Assistant Stage Director

Stagetime Inc.; Minneapolis (MN); On-site; USD 65,000 - 129,000; Full time

Job summary

Minnesota Opera is seeking an Assistant Stage Director for Cosi Fan Tutte. The role runs from September 11, 2025 through November 14, 2025, supporting guest directors and coordinating with stage management and production staff.

Strong organizational, communication and backstage coordination skills are essential for this contract position. The candidate will prepare blocking, manage notes, assist in staging, and help archive production materials, with duties expanding throughout tech rehearsals

Qualifications

• Minimum of two years of experience as an assistant stage director or in a related position.
• Reads music proficiently.
• Familiar with opera rehearsal processes.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office 365 Suite.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to coordinate with large groups, including youth performers.
• Ability to work in dark backstage lighting and backstage environments.

Responsibilities

• Thoroughly prepare for each opera prior to rehearsals, familiar with text, music and production information.
• Create and maintain the primary blocking book with staging diagrams and notes.
• Prepare information to support artists, including synopses and libretti for supers.
• Create, maintain, and distribute running notes/cheat sheets for chorus, supers, and dancers.
• Direct light walkers during onstage cueing sessions.
• Assist the stage director and coordinate with MN Opera team and guest creatives.
• Stage cover artists and stand in as needed.
• Maintain production documents after opening and archive final versions.

Job description

Minnesota Opera’s vision and mission is to sing every story and to change lives by bringing together artists, audiences and community, advancing the art of opera for today and future generations. We aim to inspire hope, empower all voices, and strengthen bonds between people of all backgrounds and identities. To this end, Minnesota Opera commits itself to working continuously to become an antiracist and anti-oppressive organization through the following actions: intentionally acknowledging and examining racism, anti-Blackness, and other discriminatory practices; promoting anti-racist and anti-oppressive ideas, values and policies that counter the oppression of any people during the education, production, promotion and experience of opera; working towards eliminating all forms of oppression; and developing effective tools for social justice.

COSI FAN TUTTE CONTRACT DATES

Assistant Stage Director for Cosi Fan Tutte will be contracted from September 11, 2025 through November 14, 2025. Anticipated contract dates include:

• September 11- 28: Prep Period
• September 29-November 31: Rehearsal Period
• September 21-November 31: Tech Rehearsals
• November 1 -9: Performances
• November 9-14: Finalize Paperwork and Wrap Up

SUMMARY:
The assistant stage director is a key member of the staging team, supports guest stage directors and assists in communications between stage directors, and stage management, and other production staff.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Include but are not limited to

Production

• Thoroughly prepare for each opera prior to the start of the rehearsal period, being familiar with the text, music, and all available production information. Complete basic dramaturgical research as may be required by the production. For remounts, acquire a complete knowledge of previous productions, including entrances, exits, and onstage action to assist the stage director in recreating the piece.
• Create and maintain the primary blocking book for each production, including staging diagrams, stage directions, and notes on dramatic motivations/dramaturgical information. After opening, finalize blocking as a PDF scan of this book will be placed in the Minnesota Opera archives.
• Prepare written information to support artists, including but not limited to: synopsis for chorus or supers, libretti for supers, research on historical period, movement, or other appropriate topics for all cast members.
• Create, maintain, and distribute chorus, super, or dancer running notes/cheat sheets.
• Create, maintain, and distribute the critical chorus and super lists, including assigned covers, prior to final room run.
• Create, maintain, and distribute bow list, in collaboration with Stage Director and VP Artistic.
• Track music and text cuts, adds, and changes throughout the rehearsal process to create the final cut/add/change list for the production.
• Assist the stage director as required. Tasks may include setting staging with cast members, taking notes for the director, communicating with Minnesota Opera team members and guest creative team members, and distributing notes to performers.
• Stage cover artists.
• Perform staging and stand in for absent artists, as needed.
• During technical and dress rehearsals, serve as a liaison between the stage director and stage management staff via headset communications.
• Direct light walkers during onstage cueing sessions.
• In association with the Production Stage Manager, maintain the production after Opening to the specifications established by the stage director and creative team. Observe all performances and give notes as needed.
• Participate in proofing and sharing notes on final staging staff archival documents as needed.
• Finalize and archive documents produced by the AD.
• Other tasks as assigned in support of staging staff operations.

General

• Approach and carry out duties, as designated above, with a positive and collaborative attitude.
• Function in a professional and collegial manner when collaborating with all opera personnel, professional creative teams, staff, management and other guest artists.
• Represent Minnesota Opera and build positive relationships on its behalf within the profession and with others as appropriate.
• Follow procedures and policies of Minnesota Opera as written in the Employee Handbook, Staging Team Handbook, and other applicable documents.
• Give support and show appreciation to the Board of Directors, patrons, and other volunteers and supporters of Minnesota Opera.

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

• Attend all company wide, pertinent production EDI training workshops.
• Support MNOP’s ongoing work in developing and pursuing anti-racist and anti-oppressive practices, with a particular focus on how those practices impact the rehearsal and staging process.

This position is a good fit for someone who:

• Has a minimum of two years of experience as an assistant stage director or in a related position (i.e. stage management, dramaturgy, etc), and is familiar with opera rehearsal processes
• Reads music proficiently and has a demonstrated ability to work with a musical score
• Has a willingness to work with common opera performance languages. Cosi Fan Tutti is sung in Italian. MNOP may provide language coaching as needed.
• Is proficient in Microsoft Office 365 Suite
• Clear, effective, and diplomatic written and verbal communications skills
• Ability to work independently and meet deadlines
• Show initiative to seek out information and advance projects with minimal guidance
• Ability and desire to show exceptional attention to detail in all aspects of work
• Ability to communicate with and effectively organize large groups of people, including occasional youth performers, in rehearsals
• Can see and work in the dark lighting conditions of a backstage environment
• Is capable of responsible judgment and mature interpersonal relationships
• Has a commitment to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access
• Has the ability to think creatively about opera as a field and culture and who is open to interrogating existing practices in the interest of positive innovation

MNOP is willing to teach:

• Policies and procedures specific to Minnesota Opera
• MNOP’s commitment to Intimacy Direction
• Company-specific procedures and paperwork formats
• Microsoft 365 and other company-specific software
• Coaching and pronunciation in performance languages for the production, as needed

MNOP Diversity Charter:

Minnesota Opera believes that pursuing anti-racist and anti-oppressive practices enhances the beauty and power of the art form itself, and amplifies the tremendous artistry cultivated in our musical storytelling.

Minnesota Opera is an AA/EOE Employer and is particularly interested in how the perspective that a candidate of color could be especially valuable for our company in this role.

Applications will be reviewed and responded to upon receipt.

Submission date will be extended as necessary.

Desired Start Date: September 11, 2025

Application Deadline: April 16, 2025

Application Email/Link: mnopera.org/about/jobs/