Seasonal Dresser

ATG Entertainment; Stoke-on-Trent; On-site; GBP 17,000 - 22,000; Full time

Job summary

ATG Entertainment seeks a proactive Dresser to join our Wardrobe team for the Snow White pantomime. You’ll ensure costumes are ready, assist with quick changes, and support backstage operations during a busy seasonal period.

The role requires evenings, weekends, and holiday availability, with enhanced rates for overtime. This fixed-term contract runs until 3 January 2027, based in a busy theatre environment.

Qualifications

• Experience in live theatre or backstage environments.
• Strong observational skills and initiative to resolve issues quickly.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication abilities with performers and crew.
• Collaborative approach and positive attitude within a backstage team.

Responsibilities

• Help ensure costumes are ready for each performance and maintain wardrobes.
• Support quick changes and respond to changing backstage demands during shows.
• Maintain costume integrity and perform basic wardrobe maintenance as needed.
• Work in a fast-paced, high-energy theatre environment, including evenings and holidays.

Skills

Live theatre/backstage experience

Observational skills

Interpersonal communication

Team collaboration

Evenings/weekends/holidays flexibility

Job description

Be part of the magic behind the scenes this Christmas!

We’re looking for an enthusiastic, organised and proactive Dresser to join our Wardrobe team for our upcoming pantomime, 'Snow White'.

This is a fantastic opportunity to play an important part in bringing one of our most exciting productions of the year to life. Working closely with the Wardrobe Department, Stage Management team and visiting company, you’ll be right at the heart of the backstage operation, helping ensure performers look their best and every costume is ready for its moment in the spotlight. From supporting quick changes and maintaining costumes to responding to the ever-changing demands of a live performance, no two days will be quite the same. You’ll need to thrive in a fast-paced, high-energy environment, take pride in your work and enjoy being part of a team working together to deliver a magical experience for our audiences.

Pantomime is one of the busiest and most exciting periods in the theatre calendar, and this role comes with a significant time commitment. Evening, weekend and holiday availability is essential, and the successful candidate must be available for every performance, including Christmas Eve, Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve. The technical rehearsal period runs from Tuesday 8th December until opening night on Friday 11th December, involving working days of approximately 11 hours as the production comes together.

We recognise the commitment involved in working during this busy period, with enhanced pay rates and overtime opportunities available in line with the applicable arrangements.

The role is offered on a fixed-term basis until Sunday 3rd January 2027.

Key responsibilities

• Experience in live theatre/backstage environment is essential, although experience in other live entertainment sectors will also be considered.
• An understanding of the fast-paced and sometimes pressurised environment performers and creative teams work in, with the ability to anticipate needs and ensure costume requirements are met.
• Excellent observational skills and the confidence to use your own initiative to identify and resolve issues quickly and effectively.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build positive working relationships with performers, colleagues and visiting company members.
• The ability and willingness to work in a busy, high-energy environment, including evenings, weekends and public holidays.
• Strong planning and organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and maintain high standards.
• A collaborative approach, a positive attitude and the ability to quickly build rapport and contribute to a supportive backstage team.

The following experience would be an advantage, although it is not essential:

• Previous experience working in the Wardrobe Department of a commercial theatre production.
• Experience of technical rehearsals and the process of bringing a production from rehearsal to performance.
• Practical wardrobe maintenance skills, including basic sewing and costume repairs.

About Us - Our values

• THRIVE doing what we love (with passion and dynamism)
• CONNECT through every act (with collaboration and kindness)
• DARE to do different (with curiosity and courage)
• PERFORM at our best (with customer focus and ownership)

Our Corporate Social Responsibility pillars

• Inclusion: Committing to creating and upholding a positive, inclusive culture that nurtures potential and supports well-being.
• Sustainability: Playing your part in reducing our environmental impact and finding more sustainable ways of working.
• Next Generations: Encouraging the next generation in live entertainment by contributing to our outreach and training programmes, including mentoring students and trainees, and supporting our ATG INSPIRE work.

Our culture

You’ll help us uphold a positive culture around meeting our obligations, by having a positive attitude to health and safety, legal and insurance requirements and take care to understand our policies and procedures.

We are all expected to participate actively in the life of the company, and opportunities will arise for you to collaborate with others across the business. Everyone at ATG Entertainment is expected to be flexible and adapt as the needs of the business change, taking on new or different responsibilities as the need arises.

Our Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access Mission Statement - A Stage for Everyone