POSITION SUMMARY

The Center for Puppetry Arts is accepting resumes to fill its ever-growing list of scenic artists, craftsmen, and technicians for part time opportunities on an as-needed basis. Specific duties may range from general technical assistance to specific artistry projects. The expected duties are outlined by the Technical Director during the planning process to fill specific needs. Scene shop crew are encouraged to discuss interest in upcoming projects.  

Responsibilities cover a variety of disciplines, including but not limited to the following:

• Load-in, changeover, or strike of Center productions and events.
• Moving scenery in or out of storage.
• Repair and touch-up of all scenic elements.
• Building, painting, and dressing scenery.
• Planning builds, which could involve drafting, rendering, or prototyping.
• Maintain a clean and orderly shop with appropriately functioning equipment.
• Assist with Center activities, as needed.

Physical Demands:

• Comfortable working on ladders and the ability to move and manipulate 80-pound ladders
• Ability to lift and carry a minimum of 50 pounds regularly.
• Ability to stand for long periods, squatting kneeling

Required Qualifications:

• Three years of formal theatre education or professional experience.
• Troubleshooting and problem-solving.
• Willingness to adapt to different fabrication processes.
• Motivated and responsible.
• Healthy sense of humor.
• Team-oriented attitude.

Desired Skills (any level of each can be helpful and should be discussed with the Technical Director):

• Stage Technician (confident installing or striking a range of scenic elements)
• Woodworking (from scenic carpentry to furniture craft and everything in between)
• Metalworking (welding, smithing, machining, etc)
• Rigging
• Carving
• Painting (Scenic artistry to faux finishing)
• Crafting and dressing
• Tetris-ing (Packing and storing efficiently)
• Planning (Outlining, drafting, samples, etc)
• Working in a dead-hung space
• Use of hoists and lifts.

Overhire Scenic Crew are compensated on an hourly basis.

Organization Background:  The Center for Puppetry Arts is the largest nonprofit organization in the United States dedicated to the art form of puppetry.  For further information, visit our website at www.puppet.org

To apply:  

Please send cover letter, resume and portfolio (if available) to:  hr@puppet.org  

Please note any attachment over 10 MB may need to be sent in separate emails.  

SUMMARY:

The Guest Services staff are responsible for seating the Center’s patrons in a friendly manner in the theater by providing courteous and effective customer service at the Center for Puppetry Arts performances and museum. The Guest Services staff assist the ticket sales department in solving any customer service issues so that patrons will want to return.  This position reports to the Ticket Sales Director.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Manage the seating of patrons for events at the Center for Puppetry Arts in a positive and friendly manner so that customers will want to return.
• Analyze ticket sales reports to ensure proper seating for General Admission events and Reserved seating events.
• Print, fold and distribute programs and ensure that every adult patron receives a program
• Work as a team with ticket sales staff and museum staff in managing lines of people entering the theater

SKILLS REQUIRED:

Position requires the ability to:

• Demonstrate exceptional and positive skills by verbally welcoming guest to the Center for Puppetry Arts as well as thanking guests for attending after the performance ends.
• Outstanding customer relations, communications and problem-solving in a fast-paced environment: seating school groups, families and individual patrons.
• Coordinate with the Ticket Sales office to analyze daily school group and patron  activity for seating each performance 
• Coordinate with Production on specific requirements for each performance. i.e. late seating, seating restrictions, etc
• Deal effectively with special seating requirements
• Follow oral and written instructions and communicate effectively with other the Ticket Sales personnel and other House Management  
• Work effectively under pressure to ensure all patrons are seated in a courteous and friendly manner before show time.
• Manage the Theatre during show time with courteous attention to patrons moving about the Theatre. 
• Work independently, exercising judgment and initiative.
• Remain flexible and adjust to situations as they occur.

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE:

High school diploma required.  Guest Service experience in Theater preferred; or equivalent combination of education and experience.  

Send resume to carolvanleer@puppet.org or mail to Ticket Sales Director, Center for Puppetry Arts, 1404 Spring Street, Atlanta, GA 30309.  No phone calls, please.

