Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Theatre Production Coordinator

🎯 Role Definition

The Theatre Production Coordinator is the operational hub for live performance production: coordinating schedules, budgets, vendors, technical crews, rehearsal logistics, and safety compliance to ensure seamless load-ins, rehearsals, performances and load-outs. This role supports the Production Manager and Creative Team by translating creative vision into executable production plans, enforcing timelines, maintaining production documentation, and troubleshooting technical or logistical issues in real time. Ideal candidates demonstrate strong production scheduling, vendor negotiation, knowledge of stagecraft and union rules, and excellent communication across artistic, technical, and administrative stakeholders.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Production Assistant / Stagehand
Assistant Stage Manager
Technical Intern / Facilities Assistant

Advancement To:

Production Manager
Technical Director
Senior Stage Manager
Company Manager

Lateral Moves:

Event Producer
Tour/Events Coordinator
Venue Operations Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Plan, develop and maintain detailed production schedules for load-in, technical rehearsals, previews and performance runs, coordinating timelines across lighting, sound, set, props, wardrobe and stage management teams to ensure on-time delivery and performance readiness.
Manage production budgets by creating cost estimates, tracking expenditures against approved budgets, processing purchase orders and invoices, negotiating vendor contracts, and recommending cost-saving measures while maintaining production quality.
Serve as the primary point of contact for external vendors and contractors (scenic shops, riggers, lighting rental houses, fabricators, transport companies), issuing clear scope of work, negotiating terms, coordinating delivery windows and resolving conflicts or performance issues.
Coordinate procurement and inventory of production materials, props, consumables and hardware, maintaining accurate inventories, asset logs and storage plans to support multiple concurrent productions and prevent duplication or shortages.
Oversee and schedule all technical crew calls and overtime approvals; assign crew tasks based on skill sets; maintain staffing plans for load-in, rehearsals and performances in compliance with labour agreements and safety regulations.
Facilitate weekly production meetings, prepare and distribute agendas and action items, document decisions and change requests, and ensure alignment between artistic leadership, designers and operations teams.
Produce, maintain and distribute production paperwork including cue sheets, stage plots, prop lists, set charts, risk assessments, technical riders and contact directories in centralized, version-controlled formats.
Coordinate site logistics including truck and van loading plans, backstage access, dressing room allocation, meal and accommodation logistics for touring and visiting artists, and adherence to venue access and security protocols.
Manage on-site technical rehearsals and performance operations by supervising crew execution of lighting, sound and scene shifts, calling or supporting cues as needed, and implementing contingency plans for technical failures.
Ensure compliance with health, safety and accessibility regulations by conducting pre-show risk assessments, maintaining up-to-date health and safety documentation, coordinating first-aid provisions and ensuring rigging, lifting and electrical work follows code and company policies.
Liaise with union representatives and labour relations (IATSE, Actors’ Equity, local stagecraft unions) to schedule covered work, document hours and ensure contractual obligations, breaks and workplace rules are observed.
Coordinate scenic load-in, set construction and strike schedules with scenic shops and carpentry teams; supervise shop-to-stage transfers, on-site installations and quality-control checks.
Prepare technical riders and hospitality requirements for visiting artists, liaise with front-of-house and box office teams on house management needs, and coordinate accessibility accommodations for patrons and artists.
Monitor and report key production KPIs — on-time milestones, budget variance, crew utilization and vendor performance — and present concise status updates to Production Manager and executive leadership.
Implement sustainability and green production practices where practical (materials reuse, responsible procurement, energy-efficient gear), and document environmental impacts and savings.
Maintain and update digital production archives, CAD files, lighting plots, media files and cue lists to ensure future productions benefit from institutional knowledge and reusable assets.
Troubleshoot and resolve emergent production problems during load-ins and performances — equipment faults, timing conflicts, staffing shortages — by rapidly evaluating options and coordinating on-the-ground fixes with technical leads.
Coordinate transportation logistics for touring productions including route planning, carrier selection, customs paperwork (if international), and coordination with tour managers to meet show itineraries.
Support rehearsal room logistics: secure rehearsal space, set rehearsal schedules, coordinate movement of set elements, ensure technical rehearsal setup mirrors venue conditions and manage rehearsal hires.
Manage supplier relationships, hold regular performance reviews, maintain a preferred vendor list and ensure vendors meet insurance, health & safety and contract requirements.

