The Phipps Center for the Arts Hiring Production Staff for Arsenic & Old Lace

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Arsenic & Old Lace

The Phipps Center for the Arts in Hudson, WI is seeking a costume designer, scenic charge, and deck captain for our April production of Arsenic & Old Lace. A comedy for 3 women and 11 men set in the living room of the Brewster home in Brooklyn.

Location: John H. Potter Theatre (247-seat Proscenium Theatre) 

Director: Michelle Schwantes  

Stage Manager: Cheryl Solberg 

Synopsis

“Drama critic Mortimer Brewster’s engagement announcement is upended when he discovers a corpse in his elderly aunts’ window seat. Mortimer rushes to tell Abby and Martha before they stumble upon the body themselves, only to learn that the two old women aren’t just aware of the dead man in their parlor, they killed him! Between his aunts’ penchant for poisoning wine, a brother who thinks he’s Teddy Roosevelt, and another brother using plastic surgery to hide from the police—not to mention Mortimer’s own hesitancy about marriage—it’ll be a miracle if Mortimer makes it to his wedding. Arsenic & Old Lace is a classic black comedy about the only thing more deadly than poison: family.” 

Open Positions

Costume Designer 

Compensation: $1,000

Skills: 

  • Sewing and alteration skills
  • Leadership, problem-solving, and written and verbal communication skills
  • Adaptability
  • Collaboration with other creative artists
  • Ability to give clear instructions and make decisions under pressure

The Phipps now has a small crew of costume shop volunteers and a part-time costume shop supervisor to assist the costume designer in the execution of the design. 

Important Dates: 

  • Preliminary Costume Designs Due: 3/28/24 
  • Auditions: 4/8/24 - 4/11/24 (based on 6 weeks rehearsal) 
  • Company Meeting/Measurements: 5/20/24 
  • Rehearsal Clothes Due: 5/31/24 
  • Load-In: 6/24/24 - 6/28/24 
  • Tech Weekend: 7/6/24 - 7/7/24 
  • Dress Rehearsals: 7/8/24 - 7/11/24 (ALL Production Staff required) 
  • Strike: 7/28/24 (ALL Production Staff required) 

Scenic Charge

Compensation: $1,000

Important Dates:

  • Build Begin: 5/6/24 (7.5 weeks Build)
  • Load-In: 6/24/24 - 6/28/24
  • Light Hang/Focus/Sound Load-In: 6/29/24 - 7/3/24
  • Tech Weekend: 7/6/24 - 7/7/24
  • Dress Rehearsals: 7/8/24 - 7/11/24

Deck Captain

Compensation: $500

Skills: 

  • Leadership, problem-solving, and written and verbal communication skills
  • Exceptional organizational skills
  • Adaptability
  • An eye for technical needs
  • Collaboration with other creative artists
  • Ability to give clear instructions and make decisions under pressure
  • Ability to lift 40lbs 
  • Not afraid of heights
  • Extremely cautious

Important Dates:

  • Tech Weekend: 7/6/24 - 7/7/24
  • Dress Rehearsals: 7/8/24 - 7/11/24 (ALL Production Staff required)
  • Performance Dates/Times: Fridays at 7:30pm, Saturdays 7:30pm, and Sundays at 2:30pm.
  • Strike: 7/28/2024 (ALL Production Staff required)

How to Apply

Interested parties should contact the Phipps Production Director, Mark C. Koski, at [email protected]. Position to be filled ASAP.