SUMMARY:

The Ticket Sales Assistant’s overall responsibility is to provide courteous and effective customer service when selling memberships, donations, performances, workshops and museum activities at the Center for Puppetry Arts.  This is a Part-Time position primarily Saturday and Sunday each week as well as occasional weekdays when needed.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Sell tickets to all events at the Center for Puppetry Arts
• Process group sales orders and follow through with all procedures including confirmation of orders and finalizing payment of orders with group leaders
• Sell memberships to all customers.
• Support the Ticket Sales Director and Ticket Sales Supervisor as needed.
• Work extended and/or irregular hours including nights, weekends and around holidays, as needed.
• Sales Calls when needed to groups to encourage early booking
• Flexible with work schedule. Primary work is on weekends and Mondays.

SKILLS REQUIRED: 

Position requires ability to:

• Demonstrate exceptional skills in customer relations, communications and problem-solving.
• Operate windows based computerized ticketing system preferably Tessitura ticketing system
• Experience with Microsoft Word and Excel
• Follow oral and written instructions and communicate effectively with others in both oral and written form.
• Organize and prioritize work to meet deadlines.
• Work effectively under pressure and/or stringent schedule and produce accurate results.
• Work independently, exercising judgment and initiative.
• Maintain an effective working relationship with clients, employees, patrons, and others encountered in the course of employment.
• Remain flexible and adjust to situations as they occur.

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE: 

High school diploma or G.E.D. and one (1) year ticket related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience preferable with the Tessitura ticketing system. 

Send resume and salary history to carolvanleer@puppet.org or mail to Ticket Sales Director, Center for Puppetry Arts, 1404 Spring Street, Atlanta, GA 30309.  No phone calls, please.

ORGANIZATIONAL BACKGROUND:

The Center for Puppetry Arts is the largest nonprofit organization in the United States dedicated to the art form of puppetry. It is a uniquely creative cultural destination dedicated to celebrating the magic and wonder of puppetry by inspiring imaginations and entertaining the young at heart in all we do. The Center’s high quality, accessible programming encompasses three areas: performance, museum and education. All programs for school-age children are designed to support curriculum standards in order to enhance classroom learning in a unique way.

POSITION SUMMARY

Reports to the Birthday & Rentals Coordinator as part of the Development Department. The Weekend Birthday Party Assistant is responsible for assisting with birthday parties on weekends, on an as-needed basis. This is an occasional/part-time role.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Arrive with enough time to make sure party rooms are cleaned/set up and everything is in order before birthday party groups arrive.
• Verify attendance numbers with Education staff and with the Ticketing attendance report before the groups arrive.
• Help birthday parent(s) unload items from their car such as decorations and food. Parents are responsible for hanging/setting up any permitted decorations in the party room themselves, but the Weekend Birthday Party Assistant is expected to help if needed or if the parent(s) are in obvious need of an extra hand.
• Greet and show birthday family to their party room upon arrival. Give parent(s) a run-through of their schedule and review with them what to expect. 
• Direct party groups to all of their activities – the performance, Create-A-Puppet Workshop™, party room, and/or Museum – and make sure they arrive on time for each activity.
• Be mindful of where the party groups need to be and when.  Sometimes, parties will overlap and this will require asking for help from another staff member to manage traffic flow.
• Station yourself in the main floor breezeway area when not with a party group, so you are easily accessible in case birthday group needs assistance.
• Verify ticket count with birthday parent(s) before party ends and if necessary, issue rain checks or direct patron to the ticket office to settle up any remaining fees.
• Sweep floor, wipe tables, take out trash, and reset for the next party or next day. Clear away tables, chairs, and birthday thrones if there are no more parties that weekend.
• Record notes on the actual number of tickets used, extra payments made or rain checks issued, and any issues or comments from the party; leave these notes for the Birthday & Rentals Coordinator to review.
• Write thank-you notes to birthday parents and leave for the Birthday & Rentals Coordinator to mail.
• Assist with miscellaneous events and rentals as your schedule and availability permits, on an as-needed/as-agreed-upon basis.

QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS: 

• Passion for the Center’s mission of inspiring imagination, education, and community for the global art of puppetry.
• Outgoing personality
• Crowd management skills and ability to politely “take charge,” especially with regard to managing multiple groups of people simultaneously
• Strong customer service skills, including the ability to interact with guests in a friendly and professional manner and smoothly resolve any issues that may arise
• Ability to anticipate guest needs

INSTRUCTIONS FOR APPLICATION:

Please send your resume, along with a letter of interest and salary requirement to: Katherine Baggett, Birthday & Rentals Coordinator, katherinebaggett@puppet.org. No phone calls, please.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Center for Puppetry Arts is accepting resumes from theatre technicians with skills in electrics, sound, and video for part time opportunities on an as-needed basis.

