Producing Technical Director

The Technical Director (TD) is responsible for safely and effectively producing and installing all the scenery for a production. The TD works closely with all other departments to make sure the scenery fulfills the artistic vision, is built in budget, on time, and safely, and that the scenery works well with all other departments.

In ideal situations, where the theatre is fully staffed, the TD:

  • answers to the Scenic Designer when executing the design vision

  • works on the scenery in conjunction with the Scenic Charge and Props Master

  • collaborates with the Master Electrician, Sound Engineer, and Video Engineer on plans and scheduling

  • oversees the Master Carpenter, ATD, and build crew

(For a visual representation of a typical org chart for a non-profit, producing theatre, click here)

In my case, at MIT Theater Arts, we lacked a full production crew so I served as not only the TD, but also as the ATD, the Master Carp, the Scenic Charge, the Props Master, sometimes as the Production Manager, as well as teaching and supervising the crew that was all comprised of students new to theatre. Never a dull moment!

When the theatre is fully staffed, the technical director’s duties include, but are not limited to:

  • budgeting for all scenery

  • producing technical drawings as needed

  • purchasing all materials for the scenery

  • attending production meetings and other meetings as needed

  • scheduling the build and (in conjunction with the scenic charge artist) the painting of the scenery

  • supervising the building of, and the ultimately the responsibility for the building of the scenery

  • installing of the scenery

  • organizing the operation of the scenery during rehearsal and performance

  • dismantling and/or storing all of the scenery at the end of the run of the production

  • in conjunction with the master carpenter, the supervising, scheduling and assigning of tasks for the carpentry build/run crew

  • tracking and accounting of the budget for the scenery and paint for the show

  • work closely with the scene designer and scenic charge artist to fully and successfully complete the scenery as designed for the production

The TD is involved and supervises their crew during all stages of a production life cycle, including:

  • design and production meetings

  • pre-build/planning

  • build

  • load-in

  • technical/dress/preview rehearsals

  • run of show

  • strike/load out/storage/clean up

  • post show retrospectives