (NM) is a seventy-five minute futuristic comedy and digital theatre play for young audiences, that explores conversations around social media and mental health for Black youth in the midst of a pandemic.  Inspired by the social isolation of COVID-19, and given COVID’s disproportionate presence in our community, NM seeks to tell the story of a young Black girl named Malaika situated in Toronto’s northwest during a not-so-distant future, where a new virus COVID-2.0 is spread through eye-contact.

One evening when Malaika must babysit her younger siblings again because her mom is off to work a night shift in the hospital, her phone (which has a mind of its own) decides to call Malaika’s teacher Ms Wright, a young well-meaning white woman also experiencing incredible loneliness.  Malaika’s phone (which she has named Nona) and Malaika’s untouched computer are our unlikely narrators, and are the lens through which we experience Malaika and Ms. Wright’s relationship, and their journey toward connection and forbidden eye contact.  NONA’S MALAIKA mixes sci-fi with vaudevillian humour to explore the emotional toll of physical distancing on young people’s mental health, and how our devices facilitate both increased feelings of isolation AND connection.  

We are looking for the following positions

PRODUCTION DESIGNER 

Responsibilities including but not limited to:

• Execute the designs collaborating with the director and other designers, supporting the script and director’s vision
• Design and build/ source theatrical Set and props that would read well on film (build set, set up projectors/ hang lights/ set up lighting board) 
• Design lighting that would read well on film 
• Design projection looks that would read well on film 
• Assist the PM in sourcing the needed materials/ equipment required to execute the designs 
• Keep within the design budget 
• Be the on-deck lighting/ projection operator during all film days 
• Be a team player, assist with Load in/ Strike
• Provide clear documentation and all needed materials to Editor 

Requirements:

• Experience in a similar field 
• Great verbal and written communications 
• Availability to work virtually and in person (Weston, Ontario) 

Time commitment:

• Begin design discussions with Director week of Oct 18th 
• Prelim Designs due Week of Oct 25th 
• Final Designs Due Week of Nov 1st 
• Nov 8-24th Attend rehearsals (in person/ virtual) as needed 
• Final add/drop date Nov 13th
• Nov 19th Load in
• Nov 27th- Strike

Salary: $3,000

Time commitment: Week of Oct 18th – Nov 27th

SOUND DESIGNER

Responsibilities including but not limited to:

• Execute designs collaborating with the director and other designers, supporting the script and director’s vision
• Design and build sound that would read well on film (set up boards, speakers and mics/ run cables…)
• Design and build sound for the filming of the projection segment.
• Assist the PM in sourcing the needed materials/ equipment required to execute the designs 
• Keep within the design budget 
• Be the on-deck sound operator/ mixer during all film days 
• Be a team player, assist with Load in/ Strike
• Provide clear documentation and all needed materials (sound files) to Editor

Requirements:

• Experience in a similar field 
• Great verbal and written communications 
• Availability to work virtually and in person (Weston, Ontario)

Time Commitments:

• Nov 1-6th begin design process with designer 
• Nov 6th Prelim designs Due 
• Nov 19th Final designs Due (Load in) 
• Nov 20th- Projection segments filming 
• Nov 23-27th – be on deck for rehearsals and film days 
• Nov 27th- (strike)

Salary:$2,000

Time Commitments: Nov 1st – Nov 27th

COSTUME DESIGNER

Responsibilities including but not limited to:

• Execute the designs collaborating with the director and other designers, supporting the script and director’s vision
• Design and build costumes that would read well on film 
• Design Make up looks that would read well on film 
• Execute the makeup looks on film days (and projection film days)/ touch ups 
• Assist the PM in sourcing the needed materials/ equipment required to execute the designs 
• Keep within the design budget 
• Be the on-deck lighting/ projection operator during all film days 
• Be a team player, assist with Load in/ Strike
• Provide clear documentation and all needed materials to SM and PM

Requirements:

• Experience in a similar field 
• Great verbal and written communications 
• Availability to work virtually and in person (Weston, Ontario) 
• Make up experience is a bonus

Time Commitments:

• Begin design discussions with Director week Nov 1st
• Attend rehearsals (in person/ virtual) as needed 
• Final add/drop date Nov 13th
• Nov 19th Load in 
• Nov 20th- Projection segments filming 
• Nov 23-27th – be on deck for rehearsals and film days 
• Nov 27th- Strike

Salary: $2000

STAGE MANAGER

Stage Manager will be hired as an Employee of Shakespeare in Action and will be hired under Canada Summer Jobs (and therefore has to be 30 years of age or younger at the start of the contract).

