Casting Director

JOB TITLE:                        Casting Director

RESPONSIBLE TO:        Artistic Director and Head of Producing

 “to bring upon the stage the deeper emotions of Ireland”.

The Abbey Theatre is Ireland’s National Theatre, and a significant part of its role is to reflect our evolving cultural, political and social identity. We do this through the creation, development and production of theatre that seeks to interrogate, challenge, gather and inspire a nation and its people, locally, nationally and internationally. We’ve held this inimitable place in the Irish cultural landscape for over 116 years, since before the formation of the Irish state.

We are currently seeking an experienced Casting Director who will be responsible for casting all Abbey Theatre productions. The Casting Director will also be responsible for casting all public and private readings and workshops.

A key part of the remit for the position is to actively seek out new and emerging talent and support the Abbey’s relationship with established actors. The Casting Director reports directly to the Artistic Director and the Head of Producing and will work within the Producing Department.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

The Casting Directors’ responsibilities will include, but are not limited to the following:

• Casting all Abbey Theatre productions and, when appropriate, co-productions.
• Liaising with the play or project director, the directors of the theatre, the producers of the theatre, the actor or the actor’s agent in bringing together the best possible cast for each show.
• Being the key point of contact between the acting community and the Abbey Theatre.
• Casting all Literary and New Work Initiatives.
• Casting all readings, workshops, development initiatives (public and private).
• Maintaining and updating the Casting Department’s database and casting files.
• Liaising with the theatre’s management in adhering to salary budgets for each production.
• Negotiating cast salaries and contracts within The Abbey Theatre’s agreed pay scales.
• Managing the engagement process from offer through to contract stage.
• Attending productions in other theatres and when feasible, productions out of town and abroad.
• Keeping abreast of emerging talent in theatre schools both in Ireland and the UK.
• Arranging and facilitating general auditions on an annual basis.
• Maintaining a good working relationship between the Abbey Theatre, actors and their agents, freelance directors, Irish Actors’ Equity and other casting professionals both here and abroad.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

The post holder will have:

• A passion for theatre and the Arts.
• Experience with and understanding of the casting process.
• The ability to investigate a play and its characters for casting breakdowns.
• Proven organisation and administration skills.
• A track record in being proactive, creative, intuitive and rigorous.
• Experience in management of an Assistant/Associate.
• Good computer skills.
• Excellent interpersonal/communication skills.
• Excellent negotiation skills.
• Good project planning/project management skills.
• A facility for the communication – and assimilation – of creative language.
• A desire and facility for developing and maintaining creative relationships.
• A record of carrying out all work with absolute discretion and confidentiality.
• Demonstrable ability to excel in developing interpersonal relationships with a broad range of stakeholders.
• Experience of designing contracts, budgeting, negotiations and financial management.
• Knowledge of industry contracts and pay scales across different media.
• Self-motivated with a detail orientated work ethic.
• The ability to work in a pressurised environment.
• The ability to work across many projects at any one time.
• The ability to react to new ways of working i.e., pivoting online if necessary.
• The ability to consistently meet strict deadlines.

APPLICATION PROCESS:

To apply, please send the below information:

• Up to date CV
• Cover Letter (Detailing why you are the right candidate for this role, why it appeals to you and what impact you see yourself having).

The closing date for external applications is 5pm on 14th June

The Abbey Theatre is an equal opportunities employer.