Secondary Functions

Support post-show debriefs and production post-mortems, gather stakeholder feedback, document lessons learned and produce actionable recommendations to improve future production workflows.
Maintain production documentation systems (shared drives, production management software, cloud-based cueing systems) and train staff on standardized naming, version control and access protocols.
Coordinate volunteer ushering and backstage support programs, including recruitment, training, scheduling and recognition for seasonal or one-off events.
Support marketing and development teams with production-related content: high-resolution photos of set pieces, technical specs for sponsorship decks, and logistics for media shoots.
Assist in risk mitigation planning for non-routine events (outdoor festivals, site-specific performances), including weather contingency planning, permits, site surveys and liaison with local authorities.
Maintain and audit production safety equipment, liaise with building management on venue maintenance issues, and coordinate scheduled inspections and repairs of rigging points, fly systems and battens.
Serve as secondary contact for IT/AV integration needs, coordinating with broadcast/streaming teams to facilitate multi-camera, live-stream or hybrid event setups and content capture.
Support recruitment and onboarding for temporary production hires and freelance contractors, manage onboarding paperwork, site orientation and safety briefings.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Production scheduling and calendar management (Master production schedules, Gantt charts, call sheets)
Budget creation, tracking and variance reporting for live performance productions
Vendor sourcing, contract negotiation and purchase order administration
Knowledge of technical theatre systems: lighting consoles (ETC, GrandMA), sound consoles (QLab, Yamaha, Dante networking) and rigging fundamentals
Reading and interpreting technical drawings: scale plans, ground plans, section drawings and CAD/Vectorworks/AutoCAD competency
Stage load-in/out logistics, trucking coordination and production asset management
Familiarity with union contracts and collective bargaining agreements (IATSE, Actors’ Equity) and labor bookkeeping
Health & safety compliance and risk assessment (PTW, LOLER, confined space awareness where relevant)
Proficient in production management software and office tools (Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, Dropbox/Box, Slack, Airtable, Showfile/ShowClix or similar)
Basic carpentry, set construction and prop handling knowledge to evaluate technical and build feasibility
Experience with site surveys, venue technical specifications and front-of-house coordination
Experience with live stream/broadcast workflows and basic AV/video integration

Soft Skills

Clear, persuasive written and verbal communication across artistic, technical and administrative teams
Strong organizational skills and the ability to prioritize competing tasks under time pressure
Resourceful problem-solving and calm crisis management during live events
Collaborative leadership and ability to motivate and manage mixed teams of staff and freelancers
Attention to detail with high standards for documentation and version control
Diplomacy and stakeholder management when balancing creative demands, budget constraints and union rules
Flexibility and adaptability to shifting schedules, last-minute creative changes and touring variables
Time management and multi-project coordination
Cultural sensitivity and commitment to inclusive, accessible production practices

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High school diploma or equivalent with demonstrable production experience

Preferred Education:

Bachelor's degree in Theatre Production, Technical Theatre, Performing Arts Management, Event Management, or a related field

Relevant Fields of Study:

Theatre Production / Technical Theatre
Performing Arts Management
Event Management / Arts Administration
Stagecraft / Scenic Technology

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

2–5 years in production coordination, stage management, or technical operations within theatre, touring, festivals or live events

Preferred:

3–7 years with a demonstrated track record managing production schedules, budgets and cross-discipline technical teams in mid- to large-scale theatre productions or tours
Experience working with unions, large vendor ecosystems and multiple concurrent productions preferred