Set Designer

Freelance • $1,500 - $2,000

Southern Shakespeare Company - Tallahassee, Florida
https://www.southernshakes.org

Description

Southern Shakespeare Company (SSC) is seeking a creative, collaborative, and resourceful Set Designer for our Festival production of William Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor, opening in February 2027 at Cascades Park in Tallahassee, Florida.

The Set Designer will create the physical world of the production in collaboration with the Director and Technical Director. The successful designer will balance artistic vision with the practical realities of an outdoor festival production, including budget, construction resources, safety, weather, and audience sightlines.

About the Production

SSC’s annual Shakespeare Festival presents free, professional-quality Shakespeare for audiences throughout North Florida and South Georgia. The 2027 Festival production will be performed outdoors at Cascades Park and must create a dynamic theatrical environment that supports Shakespeare’s storytelling while remaining practical, safe, durable, and accessible for an outdoor venue.

Responsibilities

Pre-Production

• Collaborate with the Director to understand the artistic vision, tone, themes, period, location, and specific scenic requirements of the production.
• Read and analyze the script thoroughly, identifying locations, scene changes, entrances and exits, scenic requirements, and opportunities for theatrical storytelling.
• Conduct appropriate research into the play’s setting, period, architecture, furniture, décor, and visual world.
• Develop design concepts, sketches, mood boards, renderings, or other visual materials to communicate the scenic approach.
• Create detailed scenic design plans, including ground plans, elevations, technical drawings, and specifications as appropriate.
• Work within the approved set budget and collaborate with the Technical Director and Master Carpenter to determine what should be built, rented, purchased, borrowed, or sourced from existing SSC stock.
• Design with the realities of the performance venue in mind. 
• Ensure the scenic design complies with applicable venue regulations and all relevant safety and fire policies.

Design & Construction

• Submit the completed scenic design to the Director for approval at least two weeks before the beginning of construction.
• Make revisions as requested through the design approval process.
• Collaborate closely with the Technical Director, Master Carpenter, construction crew, props team, and other production personnel.
• Assist in the selection of appropriate construction materials based on durability, safety, cost, availability, and aesthetic requirements.
• Provide clear and accurate drawings and specifications necessary for construction.
• Consider sightlines, audience visibility, actor movement, accessibility, weather exposure, and the demands of an outdoor performance environment.

Rehearsal

• Make necessary adjustments to the design based on rehearsal discoveries and direction from the Director.
• Create revised drawings or specifications when changes are required.
• Collaborate with the Lighting, Costume, Sound, Props, and other designers to ensure a cohesive production design.
• Plan scene changes and scenic transitions so they can be executed safely and efficiently.
• Work with the production team to address any scenic problems discovered during rehearsals.

Performance

• Assist with troubleshooting unexpected scenic problems or damage during the run.
• Coordinate with the production team regarding scenic transitions and maintenance.

Post-Performance

• Participate in a post-production discussion with the Director and production team to evaluate the scenic design and production process.

Festival-Specific Considerations

The SSC Festival presents unique scenic challenges and opportunities. The Set Designer should be prepared to design for:

• Outdoor performance at Cascades Park, including weather, wind, heat, rain, and other environmental conditions.
• Large audiences and long sightlines.
• Safe and efficient backstage traffic.
• Fast and practical scene transitions.
• The needs of both the main Festival production and the Bardlings student production.
• Shared scenic resources and limited storage.
• A design that is visually exciting while remaining achievable within SSC’s budget and available construction resources.
• The possibility of incorporating existing SSC scenic stock and materials into a new design.
• Accessibility and safe movement for performers, crew, and audience members.

Qualifications

Preferred candidates will have:

• Previous experience designing sets for theatrical productions.
• Strong knowledge of scenic design principles, theatrical construction, and stage safety.
• The ability to communicate design ideas clearly through sketches, renderings, ground plans, elevations, and/or technical drawings.
• Experience collaborating with directors, technical directors, carpenters, props teams, and other designers.
• Strong organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• The ability to work creatively within a defined budget.
• A practical understanding of outdoor theatrical production is strongly preferred.
• Experience with Shakespeare or other classical theatre is helpful but not required.
• A collaborative attitude and willingness to work within the realities of a community-centered, non profit theatre organization.

SSC welcomes designers with a range of professional and educational backgrounds. We are especially interested in artists who can combine strong visual storytelling with creative problem-solving and practical theatrical construction.

Compensation & Commitment

This is a paid design position. Compensation ranges from $1,500 – $2,000 and will be based on experience and the scope of the production and will be discussed with qualified candidates.

The Set Designer should be available for design meetings and periodic production meetings with the specific schedule established in consultation with the Director and production team.

To Apply

Please submit:

• A brief cover letter describing your interest in designing The Merry Wives of Windsor for SSC.
• A résumé or CV.
• A portfolio or examples of previous scenic design work.
• Three professional references, if available.
• Your general availability from the beginning of the design process through the February 2027 Festival.

Applications and questions should be directed to:
Bianca@southernshakes.org

Applications accepted until the position is filled.

To apply for this job

Apply online at https://southernshakespearefestival.org/professionals/