RTYDS Assistant Directors
In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, we have temporarily re-configured our Three-Month Placements.
In their stead, in 2021/22 we will be offering 10 Assistant Director bursaries to provide directors and theatre makers with the opportunity to expand their skills and knowledge working as an assistant on a live, digital or hybrid production. We have six Assistant Director bursaries available in this round of applications.
The deadline for theatre companies to apply to host an RTYDS Assistant Director is noon on Monday 27 September 2021.
The RTYDS Assistant Directorship is a paid opportunity for a director at the start of their professional directing career to work as an assistant director on a live, digital or hybrid production. The assistant will be hosted by a theatre or theatre company and they will assist on a show of any scale and can tour (the company will provide expenses for per diems, travel and accommodation as appropriate).
There is a bursary of £500 per week for up to eight weeks (total £4,000) for the assistant. The eight weeks can be divided between pre-rehearsal, rehearsals and production run but rehearsals should run for at least three weeks.
When applying theatres and companies can either:
- Apply with a nominated director
- Run an open recruitment process to identify the director
RTYDS will support companies and theatres running an open recruitment process.
Given the uncertain times we understand that schedules may change. However, if the proposed project doesn’t proceed or is postponed for more than three months, we may not be able to continue with the partnership.
At this time, we want to find as many ways to provide freelance artists with support and opportunities. Consequently, companies and theatres who host an Assistant Director will be asked whether you can work with RTYDS to offer additional opportunity beyond the assistantship for a wider group of artists on our network. This might include an online workshop exploring the rehearsal process for the show, providing access or insights into Board meetings, running discussions around commissioning or programming choices for the company etc.
The opportunity is for adults over 18 years of age from backgrounds currently under-represented in UK theatre as a result of barriers arising from social, gender, financial, racial, cultural, geographic, educational status or disability.
In this strand of our work we are particularly keen to encourage companies to support artists who are Black, South Asian, East or South East Asian, mixed or dual heritage, or have had a lived experience of racism, artists from working, benefit, criminal and underclass backgrounds, or those who identify as Deaf or disabled,
There is no upper age limit. The director must be resident in the UK at point of application and live near to the theatre or company.
The opportunity is for directors at the very start of their professional directing career. They may have taken part in an RTYDS Introduction to Directing project or they may be a director the theatre has met through outreach or participation work, training, or your artist development program. The theatre can apply with a director / theatre maker who is known to them or they can run an open recruitment process to identify the director.
The assistant director will have had limited opportunities to make their own work, work as an assistant with professional actors, or study directing in an educational context. However, they should be able to show a commitment to a career in theatre directing. This is the chance for the assistant director to gain first-hand experience in a professional but supported environment.
We will work with the company or theatre to ensure that appropriate access provision is in place for all assistant directors. RTYDS will agree a contribution to access costs with each theatre.
Information for Theatre Companies
The programme is for professional producing theatre companies based in England (outside London), that have a practicing artistic director, a track record of education and outreach work and knowledge of artist development. The companies can be touring or building-based and of any scale. Companies can also apply as consortia, so for example a company can apply in partnership with a theatre.
Companies can apply to more than one RTYDS programme at the same time. In this case, the company will need to make clear how the strands of work would complement and support each other and demonstrate that there is capacity to support more than one initiative.
We have six Assistant Director bursaries available in this round of applications.
Earlier this year we provided assistant director bursaries to Eastern Angles (Ipswich), Mind The Gap (Bradford), Wise Children (Bristol) and Freedom Studios (Bradford).
This opportunity is a way of supporting a director at the very start of their professional development. The assistant directorship should take place over the course of one production period (up to eight weeks). The director will assist on a show and have the opportunity to be in rehearsals, technical rehearsals and previews, working closely with the director. They should, where appropriate, also continue with the show for its run.
Ideally, this will be more than an observation role and they will be involved in all aspects of bringing the production to the stage and may have specific responsibilities relevant to the production as appropriate.
Where possible, the assistant director will get some access to the pre- production process of design meetings, casting, research and planning. Part of the fee can be paid pro rata to cover the attendance of these sessions and meetings.
We encourage the company to think about what specific skills or knowledge will be developed through assisting on the show.
There are two application forms available:
- If you are applying with a nominated assistant director, you can download the application form here.
- If you intend to run a selection process, you can download the application form here.
Please return the completed form to application@rtyds.co.uk by noon, Monday 27 September 2021.
Have more questions?
Prior to the application deadline, there will be a Q&A session to answer any questions you may have about completing your application form or more generally about the RTYDS Assistant Directors. This will be held on Monday 13 September at 3.30pm. SIGN UP FOR THE Q&A
Applications are assessed on the basis of:
- the quality of the proposal and benefit to the assistant director
- the track record of the theatre or company in artist development
- the background and experience of the new director or the approach to open recruitment
We will aim for a geographical spread of theatres and a mix of smaller and bigger companies.
Decisions will be made by the board of RTYDS, individual board members are not involved in considering applications from theatres to which they are personally connected.
Applications to host an RTYDS Assistant Director should be submitted by noon, Monday 27 September to application@rtyds.co.uk.
If you would like to have a chat before submitting your application please contact Manli Siu, Programme Producer, at RTYDS@rtyds.co.uk
Prior to the application deadline, there will be a Q&A session to answer any questions you may have about completing your application form or more generally about the RTYDS Assistant Directors. This will be held on Monday 13 September at 3.30pm. SIGN UP FOR THE Q&A
Notes will be made available for those who cannot attend the live session.
Click below to download the forms:
Theatre Companies applying with a director
British Dyslexia Association style Form
Theatre Companies applying without a director
British Dyslexia Association style Form
Equal Opportunities Monitoring Forms
Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form
Equal Opportunities – British Dyslexia Association style Form
Equal Opportunities – Large Print Form
Equal Opportunities – Screen Reader Form
Information Sheets
British Dyslexia Association style – Information Sheet
Large Print – Information Sheet
Screen Reader – Information Sheet
If you’re unable to download any of these forms, please contact us on rtyds@rtyds.co.uk and we will email you copies.
Information for Directors
Participants for the RTYDS Assistant Directors opportunity are recruited directly by participating theatres and companies. The companies will apply with a nominated director or run an open recruitment process.
Participants should be over 18 years of age, live locally to the theatre or company and want to learn more about directing in theatre. No professional experience is needed to take part.
There is no upper age limit.
All participants must be resident in the UK at point of application.
If you are interested in the RTYDS Assistant Director opportunity, we recommend that you talk to your local professional theatre or company to see if they might apply to RTYDS to host one.
