Image of career: Theatre Technical Director

Theatre Technical Director

Overview

Theatre technical directors turn creative stage visions into reality by engineering and managing all the lighting, sound, rigging, and scenery for live shows.

Description

  • Transform artistic visions from directors and designers into practical, safe construction plans.
  • Coordinate all technical teams including lighting, sound, carpentry, and rigging crews.
  • Manage production budgets by tracking costs for materials, equipment rentals, and crew wages.
  • Enforce strict safety rules during live performances.
  • Fix technical problems instantly during live shows.

Entry requirements

  • You need a Degree or Diploma in Technical Theatre, Stage Management, or Theatrical Engineering.
  • Extensive hands-on experience in carpentry, rigging, lighting, or sound design is also advantageous.

Salary

$6,600 – 8,800

/mo

Salary ranges are estimated based on public information found on Singaporean job portals, including MyCareersFuture, MySkillsFuture. Updated as of 2026.

Trivia

Theatre technical directors manage "fly systems" that are big pulley mechanisms that can lift 1,000kg set pieces into the air in seconds, creating magical stage transformations.

What to expect

Master both engineering knowledge and people skills. You might have to tell directors why dangerous ideas won't work, while offering creative, safe alternatives.

Soft
skills

Quick Problem-Solving

Able to identify problems and proposes fixes and solutions while audiences wait.

Clear Communication

Able to explain engineering limitations to non-technical directors.

Crisis Management

Able to stay calm and execute safety procedures during technical emergencies.

Technical Design & Engineering

Familiar with using CAD software and engineering principles to create accurate construction blueprints from creative set designs.

Rigging & Safety Operations

Familiar with using pulley systems to safely hang and move heavy lights and scenery above stages.

Production Budget Control

Able to track material, equipment, and labour costs.

Hard
skills

Mark Henstridge, Technical Director
"If you take away the cast, you take away the orchestra, I'm responsible for everything else. I'm the first on the ground and the last to leave."

Mark Henstridge, Technical Director

Our Grandfather Story

Frequently asked questions

Stage managers run schedules and call cues for actors during shows. Technical directors figure out how to build sets, rig lights, and make the physical stage work safely.

They're the bridge between both. They must understand artistic visions from scenic designers, then use construction skills, maths, and engineering to build them safely.

Since it's live theatre, technical directors and their crew rely on backup plans and problem-solving skills to fix issues seamlessly so audiences never notice.

Theatres are very dangerous with actors moving in darkness, heavy scenery flying overhead, and high-voltage lighting. They ensure no artistic idea compromises cast and crew safety.

It's a heavy mix of both. They spend hours doing budget calculations and CAD drawings, but also work on stage floors with drills and hard hats, physically building shows.