Assistant Stage Manager II
DESCRIPTION
Job Highlights
The Assistant Stage Manager (ASM) supports the Production Stage Manager (PSM) and stage management team in the planning, rehearsal, and performance of mainstage opera productions. Working in a large-scale, producing environment, the ASM helps coordinate artists, chorus, dancers, supernumeraries, and collaborates with all technical departments to ensure safe, efficient, and artistically successful rehearsals and performances.
Join Us!
We are looking for talented, passionate, and dedicated people who are eager to make contributions to our community and our mission. If you are excited about this position but your experience does not align perfectly, we encourage you to apply! You may be just the right candidate for this position or another role at HGO.
About the Houston Grand Opera
The mission of HGO is to enrich our diverse community through the art of opera. We do so by creating, curating, exploring, and producing outstanding experiences centered around the human voice. HGO has received a Tony Award, two Grammy Awards, and three Emmy Awards – we are the only opera company in the world to win all three honors.
Our strategic focus is two-fold: creating profoundly enriching experiences for our diverse audiences and clearly defining and positively promoting the HGO brand. We believe every team member enriches our organization by exposing a broad range of ways to understand and engage our community and discover, design, and deliver enriching experiences.
Compensation and Benefits
- We offer robust benefits to full-time employees, including:
- Comprehensive and affordable health benefits.
- Generous paid time.
- 403b retirement plan with employer match.
- Flexible work schedule.
- Professional development fund and opportunities.
- Discounted parking in the Theater District garage and nearby lots, plus easy access to Metro transportation.
- Free tickets to our mainstage and community productions and events.
Key Responsibilities
- Prepare and maintain a working score for each production per rep.
- Prepares rehearsal room needs for all rehearsals including setting of props/scenery and facilitating costume pieces as needed.
- Run backstage tracks during all rehearsals (in the rehearsal room and onstage) and performances, which includes cuing artists and technicians
- Creates and maintains running paperwork (including archival) for props, costumes, audio/video etc., as assigned by the Stage Manager
- Maintains a safe environment for artists and staff in the rehearsal room, on stage and in other areas
- Assists Stage Manager in writing and distributing daily rehearsal and performance notes
- Supervises chorus, artists, orchestra, crew, personnel as necessary to successfully present each production
- Support union compliance (AGMA, IATSE, AFM, TWU, etc.) in collaboration with the PSM, Production/Technical, and Artistic management team
- Attend production meetings and communicate notes to appropriate departments
- Ability to remain calm and solution-oriented under pressure
Other Duties
Provides administrative support for Production Stage Manager and Technical Department as needed.
Qualifications
- 2 years of experience in opera as an assistant stage manager
- Must be able to read music fluently
- Experience with union crew preferred
- Strong communication skills and effectively organize large groups of people and traffic/crowd control.
- Possess excellent interpersonal and communication skills including the ability to speak smoothly and cohesively in front of an audience
- Excellent organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills and be able to manage multiple tasks and projects with attention to detail
- PC proficiency and spreadsheet applications experience – Word and Excel preferred
- Ability to lift 20 pounds
- Ability to stand for extended periods and maneuver uneven surfaces in low light
Special Job Characteristics
Candidate must be highly motivated self-starter with strong organizational skills. Must be a team player. Requires strong verbal/written communication. Knowledge of, or familiarity with technical, wardrobe, lighting, wig and make-up areas in opera beneficial.
Physical Demands
The physical demands described here are representative of those we consider important for an employee to successfully perform essential functions of this job: extended periods of sitting, standing, and performing tasks such as typing and using a computer mouse, with strong visual and auditory focus, occasional lifting (not exceeding 25 pounds), reaching for items, effective communication skills, and fine motor abilities, being mobile within the office for activities like attending rehearsal, performances, events, and meetings. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
Equal Opportunity
Houston Grand Opera is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at HGO are based on business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, national, social or ethnic origin, sex (including pregnancy), age, physical, mental or sensory disability, HIV Status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital, civil union or domestic partnership status, past or present military service, family medical history or genetic information, family or parental status, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local laws or regulations. HGO will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics. HGO encourages applicants of all ages.
Desired Start Date: March 26, 2026
BENEFITS
Pay Range: $1,262 - $1,262 Weekly
Compensation and Benefits
- We offer robust benefits to full-time employees, including:
- Comprehensive and affordable health benefits.
- Generous paid time.
- 403b retirement plan with employer match.
- Flexible work schedule.
- Professional development fund and opportunities.
- Discounted parking in the Theater District garage and nearby lots, plus easy access to Metro transportation.
- Free tickets to our mainstage and community productions and events.
HOW TO APPLY
Application Deadline: April 26, 2026
Application Email/Link: www.houstongrandopera.org/about/employment-and-auditions