WORK WITH PDC

We are not actively seeking these positions as of December 2024, but please send us a resume! As we add more schools and camps we need more qualified staff! Please email info@portlanddramaclub.org - sending your resume and references- so we can set up a time to meet you!

At PDC, kids learn by jumping in and DOing. Our productions have between 30 and 40 kids. They range in age from 7 - 14 (grades 2 - 9 depending on the location)

We usually do a 30 - 60 minute musical. We meet once a week for a semester at a time. Rehearsals run between 2pm and 6pm depending on the location- usually 2 to 2.5 hours long. 

It takes a special blend of talents and a unique set of skills to teach kids musical theater. A deep belief in the power of theater (and the life skills it teaches) to help kids grow into well-rounded, thoughtfully aware adults is at the core of it all.

Positions: 
Theater Assistant - working to help the director in all aspects of the production. This role is much more involved than it suggests. Assistants wear many hats in kids theater: running lines and songs, playing theater games, and being a supportive cheerleader to kids who might be struggling. Ideally, our assistant would be comfortable helping kids learn music. It is not a requirement to play an instrument or perform any accompaniment, but is a major bonus! They will work with kids who are not blocking a scene or dancing a dance- sometimes playing a theater game or helping them develop their characters in other ways- so theater experience is a must. They are also hands on with the production- helping to maintain props and costumes, take part in set, strike, etc. Closer to show time they will help stage manage/wrangle kids backstage. $25/hour usually working out to approximately $800 - 1000 per show. 

Director - directing kids in an after school musical theater production. Directors need to “own” the class, rehearsal and production- they'll be very hands on- first to arrive and last to leave. This position requires creative and organizational skills along with enthusiasm for kids. They are expected to plan and communicate well with our staff members and parents. They help manage set up and strike, plan what the set and props will be, etc. Ideally our director would also be comfortable in a musical setting— helping kids sing group songs for the show. We don’t usually hire a musical director for young kids (we press play on the ipad and focus on memorization! It works well- we promise.) $50/hour (usually ends up around $2500 - 3000 per show)
We do not have full time tech staff (for example the sound board will likely be operated by the director). sometimes lighting is “as-is” in the space we are given and sometimes we bring in lighting. It is new and different for each space and each show. Directors oversee everything.

Choreographer - someone trained in teaching musical theater choreography (preferably with kids). Usually 5 - 8 weeks of dance for a 14 - 16 week semester schedule. If this person also wanted to be an assistant and take part in the production from start to finish even better- you’d be with the group for the full time dancing for about half the weeks and assisting at other times! $50/physical hour spent with kids approx $600 - 900 per show. ($25/hour for assistant role)

Musical Director - we don't usually hire an official MD for our young kid shows. We have found that focusing on memorization and pressing play on our ipad really does the trick at this age and stage. ;) BUT if the right person is out there we’d love to meet them! A kids musical director must have a ton of patience, enthusiasm and understand how to modify a song to suit the kids abilities. We hope they play piano and can help isolate notes for kids to learn. Our advanced students need a musical director who can accompany them and if possible provide feedback and technique as even these students are still in the learning and growing stage.  between $25 - 50/hour depending on experience level.

Creative and Tech crew: I am hoping to develop a solid crew who takes part in implementing all tech and building of all of the shows each semester. These positions will likely be $25/hour, but possibly a per show flat fee. TBD. These hours will likely not always be the after school hours for class, but off hours like evenings and weekends prepping when kids are not present (except when fitting for costumes and prepping sound and lighting for tech rehearsals). I think it has the potential to be a lot of fun for the right group of people. Estimating approx 25 hours of work per show (this may include building and hauling materials). Having a car with the ability to transport props, costumes and set pieces to and fro is a bonus. Must be willing and able to climb lots of stairs and tall ladders, load trucks and vehicles, lift heavy (30+ lbs) objects- set pieces, costume bins, stage platforms.