Dramat Production Officer

Dance Nation cast

The Production Officer serves as the Dramat’s liaison when interacting with David Geffen School of Drama and Undergraduate Production. They work in close cooperation with the UP Technical Advisor (TA) to ensure Dramat production compliance with all University policies and requirements and so must be fully conversant with the Undergraduate Production Regulations, the UP Dramat Guidelines, and all Dramat Production Staff guidelines, as well as being familiar with DGSD guidelines regarding the use of their facilities and equipment.

The Production Officer is generally someone who has worked on several Dramat Productions during their first-year and sophomore years in some production capacity. While a background in one of the technical fields may be helpful it is not required. The most important qualities for a successful Production Officer are strong communication and interpersonal skills, and a close attention to detail while setting goals, organizing a team, monitoring workflow, and seeing that all production tasks are completed safely. A background in stage management is quite often an asset.

The Production Officer facilitates conversations among Dramat production staff and advises teams on matters of scale, safety, and efficiency. In order to achieve this, the Production Officer is copied on all production communications for each Dramat show, is present at every major meeting, and is physically in the space when work is proceeding during tech. In this way the production officer can become aware of issues as they arise, ensure that all policies and guidelines are being followed, and ensure that the process is moving forward smoothly, with all deadlines being met. In cooperation with the TA, they are also the student in charge at all load-ins and strikes of Dramat productions.

It is imperative that the Production Officer include the Technical Advisor in all production communications and maintain direct regular contact with the TA.

**Many of the tasks referenced in the Timeline below will be carried out by other Prod Staff members. It is the Prod Officer’s responsibility to see that they do so.

Schedule meeting with TA and Production Staff to review all production guidelines and policies.

Ensure distribution of weekly progress report forms to staff and stress they are to be filed in a timely way.

  • Confirm that complete set design plans have been received.
  • Review set plans with TA and confirm acceptability.
  • Provide performance dates/times to DGSD distribution list.
  • Provide DGSD staff with contact information for the production team and arrange a pre-production meeting with YDA/DGSD staff in the appropriate space no later than two weeks prior to load-in.
  • Contact TA for scheduling of CSSO personnel for performances.
  • Consult with the TA regarding any outstanding production concerns.
  • Maintain regular contact with the TA and crew heads.

  • Confirm that TD’s pre-production work is moving ahead on schedule.
  • Confirm that adequate crews are available and being scheduled.
  • Confirm that the appropriate orientation and training workshops have been scheduled.
  • Special attention should be paid to the staffing and training of any fly crew needed.
  • Confirm that all material and equipment will be available for build.
  • Contact DGSD staff regarding specific equipment/material needs, such as triscuits, etc.
  • Maintain regular contact with the TA and crew heads.

  • Confirm that light plot has been received and, once reviewed with TA, copied to DGSD staff.
  • Help to coordinate any rental arrangements as needed.
  • For University Theatre productions, confirm level of dressing room space needed with DGSD staff.
  • Check with the TD to ensure that safety and housekeeping procedures are being adhered to.
  • Maintain regular contact with the TA and crew heads.

  • Ensure that Travel Requests and Driver Forms for rental trips are filed on time.
  • Confirm with TA that CSSO personnel have been scheduled for performances.
  • Contact staff of productions in the relevant space both prior to and following Dramat productions to confirm any needs, requests, or areas of cooperation.
  • Production meeting with YDA/DGSD staff.
  • Maintain regular contact with the TA and crew heads.

  • Attend load-in meeting to help coordinate work calls/crew schedules.
  • Provide tech schedule to distribution list, including DGSD.
  • Confirm with TA that Life Safety inspection has been scheduled and notify staff.
  • Check safety and housekeeping procedures with the TD and be sure that they are adhered to.
  • Confirm with UP that House Manager has been assigned.
  • Provide nightly shut down checklist to House/Stage Managers, review procedures.
  • Maintain regular contact with the TA and crew heads.

  • Give safety speech to assembled production team members prior to start of load-in.
  • Work with TA to coordinate work crews in the space.
  • Monitor that all safety standards are being met by work crews.
  • Ensure that all production spaces/equipment are maintained in clean/orderly fashion throughout load-in process.
  • Inspect completed work with the TA and confirm acceptability.
  • Act as liaison with DGSD staff as issues arise throughout the process.

  • Ensure that the Stage Manager, TD, Fly Captain, etc. have walked through the stage space and that the Stage Manager has a full grasp of all technical equipment and processes involved in the production prior to first  rehearsal.
  • Schedule any training sessions for Stage Manager and/or crew as needed.
  • Conduct Safety Meeting with all staff/cast/crew prior to the first rehearsal.
  • Ensure staff conducts fire drill.
  • Coordinate with TA to ensure the smooth integration of technical aspects into the rehearsal process.
  • Tech Crew Note Calls
  • Help to coordinate work calls for crews to make adjustments as needed.
  • Inform TA of all work schedules in a timely way.
  • Schedule supervision by TA as needed.
  • Ensure that adjustments are made in a timely way so as not to interfere with the progression of rehearsals.

  • Be present at Life Safety inspections with YFCC.
  • Ensure that Fire Drill Log, Production Application, Fire Retardant Certificates and material samples are provided in a timely way.
  • Ensure that any notes or adjustments required are taken care of in a timely way.
  • Schedule and be present for any follow up inspections as needed.

  • Ensure that required CSSO is present one hour before curtain.
  • Ensure that CSSO timesheets are provided.
  • Ensure that the appropriate shut down procedure is followed each night by requiring staff notify you upon completion of nightly check list.

  • Attend strike meeting to coordinate load-out process.
  • Give safety speech to assembled crew prior to start of strike.
  • Work with TA to coordinate work crews in the space.
  • Pay special attention to all safety concerns.
  • Assign crew leader to oversee safe use of dumpster.
  • Work with crew heads to ensure adherence to all guidelines for disposal of debris.
  • Work with crew heads to ensure adherence to guidelines for return of equipment.
  • Coordinate with the Stage Manager, TD, ME, and Shop Manager to ensure that all production spaces are clean and orderly.
  • Coordinate timely return of any rental equipment with appropriate crew head.
  • Walk through production space with TA to inspect for any damage and to note final condition of space.