Responsibilities including but not limited to:

• Coordinate rehearsals with director and actors 
• Coordinate any rehearsal visitations (with assistance from PM) 
• Enforce Covid regulations and Covid testing (tests provided by SIA)
• Be responsible for the rehearsal space and performance space 
• SM Paperwork (including but not limited to; Daily schedules, Rehearsal notes, Running sheets, Inventories, etc.)
• Maintain a detailed bible that will become the property of SIA upon completion of contract
• Take care of props and costumes as per designer instructions 
• Assist with Film days (and Projection film days) 
• Call the show during all film days 
• Be able to balance the theatrical and film atmospheres (having any film experience is a bonus) 
• Delegate to ASM (and perhaps a mentee) 
• Provide clear documentation and all needed materials to Editor 
• Assist with strike as possible

Requirements:

• Experience in a similar position in theatre and/or film 
• Great verbal and written communications 
• Availability to work in person (Weston, Ontario)

Time commitment:

• Nov 1-7th- prep week
• Nov 9-21st – rehearsal period 
• Nov 20th/ 21st- projection segment film date 
• Nov 20-27th- on deck rehearsals 
• Nov 25th- 27th- film days 

Salary: $4,500

Time commitment: Nov 1st- 27th 

ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER

Responsibilities including but not limited to:

• Assist the SM in their responsibilities 
• Take the lead on agreed aspects 
• Be present for all dates 
• On deck costume/ Make up head and/or runner – as needed

Requirements:

• Experience in a similar field 
• Great verbal and written communications 
• Availability to work  in person (Weston, Ontario) 
• Make up experience is a bonus
• Any backstage experience is a plus. 

Time Commitments:

• Nov 1-7th- prep week 
• Nov 9-21st – rehearsal period 
• Nov 20th/ 21st- projection segment film date 
• Nov 20-27th- on deck rehearsals 
• Nov 25th- 27th- film days 

Salary: $1,500

Time Commitments: Nov 1st- 27th

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY 

Responsibilities including but not limited to:

• Creating a storyboard/ Shot list in collaboration with the director and other designers for all the film days 
• Delegate to the Camera Operator on film days 
• Assist the PM in sourcing the needed material/ equipment required to execute the designs 
• Collaborate with SM, Designers and Director to proved clear documentation of the production
• All documentation created will be added to the SM bible by the end of the production 
• Assist with load in/ strike as possible 
• Provide Clear documentation and all needed materials to Editor 
• Store/ handle/ distribute raw footage
• Send selected footage to Editor on time 
• Collaborate with Editor Director during the editing period 

Requirements:

• Experience in a similar position in theatre and/or film 
• Great verbal and written communications 
• Availability to work in person (Weston, Ontario) 

Time commitment:

• Nov 9-19th – rehearsal period (building story board with Director)
• Nov 19th – Load in
• Nov 20th- projection segment film date EOD send footage to editor 
• Nov 21st-22nd – Collaborate with Editor during the editing period of the Projection segment 
• Nov 20-24th- On deck rehearsals 
• Nov 25th-27th – Film days 
• Nov 27th – Strike 
• Nov 28 – Send Select footage to editor 
• Nov 29th-30th

Salary: $900

CAMERA OPERATOR

Responsibilities including but not limited to:

• Maintain equipment 
• Operate camera(s)
• Collaborate with DOP and Sound designer to ensure best quality of film 
• Assist with Load in strike 

Time commitment:

• Nov 20th – projection segment film date 
• Nov 24th – on deck rehearsal 
• Nov 25th – 27th – film days 
• Nov 27th – Strike

 Salary: $500

Editor

Requirements:

• Experience in a similar field 
• Great verbal and written communications 
• Availability to work  in person (Weston, Ontario) 
• Any backstage experience is a plus

Responsibilities:

• Edit the projection segment satisfying the Director’s/ DOP’s/ Projection/ Sound Designs to be usable during film days 
• Edit the final Filmed segments into the Final filmed product satisfying the Director’s/ DOP’s/ Projection/ Sound Designs 
• To be very fast working and punctual with deadlines 
• Satisfy formatting needs 
• Advise design choices as needed 

Time commitment:

• Nov 20th/21st – Receive projection footage and documentation EOD 
  
• Nov 22 – Projection segment(s) due to the Projections designer/ DOP 
• Nov 28th – receive final footage 
• Nov 28-30 – editing
• Dec 1 (10am) – Completed Footage Due

Requirements:

• Experience in a similar position
• Ability to work with a short time frame
• Great verbal and written communications 
• Access to personal equipment 

Salary: $2,000