JOB TITLE: Lighting and Sound Designer
DEPARTMENT: Hannon Theatre Company
REPORTS TO: Artistic Director & Producer
POSITION TYPE: Part-time, Non-exempt, Seasonal
LOCATION: Los Angeles, CA
ABOUT LOYOLA
As the oldest continuously run educational institution in Southern California, founded in 1865 and becoming a Jesuit institution in 1911, Loyola High School of Los Angeles (Loyola) remains committed to providing a rigorous Jesuit Catholic College Preparatory education to a diverse group of young men who leave the school prepared for lives of leadership and service to their community. The Jesuit philosophy of educating the whole person is the guiding principle of the school today.
ABOUT THE HANNON THEATRE COMPANY
The Hannon Theatre Company is a student-centered theatre program at Loyola High School rooted in artistic excellence, discipline, and community. Open to Loyola High School students and female students from around the Los Angeles area, Hannon Theatre challenges students to grow not only as performers and technicians, but as collaborators, leaders, and compassionate human beings. Through rigorous, professional-level productions, students develop creativity, confidence, resilience, and a respect for the theatrical process.
POSITION DETAILS AND TERMS:
Employment Term: One full season (encompassing both productions).
Review Period: The lighting/sound designer’s performance will be reviewed at the end of each season when determining rehiring for the following season.
POSITION SUMMARY
The Lighting & Sound Designer is responsible for the complete design, programming, implementation, and supervision of all lighting and sound elements for two annual productions: one play and one musical. This individual collaborates closely with the director and production team from initial concept development through strike, ensuring all technical elements support the artistic vision of each production while fostering an educational and collaborative environment for student technicians. The Lighting & Sound Designer is also responsible for training and mentoring students in theatrical lighting and sound practices, equipment use, and backstage professionalism.
ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES
Design & Pre-Production
Read and analyze scripts to develop cohesive lighting and sound concepts for each production
Create lighting plots, paperwork, cue outlines, and sound cue lists
Collaborate with the director and production team to support the artistic vision of the show
Present design concepts and technical needs at the pre-production and production meetings
Coordinate equipment and technical inventory within the approved production budget
Build & Programming Period
Lead weekly crew days to maintain the production schedule
Supervise and mentor student lighting and sound crew members
Oversee lighting hang, circuiting, focus, and programming
Set up, edit, and troubleshoot microphones, speakers, playback systems, and sound software
Maintain an organized and safe booth, catwalk, backstage, and storage environment
Train students in safe equipment operation and standard theatrical practices
Tech Week & Performances
Attend and actively participate in all technical rehearsals and performances
Program and adjust lighting and sound cues in collaboration with stage management and the director
Supervise student board operators during performances
Address technical issues, repairs, or emergency adjustments as needed
Ensure consistency and quality control across all performances
Strike & Post-Production
Oversee strike of lighting and sound equipment following the final performance
Ensure all equipment is properly stored, labeled, and returned to standard configuration
Document maintenance concerns or equipment replacement needs
Provide a final technical report and budget summary to the director or department head
QUALIFICATIONS
Education and Experience:
Background in technical theater, design, audio engineering, or related fields
Experience working in a high school, community, or educational theater setting.
Experience supervising or mentoring student crews is preferred.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
In-depth knowledge of lighting consoles, sound systems, microphones, and general theatrical equipment.
Working knowledge of theatrical safety procedures and backstage operations.
Familiarity with musical theater sound reinforcement and live microphone mixing (preferred).
Expertise in the complete design, programming, and implementation of all lighting and sound elements for theatrical productions.
Proficiency in creating lighting plots, paperwork, cue outlines, and sound cue lists.
Demonstrated ability to set up, edit, and troubleshoot microphones, speakers, playback systems, and sound software.
Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage required production schedules and multiple deadlines simultaneously
Skill in programming theatrical lighting and sound software (preferred).
Ability to collaborate effectively with the director and production team to achieve the artistic vision.
Ability to train, mentor, and supervise student lighting and sound crews in equipment use and backstage professionalism.