Primary responsibilities will be to assist in the operations of the electrics shop, including but not limited to the following:

• Assist in the changeover of shows, which includes installing the lighting, audio, and video needs for Center and guest artist productions
  • Hang, circuit, and focus lighting plots
  • Prepare sound systems for rehearsals and performances 
  • Hang and focus of video projection equipment
• Prep upcoming shows (building practicals, pulling gear, cutting gel, etc.
• Help to maintain and organize the Electrics shop, keeping it in a state of readiness for upcoming events 
• Repair and maintain equipment
• Fulfill the electric needs for other Center activities (events, tours, etc.)

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

•          Three years of formal theatre education or professional experience
•          Skills in lighting and sound system operations
•          Skills in electrical, audio, and video wiring
•          Skills in trouble shooting and problem solving
•          Motivated and responsible
•          Team-oriented attitude
•          Comfortable working on ladders (all spaces have dead-hung grids)
•          Ability to lift and carry a minimum of 50 pounds regularly
•          Knowledge of ETC Lighting equipment and Q-lab

Overhire Electrics Technicians are compensated on an hourly basis.

The Center for Puppetry Arts is a non-profit multi-division organization featuring a production department along with museum and education departments. The production department produces an average of 8 new works and/or remounts per season. In addition to in-house productions, the Center also hosts a wide variety of guest artists and event rentals. 

The Electrics division of the Center is responsible for overseeing the operations and maintenance of lighting, audio and video for the production department. The Production Department operates two theatres (330 and 170 seat) that employ show automation control to co-ordinate audio, video, and lighting cues. The Center also runs a full complement of wireless microphones and a healthy inventory of lighting equipment for its productions. In addition to working with show operation hardware, the electrics department is called upon to create unique solutions for the technical needs of puppet theatre as well as ways to allow multigenerational equipment to work together efficiently. Occasionally, the electrics department is also called upon to work with the museum to assist with maintenance and the creation of new exhibits. 

INSTRUCTIONS FOR APPLICATION:

To be considered, please mail or email your resume to the following: 

Center for Puppetry Arts
ATTN: Production Department
1404 Spring Street, NW
Atlanta, GA 30309-2820 USA 

or Email HR@puppet.org. In the subject line: "Name-Overhire Electrics Technician"   (Example: John Smith-Overhire Electrics Technician)

Internships

Are you looking for invaluable nonprofit work experience, professional connections in the arts community, and to be a part of one of the most dynamic places in Atlanta?   Interns at the Center for Puppetry Arts are an integral part of our organization and our goal is to inspire interest in the arts through an in-depth view of our administrative and artistic processes.

Available Internships for Spring 2019

• Museum: Collections Management
• Museum: Exhibitions 
• Museum: Library | Archives
• Marketing: Graphic Design
• Production: Performance  
• Production: Stage Management 
• Production: Directing

Click here for application instructions and FAQ. 

Fall Session: September- December (12-15 weeks)
Application Deadline: July 30th

Spring/Winter Session: February- May (12-15 weeks)           
Application Deadline: December 19th
 
Summer Session: June- August/September (12-15 weeks)
Application Deadline:  March 1st


Internship Descriptions 

Development/Fundraising Internship: 
Development interns assist with the writing and production of fundraising appeals, researching potential contributors and fundraising ideas, and assisting with the planning, organization and logistics of cultivation parties and other special events.
Download the job description and application instructions >

Graphic Design Internship:
Graphic Design interns’ duties include assisting with the creation of various materials such as print and online ads; flyers, invitations, and other printed items; photo illustrations and emails; as well as possible video projects.
Download the job description and application instructions > 

Museum Education Internship:
Under the supervision of the Museum Services Coordinator, Museum Education interns will assist with the daily operations involved in running a small museum. Interns will be trained to give tours and conduct educational programming designed to help museum patrons of all ages and backgrounds interact and explore the art of puppetry.
Download the job description and application instructions >

