Crewing on admin, stage shows and films
As well as acting roles, we often have various roles available backstage for stage crew and technical crew.
To apply, please email us directly on southdevonplayers@gmail.com, to arrange an interview.
All crew roles are for people aged over 18 due to working with electrical equipment, heights, weights, and an adult-aged cast and crew.
All crew on a production, the same as everyone else on any given production (and indeed everyone connected with the South Devon Players, with the exclusion of the registered company directors (which is an unpaid volunteer role to head the organization for as much benefit of the creatives involved as is humanly possible regardless of current funding), works on a freelance, self-employed, project by project basis, and each person is responsible for declaring their earnings to HMRC.
Being understanding of people at all levels of experience from complete beginners through to experienced creatives, is an absolute must. Most people in the group wish to develop or further their portfolios as freelance self-employed creatives, which is the aim of our projects.
Please also note that we are a group which includes people of colour, as well as neurodivergent and disabled people.
We are an organization of mostly local South Devon people, based in a high-poverty area (Torbay), wanting to create our own opportunities for ourselves, and to welcome other local people like us, to work in theatre and showcase our creative skills, towards creating theatre-based careers,
where few opportunities have otherwise existed.
As things stand, all our projects are, by force of circumstance, profitshare (see details below and on our policies page),
with the non-stop effort to find funding or sponsorship from sources interested in supporting regional theatre projects, to expand into a proper rate. When grants/ funding covering union-rate payments are successful for a specific project or (we hope, eventually) long term,
everyone is automatically and immediately upgraded.
For all these reasons, we are only seeking crew based in our home area of Torbay & south Devon.
To apply, please email us directly on southdevonplayers@gmail.com, to arrange an interview.
All crew roles are for people aged over 18 due to working with electrical equipment, heights, weights, and an adult-aged cast and crew.
All crew on a production, the same as everyone else on any given production (and indeed everyone connected with the South Devon Players, with the exclusion of the registered company directors (which is an unpaid volunteer role to head the organization for as much benefit of the creatives involved as is humanly possible regardless of current funding), works on a freelance, self-employed, project by project basis, and each person is responsible for declaring their earnings to HMRC.
Being understanding of people at all levels of experience from complete beginners through to experienced creatives, is an absolute must. Most people in the group wish to develop or further their portfolios as freelance self-employed creatives, which is the aim of our projects.
Please also note that we are a group which includes people of colour, as well as neurodivergent and disabled people.
We are an organization of mostly local South Devon people, based in a high-poverty area (Torbay), wanting to create our own opportunities for ourselves, and to welcome other local people like us, to work in theatre and showcase our creative skills, towards creating theatre-based careers,
where few opportunities have otherwise existed.
As things stand, all our projects are, by force of circumstance, profitshare (see details below and on our policies page),
with the non-stop effort to find funding or sponsorship from sources interested in supporting regional theatre projects, to expand into a proper rate. When grants/ funding covering union-rate payments are successful for a specific project or (we hope, eventually) long term,
everyone is automatically and immediately upgraded.
For all these reasons, we are only seeking crew based in our home area of Torbay & south Devon.
We are aware that some websites and agencies, copy our crewing calls out to their clients. That is absolutely fine, but please ensure that all relevant information (dates, locations, rehearsals, profit share, etc) are also shared and not altered or omitted.
Roles open are as as laid out in this website section, are the correct official version. If you have questions, that are not answered here, please email We do not charge anyone to get involved with us, we are strictly against "pay to play!"
Roles open are as as laid out in this website section, are the correct official version. If you have questions, that are not answered here, please email We do not charge anyone to get involved with us, we are strictly against "pay to play!"
Stage managerA theatre stage manager with us, is a senior member of the production team, managing the stage crew (cues, set change schedules, general tasks needed to keep a performance running smoothly) and also liaising with the actors on show logistics (schedules, backstage calls, etc)
A stage manager with us needs to be friendly, reliable, understanding of others including those who are new to theatre and those who have disabilities, but firm, communicative and approachable; and willing to discuss and plan in dialogue with the company director(s) and show director/ manager. The usual time commitment is at our rehearsals Wednesday evenings 7pm - 9pm (doors open 5pm) Sunday afternoons 1pm-4/ 4.30pm (doors open 11.30am) at Chestnut Community Centre, 1-3 Poplar Close, Brixham where we rent a rehearsal room; and then at show performances (various Fridays and/or Saturdays) at theatres and community venues around the South West. We are happy to discuss your availability around your existing commitments. Like all other roles in South Devon Players, this is a self-employed freelance role. To apply, please email southdevonplayers@gmail.com to arrange an informal discussion Costume assistantWe would love to hear from someone interested in assisting with costuming for theatre productions.