Ability to quickly and efficiently troubleshoot and resolve technical issues, repairs, or emergency adjustments during rehearsals and performances.
Commitment to maintaining an organized, safe, and professional work environment.
Reliable availability to fulfill all required meetings, crew days, rehearsals, and tech week commitments.
Physical Requirements & Work Conditions
Lifting and Carrying: Ability to lift, carry, and move theatrical equipment, including lighting fixtures, speakers, and tools, weighing up to 50 pounds occasionally and up to 25 pounds frequently.
Mobility and Posture: Ability to stand and walk for prolonged periods (up to 8 hours), sit, climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, and reach, often in dimly lit or confined spaces such as backstage, storage areas, or the lighting booth.
Working at Heights: Ability to safely climb and work on ladders, scaffolding, or catwalks at various heights for focusing and hanging lighting equipment.
Manual Dexterity: Must have fine motor skills and manual dexterity to operate, program, and troubleshoot technical equipment, including connecting small cables, manipulating control surfaces, and using hand tools.
Vision and Hearing: Specific vision abilities required include close vision, color perception, and depth perception. Must possess normal auditory ability for sound mixing and receiving complex verbal cues in a live production environment.
Reasonable Accommodation: Loyola High School of Los Angeles complies with all applicable state and federal laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.
Production Commitments
Schedule Requirements:
The commitments listed below are required for each production:
Production Meetings (6 per production)
Pre-Production Meeting – Initial design concept presentation and technical needs assessment
Regular Production Meetings (4) – Progress updates, cue planning, scheduling, and cross-departmental coordination
Final Pre-Tech Meeting – System readiness review, tech week planning, and final troubleshooting discussion
Rehearsals:
The Lighting & Sound Designer is expected to attend the following rehearsals:
Designer Run
Paper Tech (as scheduled by the production team)
Dry tech
Cue to Cue (3-4 pending needs of the production)
Weekly Crew Days:
One designated crew day/rehearsal per week for 8-10 weeks (must be consecutive and consistent) throughout the production process
Crew training and instruction for student lighting and sound technicians
Lighting hang, focus, programming, and sound system setup
Cue writing, troubleshooting, and technical preparation
Tech Week:
Full attendance required for all technical rehearsals and performances during tech week
Program and refine lighting and sound cues during rehearsals
Supervise student board operators and running crew
Troubleshoot technical issues quickly and efficiently during rehearsals and performances
Ensure all lighting and sound systems are functioning safely and consistently before each performance
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
This position offers a stipend of $6,300 per show. The stipend reflects the scope of the production schedule, including all required meetings, crew days, rehearsals, and tech week obligations. Specifics regarding payment schedule will be discussed during the hiring process.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Interested candidates should submit the following materials to the Artistic Director and Producer of Hannon Theatre:
One-page letter of interest describing your technical/design philosophy and relevant experience
Resume or CV highlighting theater, technical, or related professional experience
Portfolio samples, cue sheets, production photographs, or design materials (digital submissions welcome)
Contact information for two professional references
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
Loyola High School of Los Angeles is committed to fostering a supportive workplace and providing equal employment opportunities in recruitment, hiring, training, and promotion for all people regardless of race (inclusive of traits associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles, which includes, but is not limited to, such hairstyles as braids, locs, and twists), color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), gender (gender identity and gender expression), national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, age, medical conditions (including cancer or genetic characteristics), genetic information, marital status, military and veteran status, sexual orientation, transgender status, reproductive health decision-making (including, but not limited to, a decision to use or access a particular drug, device, product, or medical service for reproductive health), or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. All personnel actions—including compensation, benefits, training, transfers, and terminations—will be administered without regard to these protected characteristics.
Wage Range
The rate of pay offered to the selected candidate is based on internal pay policy and budget. New hires are commonly paid at the minimum of the wage range or within the lower part of the range. We consider a number of factors when making compensation decisions including, but not limited to, skill sets, experience, training and other department needs.
