Milliner

Who We Are:

Based in Stratford, Ontario, the Stratford Festival is one of the world’s foremost repertory theatre companies. It operates year-round, presenting a season of about a dozen plays each year between the months of April and November, a rich stream of digital content and hundreds of events designed to deepen understanding of the plays. For every person a theatregoer sees on our stages, we have seven people working behind the scenes, some of the world’s most dedicated and experienced arts workers.

The Stratford Festival is committed to ongoing work to support equity, inclusion, anti-racism and anti-oppression in all areas of our work. These areas include play selection, casting, marketing and public relations efforts, education programs, production, recruitment of staff and volunteers, and the composition of the Board of Directors.

Why You Should Apply:

• Creative work environment     
• Employee Assistance Program to encourage work-life balance and strong mental health
• Complimentary & discounted ticket offers and events
• Employee discounts on merchandise and event space
• Being a part of the magic of live theatre!

This union position reports to the Costume Director or designate and is part of the Millinery team in the crafts area of the Production Wardrobe Department.  Preference will be given to those with experience working with hats and headdresses in a theatre or film environment. 

Responsibilities:
•    Interpret sketches and design references and take direction from designers to realize all elements of hat/headdress design for multiple assigned productions.
•    Manage workloads and meet deadlines in a repertory schedule, including balancing the needs of multiple productions and designers simultaneously.
•    Work directly with the Costume Designers, Assistant Costume Designers, Wigs and Makeup and Heads of Wardrobe to fulfill the hat/headdress designs within the allotted build hours.
•    Build, pull, and adapt stock hats/headdresses to the Designer’s specifications for use in current productions.
•    Respond to changes, alterations, adaptations resulting from fittings, rehearsal or show notes. 
•    Work collaboratively with the millinery team to prioritize work for all shows, within multiple workloads and deadlines. 
•    Work with multiple departments during fittings and follow fitting protocols.
•    Provide rehearsal hats from stock, as requested. 
•    Adhere to the Stratford Festival Health & Safety Commitment and Procedures and ensure that safe work practices and policies are supported and enforced within reporting structure.
•    Foster a caring and inclusive work environment consistent with all Stratford Festival policies on equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Other wardrobe duties as assigned.

Qualifications:
•    Proven knowledge and experience in millinery techniques and millinery materials.
•    Working knowledge of costume history, period shapes and how to adapt for theatrical costumes.
•    Ability to create 3 dimensional forms from reference materials and images.
•    Applicant should have a minimum three (3) year experience as a Milliner in a professional theatre company, film industry or equivalent. Repertory theatre experience is an asset.
•    Ability to work productively under pressure and successfully manage the demands of multiple productions simultaneously.
•    Excellent interpersonal and communication skills are required. 
•    Self-motivated with strong ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment.

This Seasonal position is located in Stratford, Ontario and will begin January 2025.

Job Type: Seasonal Contract

This posting closes at 5:00pm on September 20, 2024.

Shared Values:

• Inclusion: contribute to an environment where everyone is welcome, valued and respected; consistently demonstrate an open-mindedness and intellectual curiosity that promote and celebrate the diversity of perspectives.
• Innovation: put experience and knowledge into creative problem-solving and the continuous improvement of the organization.
• Rigor: show integrity in behaviour, attention to detail in work and commitment to excellence and professional evolution
• Caring: be empathetic, understanding and attentive to others
• Connection: establish and maintain trusting relationships that are respectful and constructive

Who Should Apply:

We welcome applicants of every identity, and encourage applications from Indigenous, Black, People of Colour, Deaf, disabled and 2SLGBTQ+ folks. We are committed to accommodating people with disabilities throughout the recruitment process and beyond. If you require accommodation (including, but not limited to, an accessible interview site, alternative format documents, ASL Interpreter or Assistive Technology) during the recruitment and selection process, please let our recruitment team know.

No candidate will meet every desired qualification. If your experience looks a little different from what we've identified and you think you can bring value to the role, we’d love to learn more about you!

If you would like to contribute your own remarkable talents to North America’s largest not-for-profit theatre, we’d like to hear from you.