Workforce Development Program Stagehand

Workforce Development Program Stagehand

Position: Workforce Development Program Stagehand

Position Status: Part-Time, Non-Exempt

Reports to: Lead Stage Technician (Beckmen YOLA Center)

Compensation: Hourly ($23), 24 hours per week, Minimum of 47 weeks per year

Department: Learning

Term: May 2024-May 2026      

About the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association

Founded in 1919, the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association's mission is to perform, present, and promote music in its varied forms at the highest level of excellence to a diverse and large audience, both at the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Hollywood Bowl. The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association is dedicated to continuing its pre-eminent status in the music world of the 21st century.

About the Beckmen YOLA Center

The 25,000-square-foot Judith and Thomas L. Beckmen YOLA Center serves as the home of YOLA's fifth site in Inglewood as well as providing a gathering place for students from existing and future YOLA sites. In addition to its youth programming, theBeckmen YOLA Center will also be a space for music educators from across the U.S. and around the world to collaborate and learn. It will be a cultural resource for the people of Inglewood, and act as the focal point of the LA Phil's commitment to community engagement in the area. The project, which has emerged out of a close collaboration between of the City of Inglewood, architect Frank Gehry, and LA Phil Music & Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel, is made possible by a leadership gift from Judith and Thomas L. Beckmen.

About the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association

Founded in 1919, the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association's mission is to perform, present, and promote music in its varied forms at the highest level of excellence to a diverse and large audience, both at the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Hollywood Bowl. The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association is dedicated to continuing its pre-eminent status in the music world of the 21st century.

About the Beckmen YOLA Center

The 25,000-square-foot Judith and Thomas L. Beckmen YOLA Center serves as the home of YOLA's fifth site in Inglewood as well as providing a gathering place for students from existing and future YOLA sites. In addition to its youth programming, the Beckmen YOLA Center will also be a space for music educators from across the U.S. and around the world to collaborate and learn. It will be a cultural resource for the people of Inglewood, and act as the focal point of the LA Phil's commitment to community engagement in the area. The project, which has emerged out of a close collaboration between of the City of Inglewood, architect Frank Gehry, and LA Phil Music & Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel, is made possible by a leadership gift from Judith and Thomas L. Beckmen.

The Workforce Development Program

The Los Angeles Philharmonic and YOLA, in partnership with the IATSE Local 33 Union provide young professionals the opportunity to join the IATSE Local 33 Union and build a career in stagecraft while working at the Beckmen YOLA Center, a performance venue and education facility in Inglewood.

The Workforce Development Program (WDP) is a paid two-year program whose participants will work at the Beckmen YOLA Center (BYC) under the supervision and mentorship of the Lead Stage Technician.

The WDP stagehands will gain access to job shadowing and training from the LA Phil Production team. Additionally, they will work alongside IATSE Local 33 department heads from the Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, and The FORD and gain on-the-job mentorship from the experienced and highly skilled engineers and technicians that work at the Beckmen YOLA Center on a regular basis.

The WDP stagehands will receive hands-on experience to learn skills needed to be successful in the IATSE Local 33 Union. Though most events at the BYC are orchestral, they will learn all the technical aspects of staging, carpentry, rigging, property, audio, video, lighting, and projection. In addition to helping them become highly skilled technicians and stagehands, the WDP will provide career planning, networking, and professional development resources.

The WDP stagehands will have priority for stage work in the Edgerton Foundation Performance Hall at the BYC during their participation in the Program. Once WDP stagehands have gained the required skills for a position (e.g., lighting design, FOH audio, recording engineer, camera operator), they will have first choice at holding those positions and will work alongside the Lead Stage Technician as the core technical team for the BYC. The WDP stagehands will be eligible for the IATSE Local 33 401(k) and Pension Plan.

WDP Stagehands will join IATSE Local 33 Union on a probationary status (Group 5), take calls at the Beckmen YOLA Center and receive off-site training opportunities/ tours of other Local 33 venues. They will also receive guided training and have access to work opportunities at other LA Phil venues. During the second year, WDP stagehands will become eligible to work at all Local 33 Union venues by calling the Union and requesting work. Upon completion of the WDP, stagehands will receive their Local 33 Union “card” (Group 4) and can begin taking calls at all Union venues, even through direct recommendation from Union venue heads.

