Flashback Theater Co. (FbTC) seeks to build a roster of designers of various backgrounds, including sound, costumes, scenic, props, and lighting, to hire in the upcoming season.

Location: Somerset, Kentucky

Pay: Contract amount, based on experience and design complexity. For 2022-23 shows, we plan for that to be $500-$1,500 for sets/costumes and $500-750 for lights/sound.

Design budgets: $250 – $1500, based on production complexity and elements required.

About the Season

Productions in our home venue take place in a black box style space with flexible seating and setting arrangements. We are located in downtown Somerset, and the space can hold 40-90 audience members, depending on the stage set up. Other venues throughout Somerset are also utilized throughout the season, depending on the needs of the production.

For this season, we are seeking to hire designers for the following productions. Not every production will require all design areas so please inquire before submitting your application if you have a show preference:

  • Every Brilliant Thing by Duncan Macmillian will be produced in the Black Box Theater October 27-29, 2022. This one woman show will be our Fringe offering this year, and deals with conversations around suicide. Directed by Sommer Schoch, this intimate show will require simple set and lighting elements, with props taking center stage in the storytelling. 
  • Miracle on 34th Street adapted by Mountain Community Theater from the novel by Valentine Davies, and based upon the Twentieth Century Fox motion picture. This production will take place at The Virginia, a newly renovated theater and venue space that can seat up to 250. Directed by Jade Ellis, the concept for this production is to focus on the acting and storytelling, while exploring the opportunities that exist in a new production space.
  • The Book of Will by Lauren Gunderson will be produced in the Black Box Theater February 16-26, 2023 and tells the story of how William Shakespeare’s First Folio came to be. Directed by Sommer Schoch, this period piece offers an opportunity for costume designs to shine.
  • Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street by Stephen Sondheim will take place May 11 – 21, 2023. This dreadful tale of revenge hits the stage under the direction of Billy Christopher Maupin and with a cast of 10 actors. This pared down cast will allow for the intimate feel Flashback audiences have come to expect and offers some creative opportunities for a costume designer. 
  • As You Like It by William Shakespeare will take place in July 2023 at the outdoor amphitheater in Rocky Hollow Park. Directed by Amber Frangos, the production will have all the creative opportunities of a classic Shakespeare. 

Description and responsibilities:

Designers will work with the director, stage manager and other team members of a production to design and execute production elements. You are expected to attend production meetings, the first read, all technical rehearsals, and strike. Production meetings are scheduled at the convenience of the show’s design team but designers should plan on monthly meetings until about two months out, when weekly or bi-weekly meetings will occur. Additional meetings with the director may be requested, depending on the designer’s needs. Designers may attend meetings virtually, with the exception of the design presentations. 

You will create a design plot and a visual or audible representation of your design (renderings/model/etc), and will help to coordinate the execution of your designs by building, renting, or sourcing the items needed. FbTC will assist the process by helping to coordinate volunteers and builds, as needed.

The Scenic Designer may enlist the help of our Professional Ensemble and volunteer base for set construction and painting. Flashback has a stock of prebuilt flats, platforms, and scrap wood that may be used for the set build. A stock of furniture is also available to pull from, and may be altered to suit the needs of production.

The Costume Designer may pull from our existing costume stock or borrow from the costume stock of nearby theater organizations. A sewing studio is on site at Flashback Theater and includes sewing machines, sergers, a cutting table, and plenty of notions. A stock of fabric is also available to pull from. A volunteer base of stitchers can help with alterations and some basic construction. Depending on the needs of the production, additional overhire can be discussed with the Producer when design concepts are presented.

The Lighting Designer will be responsible for drafting a lighting plot and cue sheet that is suitable to the needs of the production and the resources at hand in the given venue. Flashback has an existing stock of incandescent instruments for Black Box shows, along with a 24-channel board that is programmable. Other venues have house lighting systems and will need to be taken into account on a show by show basis. There is a volunteer base of crew that have been trained to hang and focus the Flashback system, which will be available to the Lighting Designer.

The Sound Designer will be responsible for sourcing any sound effects and music cues for the assigned production, and will provide a detailed cue sheet for stage management. A house sound system is available, which includes a digital board and a cueing program. 

The Props Designer will be responsible for sourcing and building props necessary for the show. A stock of props are available to pull from, and may be altered to suit the needs of production. Additional prop stock is available at nearby organizations to borrow from but those may not be altered. The stage management team is available to assist with basic prop alterations – painting and some construction.

To apply:

Email a design resume and cover letter by July 30, 2022, including your availability for the listed productions, to: [email protected]. If you have an online portfolio, please include a link in your email. 

If you are new to theatrical design, you may send a statement of interest in lieu of a portfolio and resume. 

New to Flashback?

If you have never seen a Flashback production, we encourage you to browse our production history and about page. This is a great way to see the style of show we typically produce, and learn more about who we are.