Summer Literary Positions

The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center

The O’Neill is currently seeking enthusiastic emerging professionals across multiple departments for the 2024 Summer Season. Summer Staff make a season of developing new plays, musicals, cabaret acts, and puppet theater possible. Get intensive experience, full integration with O'Neill professional staff, and participate in all the activities of an O’Neill Summer.

Script Coordinator

Reports to: Literary Manager

Department: Literary

Compensation: $550/week stipend, housing, meals

Dates: Mid-May to Mid-August 

Job Description

The Script Coordinator will work closely with the Literary Manager and Artistic Associate to oversee the day-to-day operations of one of the most active literary offices for new work in the country, providing direct support to the National Puppetry Conference, National Playwrights Conference, National Music Theater Conference, and the Cabaret and Performance Conference. Core duties include maintaining the literary department schedule, overseeing departmental operations and supply orders, overseeing script printing and distribution for NPC and NMTC. They will work closely with the Literary Manager and Artistic Associate to onboard and train the literary department’s junior staff members, which will include 3-5 Writers Assistants and Literary Fellows. A strong command of word processing software is required, including Microsoft Word, Final Draft, and GoogleDocs. Leadership, a love of teamwork, and strong communication skills are essential. Detailed overview of job responsibilities below: 

• The Script Coordinator will lead Script Office setup at the start of the O’Neill’s summer season, and oversee its reset when the summer comes to a close. This includes setting up multiple desktop computers, printers, and workspaces.  
• Work closely with the Literary Manager and Artistic Associate to onboard and train Literary Office junior staff members, including 3-5 Writers Assistants and Literary Fellows. This training includes a rigorous overview of office operations and technology (printers, laptops, etc), training in word processing softwares (Microsoft Word, Final Draft, etc) to facilitate script revision distribution, rehearsal room etiquette, and best practices for research requests and dramaturgical support. 
• Oversee script printing and distribution for the O’Neill during NPC, NMTC, and CAB. Work with literary staff to create a script printing matrix for the summer; confirm that writers submit their scripts by deadline; ensure that printed scripts are distributed to stage management teams prior to the start of each workshop. 

• Manage the literary department’s weekly schedule in close collaboration with the Literary Manager and Artistic Associate. This includes setting literary staff hours, coordinating rehearsal schedules for multiple Conferences, and communicating changes as needed. 
• Manage the Script Office summer calendar. This includes showtimes for PUP, NPC, NMTC, and CAB; O’Neill staff and summer events; rehearsal blocks for NPC, NMTC, and CAB; and literary department events,  including weekly meetings, training sessions and practicums, and professional development for Writers Assistants and Literary Fellows. 
• Work with the Literary Manager and Artistic Associate to maintain a weekly Script Office task list and oversee its execution. Delegate to Writers Assistants and Literary Fellows when appropriate.    
• Maintain all virtual and physical Script Office spaces and ensure they remain tidy and well-organized. This includes overseeing office supply and paper orders for the Script Office as needed. 

• Oversee script archiving for the National Puppetry Conference, National Playwrights Conference, National Music Theater Conference, and Cabaret and Performance Conference. 

Ideal Candidate 

The ideal candidate is an early career dramaturg or literary administrator interested in new play development, dramaturgy, playwriting, or producing. The position requires excellent written and verbal communication skills, meticulous attention to detail, and a commitment to teamwork and leadership. A strong command of word processing softwares is essential, including Microsoft Word, Final Draft, and GoogleDocs. Comfort with office technology—PC and Mac OS desktop computers, Xerox machines, desktop printers—is recommended. 

Application Requirements

Applicants should submit a cover letter that includes an overview of their approach to team leadership, a resume, and contact information for at least three references. 

Writers Assistant 

Reports to: Literary Manager

Department: Literary

Compensation: $350/week stipend, housing, meals

Dates: Mid-May to Mid-August

Job Description

Writers Assistants will provide direct literary support to two or three projects in residence during the National Playwrights Conference and the National Music Theater Conference. This includes attending rehearsals, tracking and communicating script changes, providing research support to creative teams and project dramaturgs, and serving as the liaison between the rehearsal room and the literary office. When their projects are not in rehearsal, Writers Assistants will participate in the day-to-day operations of one of the most active literary offices for new work in the country. Core responsibilities include filling research requests for guest artists; maintaining the script database; tracking and distributing script revisions across the institution. Writers Assistants will also provide literary support to the National Puppetry Conference and the Cabaret & Performance Conference. This position reports to the Literary Manager and will work closely with the Artistic Associate. Detailed overview of job responsibilities below: 

Literary Administration

• Attending two or three weeks of rehearsal during the National Playwrights Conference (NPC) and/or National Music Theater Conference (NMTC); serving as the literary office liaison and point-person for the playwright, creative team, and dramaturg on those projects. 
• Tracking the playwright or book writer’s revisions and communicating these changes to the literary office. 
• Facilitating the printing, tracking, compiling, and distributing of script revisions and new pages across the O’Neill campus and rehearsal room.
• Updating the master copies of each script and maintaining a master script distribution database.
• Occasionally transcribing NMTC and NPC readings, talkbacks, and dream design sessions. 

Dramaturgical Support 

• Assisting NMTC and NPC creative teams and dramaturgs. This typically includes supporting playwright and dramaturg research, creating workshop glossaries, and finding reference images as requested.  
• Filling research requests for playwrights and other guest artists. 
• Opportunity to observe rehearsals and attend all public and private readings of the work presented at all O’Neill conferences.
• Writers Assistants may also attend rehearsals and assist in the script creation process for new works in development at the National Puppetry Conference and the Cabaret & Performance Conference. 

Office Operations 

• Support literary office operations with a once-a-week “office lead” shift, including responsibilities like maintaining a comprehensive daily log of department activity; delegating tasks and activities throughout the day; managing correspondences via phone and email.
• Opening and closing the script office and libraries; welcoming writers and guest artists to the literary wing of the O’Neill campus. 
• Corresponding with artists and staff members via phone, email, or in-person; fielding questions and requests, or passing them along to others in the literary office or O’Neill staff as appropriate.

Ideal Candidate 

The ideal candidate is an early career dramaturg or arts administrator interested in new play development, dramaturgy, playwriting, or producing. The position requires excellent written and verbal communication skills and meticulous attention to detail. Proficiency in one or more word-processing programs such as Microsoft Word, Final Draft, or Pages is essential.  

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS: Applicants should submit a cover letter, a resume, and contact information for at least two references.

The Eugene O’Neill Theater Center is committed to be an equal-opportunity employer. The O’Neill aims to foster a diverse culture that is inclusive of race, ethnicity, culture, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, ability, national origin, veteran status, socioeconomic class, religion, professional status, and the intersections thereof. If you believe that you could excel in any of our open roles, we encourage you to apply.

Salary : $350 - $550