IATSE Local 33 and LA Phil Partnership

The Beckmen YOLA Center is a “Union venue” meaning that the technicians and stagehands hired as the technical/staging crew for events, concerts, and rehearsals are all members of the IATSE Local 33 Union (https://www.ia33.org). By joining the WDP, you have the unique opportunity to start working and gaining experience in Local 33, with regular work and guided mentorship at the Beckmen YOLA Center.

Scope of Work

Audio, Video & Lighting

• Learn about audio networking and the various forms of digital and analog audio signal routing.
• Operate digital audio mixing consoles, live video switchers, and lighting control consoles.
• Responsibilities include concert preset duties, sound check, running show cues, mixing the show, and post-show duties. It may also include some regular maintenance as scheduled by the Lead Stage Technician.
• Assist in the recording and live streaming of performances in Edgerton Hall
• Work as a part of a team, alongside internal and external clients, to produce and engineer live events.
• Most of the events in Edgerton Hall will focus on instrumental and classical music.

Stagecraft

• Performs the load-in & out of band equipment and rental equipment.
• Cabling; assist audio & lighting crew as directed.
• Ensure that members of the performing groups, or presenting clientele, have suitable and working equipment needed to perform the show(s).
• Safely operate the retractable seating system and the moveable partition wall pieces.
• Learn how to create professional-looking stage plots.
• At times, you will be asked to communicate with business partners regarding events in our space, so professionalism, both in-person and over emails, is necessary.

Event Production

• Communicate with clientele in a professional and timely manner, leading up to an event
• Producing events on a regular basis, sometimes multiple events on one day, so you will need to show high level organizational skills
• Create Production Summaries in collaboration with event staff
• Outline the flow of an event before it happens to make sure we have prepared every aspect of a show (i.e. equipment acquisition, tested all gear and hardware, allotted preparation time)

Carpentry & Rigging

• Maintenance and Repair of Sound, Light and Stage Equipment.
• Safely hanging and moving lighting fixtures on the lighting grid.
• Soldering and repairing damaged audio cables.
• Work in an environment with moderate to loud noise levels.
• Lift and move heavy machinery, up to 75lbs.
• Inspecting the equipment we regularly use and assessing any damage that may have occurred during an event.

Position Requirements

• Must be able to pass a LiveScan background check.
• Must be able to lift, push, and pull up to 50 pounds.
• Able to work various hours: nights, weekends, and holidays as required to meet show and rehearsal schedules.
• Must be interested in pursuing a career in the technical arts, engineering (lighting, audio visual), stage management, or recording engineering.
• Experience working in the technical arts is not required, but the willingness to learn is an essential part of this program.
• Residents of Inglewood and the surrounding areas are highly encouraged to apply

Position Expectations

• Have a desire to work as a stagehand in various concert, rehearsal and performance settings
• Maintain professionalism at all times, as your actions should reflect the LA Phil’s core values
• Arrive to work in a timely manner and be a reliable member of our workforce
• Safely operate the equipment and machinery
• Respect your co-workers and the students at the BYC
• Dress appropriately for each event
• Work your hardest to ensure the success of each event
• Maintain consistent and clear communication regarding all matters related to scheduling and events, including personal schedule conflicts

An Equal Opportunity Employer: The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association embraces and is committed to diversity and inclusion within our staff, musicians, guest artists, audiences, and surrounding communities. The Association does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, religious creed (including religious dress and religious grooming), sex (including pregnancy, perceived pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, physical or mental disability, legally protected medical condition or information, genetic information, marital status, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military status, veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law.  Consistent with the law, the Association also provides reasonable accommodation for disabled applicants and employees in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, for pregnant employees who request an accommodation with the advice of their health care providers, for pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions; for employees who are victims of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking; and for applicants and employees based on their religious beliefs and practices.   

Please note: The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association will consider for employment qualified Applicants with Criminal Histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the FCIHO.