Company Stage Manager (on book) BABY

Job Advert
Company Stage Manager (on book) – BABY

Job Title: Company Stage Manager (on book) – BABY

Reports to: Producer, Production Manager, Director,

Responsible for: Assistant Stage Manager and the day-to-day running of the production and overseeing the company.

Department: Technical & Production

Fee: £650 per week, (£4,550 for the contract with an addition for holiday pay and pension contributions).

Location: Two venues in Kentish Town and Brixton, London

Contract: Freelance – 7 weeks

Hours: Full time - Evening and weekend work required.

Artform: Theatre

A co-production

Our client is more than just a cultural space; it is a vibrant community hub where creativity thrives, voices are heard, and everyone is welcomed and celebrated. They invite you to join them in their mission to enrich lives through the power of the arts.

Our client's vision is to empower the undervalued, unheard, and excluded communities through their creative and cultural spaces. They believe in creating a haven where every voice matters, where stories from all walks of life can be shared and celebrated. Their mission is rooted in a rich and influential theatrical history, from which our client has emerged as a dynamic new cultural hub. They are dedicated to presenting and collaborating with voices and perspectives that are often marginalised in mainstream funded culture.

Our client's commitment to building a strong connection with their community is reflected in their core values:

Always be welcoming to their international community
Be radical and progressive in their thinking and activities
Be collaborative in their ambitions – nurturing new relationships locally, and beyond their immediate community
Most importantly, always celebrate their unique identity and growing accomplishments

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

Our client is looking for a Company Stage Manager (on book) for the 2026 premiere of BABY, written by Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti and directed by Milli Bhatia.

A Company Stage Manager (CSM) is the person responsible for overseeing all aspects of the show's operation throughout rehearsals and in production. The role bridges creative, technical, and administrative duties, ensuring the production runs smoothly, safely, and consistently night after night.

As this is a one woman show, the CSM will lead a small stage management team, working alongside an Assistant Stage Manager. The CSM will be on book throughout rehearsals, as well as operating sound and lighting for the show.

ABOUT THE SHOW

A provocative play about one woman's desire to survive even though she hasn't got a chance in hell!

They name me Baby. Means you'll never seem old, even when you are. You'll always bring hope, even when there is none. And you can always pretend you're wanted, even when you're not…

Baby's bright and beautiful. Baby's trouble. Baby can do things nobody else can and why not? Britain's got talent, hasn't it?

Baby's had it tough and she wants to keep Bliss. That's all she wants. But something terrible stands in her way.

Now Baby has to solve a problem… and you're part of her solution. Because you're proper people. You must be, to be reading this. Plus, there's nobody else she can ask…

Baby is coming…

BABY is a one woman show, written by Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti and directed by Milli Bhatia, premiering in Autumn 2026. A co-production.

CONTENT WARNINGS

We want applicants to be able to make an informed decision about working on this production. The play contains the following themes:

Criminalisation, imprisonment and probation
Adverse childhood experiences (including neglect and sexual abuse)
Separation of mother and child through imprisonment
Foster care
Sex work
Abusive relationships
Drug and alcohol use
Self-harm

The CSM will work alongside an Assistant Stage Manager, and a dramatherapist will support the company across rehearsals and the run.

Given the subject matter of the play, both our client and their co-producing partner have safeguarding leads and established duty of care structures in place, and our client works to a trauma-informed practice which the whole company is inducted into. The CSM is a first point of contact for the company day to day but is not expected to hold responsibility for company wellbeing alone, there are clear routes for escalation and support.

WHO CAN APPLY

This role is open to women (including cis, intersex and trans women) and to non-binary people.

Our client is a women's theatre company. Its work is about highlighting women's experiences and providing gender-specific services to women, as such all of our client's positions are open to women and non-binary people only (exception under Equality Act 2010 Schedule 9, part 1). Its building in Kentish Town, where the first week of rehearsals will take place, is designated as a trauma-informed women-only space.

As part of their commitment to anti-oppressive practices, our client has historically operated as a trans and intersex inclusive women's service. In light of the Supreme Court ruling on the definition of 'woman' in the Equality Act 2010 and the recently adopted Statutory Code of Practice, they are currently not able to operate their Trans Inclusion Policy. They send their solidarity to the trans and intersex communities at this challenging time. In relation to non-binary inclusion, our client's community includes and welcomes individuals who want to be part of a company that defines itself publicly as 'women-only', and to work in a space that centres the experiences of women. They recognise that the decision to work in this type of environment is a personal one, and they want you to be able to make an informed decision about whether it is right for you.

If you would like to know more about our client's women-only status or its Trans Inclusion Policy before applying, please get in touch using the contact details below.

KEY DETAILS

Dates of Engagement: Monday 14 September – Saturday 31 October 2026 (7-week engagement)
Rehearsals: Monday 14 September – Friday 2 October 2026. Week one at one venue in Kentish Town, then at the other venue.
Tech: Monday 5 – Wednesday 7 October 2026
Previews: Thursday 8 – Saturday 10 October 2026
Final Preview (Pay What You Feel): Monday 12 October 2026
Press Night: Tuesday 13 October 2026
Run: Wednesday 14 – Saturday 31 October 2026

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Show Operation




• Operating sound and lighting for the show.
  Maintaining the director's vision: ensuring performance quality and consistency throughout the run, including notes to actors or crew if needed.




• Company Management




• Supporting the cast and crew: acting as a first point of contact for company welfare, including managing schedules, sickness reporting, and general wellbeing.
  Running the rehearsal room: coordinating room bookings, distributing schedules, and liaising between creative and production teams, sending out daily rehearsal reports.




• Liaison & Communication




• Acting as the point of contact for all departments: connecting the cast, creative team, backstage crew, front of house, and producers.
  Daily reports: sending performance reports to the wider production team noting any incidents, show times, technical notes, and absences.
  Maintaining the director's vision throughout the run, noting performance changes or inconsistencies.




• Scheduling & Admin




• Writing and distributing the show schedule, including calls for rehearsals and technical maintenance.




• Health & Safety




• Ensuring backstage and onstage safety protocols are followed.
  Coordinating risk assessments with the Production Manager and ensuring they are adhered to throughout rehearsals and the production run.PERSON SPECIFICATION
  Company Stage Manager (or Company Manager, Stage Manager or DSM) experience on a professional production.
  Confident on book, with experience of running a rehearsal room and producing rehearsal and show reports.
  Experience of operating sound and lighting for a live production, or the confidence to train into operation with the technical team.
  An organised approach, with an ability to work under pressure, to work autonomously, and to manage and support an Assistant Stage Manager.
  An in-depth knowledge of Health and Safety and a good knowledge of union agreements.
  A proven track record in the supervision of productions at the highest artistic and technical level.
  An ability to work sensitively and with care in a company working with women with experience of the criminal justice system, and to support the implementation of equal opportunities, covering race, culture, religion, sexuality, gender and all other protected characteristics.

Applications Open: Wednesday 26 August 2026Closing Date: Tuesday 1 September 2026Interview Dates: Wednesday 2 – Friday 4 September 2026

Contract type: Fixed Term Contract

Salary: £650 per week, (£4,550 for the contract with an addition for holiday pay and pension contributions).