Literary Manager Shakespeare Theater

Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Chicago, IL
US

JOB TITLE:

Literary Manager

REPORTS TO:

Artistic Director

FLSA CLASSIFICATION:
Exempt

PAY RANGE: $72,000 - $76,000 Annually

The Literary Manager at Chicago Shakespeare Theater is a member of the artistic team and will work directly with the Artistic Director, Edward Hall, on commissioning and developing new work and providing dramaturgical support to productions each season. The Literary Manager will oversee play submissions, solicit scripts, network with playwrights, composers, and other creative artists and see a broad range of Chicago theater and beyond.

The Literary Manager will be a collaborative colleague, working cross-departmentally on various projects and initiatives with multiple internal departments including Education, Casting, Marketing and Communications, Operations, Production, the Business Office, and Development.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

Actively engage with the Artistic Director and support the ongoing long-term artistic vision for Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Work collaboratively with the Artistic Director, Executive Director and Artistic Administrator when commissioning and contracting writers.

Serve as first point of contact for all scripts submitted. Solicit, read, and evaluate original script submissions from multiple sources and create reports on each submission.

Maintain a submission log and shared tracking system, as well as communications with agents and writers. Ensure the CST database is up to date with script submissions and script reports.

Regularly report to Artistic Director on script evaluation and progress.

Research and develop a list of playwrights for consideration; network, research, and meet with playwrights, composers, and lyricists.

Partner with creative teams in nurturing new commissions and in developing a developmental plan for fostering relationships with commissioned writers, including arranging readings and workshops. Collaborate with and support writers developing work with CST as required.

Steward new plays through development phase and provide dramaturgical support for creative team through rehearsal process. Provide creative input and feedback to the artists.

Manage, execute, and participate in new play developmental readings and workshops offering operational and dramaturgical support.

Seek and keep abreast of new writing and revival work in Chicago and nationally; contribute ideas to season planning.

Provide dramaturgical support as needed to all programming including Shakespeare.

Support creative teams in production in all areas to do with dramaturgy.

Maintain knowledge of sources of current original plays and maintain relationships with a broadly diverse set of playwrights locally and nationally.

Provide, coordinate and curate written dramaturgical and education materials for CST audience programs for each production.

Support grant opportunities and provide written statements and grant language as requested by the Development Department

Support Education Department as requested with content and presentational materials.

Model CST's core values of service, ingenuity, and collaboration as well as its customer service ethos.

Champions the organization's commitment to a respectful, inclusive and equitable workplace.

Minimum bachelor's degree in English, Dramatic Literature, Theatre, or related field, or commensurate experience.

Significant experience with the new play development process, either as an artist, producer, a literary manager, or dramaturg. Experience with both new play development and reinvestigation of classic texts.

Institutional theater…