Theatre Technician

Company Overview

The Fools are committed to bringing high-quality theatre to the people and eliminating the barriers that prevent patrons from engaging with the arts. We exist to serve the people of Ottawa and strive to share our work with surrounding communities, particularly those without access to live theatre. We aim to inspire connections at our performances between the art, the audience, and the community we perform within. 

Today, the Fools are best known for our Torchlight Shakespeare in the Park series, where we tour 90-minute versions of Shakespeare’s hits to parks across Ottawa and Eastern Ontario for pass-the-hat donations. This tour spans two months, offers 42 performances, and reaches over 10,000 patrons. Over 20% of the company’s patrons report that Fools shows are the only theatre productions they attend. Outside the summer season, the Fools offer educational programming in the form of our annual spring school festival and in-school workshops.

We believe that it doesn’t matter where you live, how much you make, or how old you are: theatre should be accessible to everyone.

Don’t live near a theatre? We’ll come to you.
Don’t have much disposable income? Our shows are pay-what-you-can.
Can’t find a babysitter? Bring your kids! Bring your dog, too!
Didn’t eat dinner? Bring a picnic, or grab a snack at our Front of House tent!

Job Description

a Company of Fools is seeking a Theatre Technician (TT) to join our team for our Shakespeare in the Park Tour in our 36th season! They will be a key player on the crew of this outdoor production that reaches over 10,000 patrons in 35+ communities across the Ottawa region. Candidates must meet the requirements for the Canada Summer Jobs program (age 15-30, eligible to work in Canada and have a Social Insurance Number).

Contract Dates: June 22 - August 17, 2026  

Pay Rate: $18.50/hr average 35hr/week 

Reporting directly to the Production Manager (PM), the TT will assist with tour planning and gain practical hands-on experience to ensure that the production’s technical elements are executed effectively and on time using available equipment. Upon the completion of this position the employee will have the skills needed to take on technician contracts with established presenters in the live performance sector (festivals, concerts, sporting events, theatre, dance, music, etc.).

During their employment the TT will learn the following skills and be responsible for the following tasks while under the supervision of the Designers and the PM:

Pre-Production and Rehearsals

• Learn the material logistics of the production: set up, their responsibilities during the performance, and tear down 

• Transporting scenic and costume elements from the storage facility to the rehearsal site

• Receiving health and safety training with regards to rigging of backdrops, heavy lifting, and operations of technical equipment (such as lighting and sound equipment)

• Creating and updating production paperwork, including documents listing all elements that must be accounted for and transported on tour 

• Creating audience and backstage ground plans

• Learning to efficiently install and strike all production elements, including a large stage, backdrops, and lighting equipment

• Determining backstage performance responsibilities such as costume quick changes, operating lighting or sound effects, and audience management

Performance Weeks

• In collaboration with the PM, selecting the area within the park where the performance will take place, taking into account many factors including slope of ground, and proximity to roads and amenities such as bathrooms

• Unloading and assembling all production elements including the set, props, costumes, and technical equipment

• Learning to lead the packing and unpacking of the tour truck which transports the stage, set, and technical equipment

• Working alongside 8 other crew members to build the stage while taking into account many variables such as weather, ground condition, and pre-existing environmental features

• Installing and operating technical equipment such as lighting and sound equipment in order to carry out the Director and Designers’ vision for the production 

• Performing in-show duties that enable performances such as costume quick changes, operating technical equipment, and audience management

• Interacting with the public by asking patrons to care for the landscape we are in, providing information on the performance or company, and directing them towards our front-of-house tent

• Removing, loading, and transporting all production elements for the next performance, ensuring the park is left as it was found with no trace of the company or performance left behind

• Maintaining and ensuring adequate supplies of consumables throughout the tour

Post-Tour

• Co-leading and participating in a post-production meeting to provide feedback on the season and contribute their onsite experience for future season planning

• Disassembling the set to prepare for storage, salvaging elements where possible for re-use in future seasons to lessen environmental impact

• Cataloging set, costume, and props elements for storage and future use

• Repairing and conducting any maintenance required on technical hardware used during the tour in an effort to reuse wherever possible

Successful candidates must be available for all contract dates (Monday-Saturday, afternoons and evenings), be physically capable of repeated heavy lifting (up to 50 lbs), and be able to maintain a professional, positive attitude at all times and in all sorts of summer weather (rain, shine, heat, humidity, cold).

Assets:

• Enjoy working outdoors in all weather conditions

• Theatre production or backstage experience

• Experience or interest in audio and/or lighting

• Familiarity with Ottawa theatre companies and practices

• Can adapt to different working conditions and processes

• Can work independently

• Detail oriented

• Open to feedback and ongoing direction

• Can calmly communicate your limits when working in challenging conditions (extreme heat, heavy lifting, high-pressure timelines)

• Familiarity with a Company of Fools and/or pursuit of theatre-related studies 

• G class driver’s license/access to a vehicle 

• CPR and/or First Aid Training

• General enthusiasm for workplace safety

For more information about a Company of Fools or Torchlight Shakespeare, please visit www.fools.ca. 

To apply please send a cover letter and CV to generalmanager@fools.ca no later than 11:59pm on Sunday, April 26th, 2026 with the subject line “Theatre Technician”. Please format your CV & cover letter with the following format “LAST NAME.FIRST NAME CV/Cover Letter”.

Thank you for your submission. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted. We will be considering all applications on a rolling basis and start interviewing as soon as we find suitable candidates. Submitting as soon as possible helps your chances of being selected.

a Company of Fools encourages submissions from diverse candidates of all backgrounds regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, creed, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.

This position has been made possible by the Canada Summer Jobs Program.