Collections Management:
The Center for Puppetry Arts seeks an intern to assist the Collections Manager in the Museum department. This internship grants broad hands-on experience in collections management and preventive conservation with emphasis on object  handling, cataloging, rehousing, and condition reporting. Tutorials and workshops will be conducted to expose the intern to various aspects of the collections field
Download the job description and application instructions >

Exhibitions Internship:
The Center for Puppetry Arts seeks an intern to assist the Exhibitions Director in the Museum department. This internship grants broad hands-on experience in exhibit research, curatorial writing, and collections management.
Download the job description and application instructions >

Library/Archives Internship: 
The Center for Puppetry Arts seeks an intern to assist the Museum department with processing manuscript collections in the Nancy Staub Puppetry Research Library. This internship provides the intern with valuable hands-on experience processing collections including organization, rehousing, data entry, and creating finding aids for researchers.
Download the job description and application instructions >

Electrics Internship: 
Assist the Resident Production staff with the implementation of lighting, sound, and video elements for upcoming CPA productions. Duties may include: the hang, circuit, and focus of lighting plots, preparing sound systems for rehearsals and performances, the repair and maintenance of equipment and fulfilling the electric needs of other Center activities. 
Download the job description and application instructions >

Puppet Building Internship: 
Assisting Resident Puppet Builders with the construction of puppets, props, and costumes for upcoming CPA productions. Duties may include sewing, patterning, foam patterning and fabrication, molding and casting, sculpting, painting and basic woodwork. 
Download the job description and application instructions > 

Performance Internship
The Center for Puppetry Arts’ Performance Internship program provides a practical learning experience to the individual interested in pursuing a career in professional theater. The focus of the program will be active participation in a Center production from the first day of rehearsal until final strike. During the rehearsal period, the Intern will observe the development of the production as script, design, movement, and character are adjusted to meet the specific demands of the puppet theater and the Director’s vision.
Download the job description and application instructions >

Stage Management Internship:
The Center for Puppetry Arts’ Performance Internship program provides a practical learning experience to the individual interested in pursuing a career in professional theater. Through hands-on activities, the program seeks to instill a fundamental understanding of the workings of a professional puppetry company.
Download the job description and application instructions >

Directing Internship: 
The Center for Puppetry Arts’ Directing Internship program provides a practical learning experience to the individual interested in pursuing a career in professional theater. During the rehearsal period, the Intern will observe the development of the production as script, design, movement, and character are adjusted to meet the specific demands of the puppet theater and the Director’s vision.
Download the job description and application instructions > 

CALL FOR TOURING ARTIST PRODUCTIONS

Family Series & New Directions Series for Adults and Teens

The Center for Puppetry Arts strives to present the best in puppetry and therefore is always seeking engaging puppet productions from both the United States and abroad. 

Companies selected to perform in our Family Series generally perform 13 shows per week (Tues-Fri: 10am & 11:30am, Sat: 11am, 1pm & 3pm, Sun: 1pm & 3pm) for 1-3 weeks. Performances last 45-50 minutes, and include a brief puppet demonstration following the show. Target audience age range is 4-10 years.  

Companies selected to perform in our New Directions Series for Adults and Teens generally perform 4-8 shows per week (schedule varies) for 1-2 weeks. Performances last 1-2 hours, and may include audience discussions following the show. Target audience age ranges are either 12+ (for teens and adults) or 18+ (adults only).

BOOKING CYCLE:
The Center’s season runs July 1-June 30.  Booking generally takes place 10-12 months before the beginning of each season. 

SUBMISSIONS:
To submit your production for consideration, please send a cover letter, tech rider (including required stage dimensions, sound/light/projection needs, number of people traveling with the show & any other essential elements the Center would need to provide to present your show) and video of the complete show to be considered. We do not select shows based on excerpts or highlight reels. If you wish multiple shows to be considered, please submit a complete package for each.
  
Center for Puppetry Arts
c/o Production Department
1404 Spring Street, NW
Atlanta, GA 30309-2820 USA 

With your permission, we would like to add your video to our library collection after our review process has concluded. DVDs in the library are available for scholars and puppeteers to view by appointment on the premises and do not leave the library. Please specify your preference in your cover letter. If you would prefer that we return your DVD to you, please include a self-addressed mailer, and we will return it as soon after viewing as possible. 

If you have any questions regarding submissions, please email kristinhaverty@puppet.org.