- we can supply a sewing machine on long term loan (which you are welcome to use for other things) - we can supply materials (we work with recycled and second hand things we have sourced to make these shows possible) are supplied. This would involve working with creating and adapting things to mainly period and historical costuming (think Roman period to Edwardian) as well as some post-apocalyptic and steampunk from time to time, and creating things suitable for the characters from second hand things and reclaimed / repurposed fabrics, in line with the script, setting and production design. The costumer would need to be able to attend rehearsals in Higher Brixham (at Chestnut Comnunity Centre) to do fittings, measuring etc. Our actors are mostly adults (late teens to retired) although sometimes there are child actors (supervised at all times by a parent or licenced chaperone) present for some productions; and because we usually have some people with neurodiversity’s and disabilities within the group, it’s also important to work with any additional movement or sensory notes for those people. We are happy to discuss your availability around your existing commitments. To apply, please email southdevonplayers@gmail.com to arrange an informal discussion Stage crew & techniciansStage crew are involved with many backstage tasks, this can include setting up props and set, and doing set changes, or assisting with complex costume changes. The ability to work to rehearsed cues, in a friendly, efficient, reliable manner, are a must. Attendance at rehearsals and note taking skills are also needed.
Techs will be asked to run lighting, sound, projection and/or special effects (equipment provided) to scripted cues. We do have two stage techs for sound and lighting, but we need to expand this so that they can be covered if ill or away. We are also starting to use projected backdrops at some venues which ideally would need a third pair of hands to operate. The usual time commitment is at our rehearsals Wednesday evenings 7pm - 9pm (doors open 5pm) Sunday afternoons 1pm-4/ 4.30pm (doors open 11.30am) at Chestnut Community Centre, 1-3 Poplar Close, Brixham where we rent a rehearsal room; and then at show performances (various Fridays and/or Saturdays) at theatres and community venues around the South West. We are happy to discuss your availability around your existing commitments. Like all other roles in South Devon Players, this is a self-employed freelance role. To apply, please email southdevonplayers@gmail.com to arrange an informal discussion IMPORTANT This may seem very basic indeed but is being noted publicly after a couple of incidents over recent years: If you are joining us in any capacity, please be aware that you will be expected to read and learn your scripted scenes/ cues/ FX (as relevant), by the deadlines given, attend agreed rehearsals on time, and to keep detailed notes on blocking, props and/or techincal notes, as required by your role, penciled into your script. You will be required to report to/ discuss with, the stage manager, director and company owners in a regular, open manner. You will also be required to abide by the norms of socially acceptable behaviour towards all other members of the team and towards the public. Failure to do so, is likely to result in instant dismissal from the project. If you have questions, please get in touch via email southdevonplayers@gmail.com. GOOD PRACTICE We operate to the best of our ability and knowlege, within the guidelines of good practice laid out by Equity, BECTU, Protecting Actors, and the Equality Act 2010, We regularly seek advice and guidance from same, and leading industry professionals, to ensure that we are up to date. In the case of doubt we refer our queries to same. |
General information about working with us
From Equity's Safe Spaces campaign against bullying & harassment.
If you are looking to perform with us in shows, please see our Auditions page.
PAYMENT As professionals and aspiring professionals, we do our utmost to ensure that we do our best to reward the team members with the show profits, from ticket sales, less venue hire. While full amounts can never be guaranteed, the total amount, whatever it is, is equally shared among all actors and production crew, so that nobody is treated differently than any other. We have never finished a production in the "red". You will also recieve portfolio photos of you performing your crew role, references (upon completion of your first production), backstage light refreshments, and anything else that we find we can offer. The current profit share situation is because we are self-funded from market stalls, and sponsored activities to pay for a rehearsal room, costumes, and materials, so that we can then share the ticket takes, less show venue hire, to all our cast and crew. We are committed to rewarding our cast and crew to the very maximum of our ability. We also actively applying for production and arts grants inclusive of full payment (union rate or higher) for cast and crew; and at any such time as that is awarded for a production, everyone in the production is automatically upgraded. We have a strict equal opportunities policy. FOREIGN WORKERS Foreign nationals are most welcome to work in our shows on the same basis as anyone else with the understanding that they can meet rehearsal and performance requirements; and are legally allowed to work in the UK (Government website about working in the UK). We reserve the right to check that you are legally able to work in the UK We do require that everyone involved with us, is fully reliable with regard to carrying out agreed tasks & timekeeping, and able to work in an atmosphere of calm mutual respect with other people, in a positive, team environment, with full regard to the conventions of acceptable social behaviour, with a desire to make projects to a professional level. | ||||||||||||
The South Devon Players Theatre & Film Company, is the trading name of The South Devon Players Limited;
Registered at Companies House: Company number 11569166
Registered at Companies House: Company number 11569166
