Wigs, Hair & Make Up Manager – A Midsummer Night’s Dream

We are currently looking for an enthusiastic and talented Wigs, Hair and Makeup (WHAM) Manager to work independently on our upcoming production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Your main responsibility will be establishing and managing a first-class Wigs, Hair and Makeup department for the Production. Dates: Monday 12 May – Saturday 30 August 2025.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• You should expect to work a plot on the show including Principal cast members.
• You will be responsible for the overall smooth running of the department for each performance.
• You will be required to familiarise yourself thoroughly with the existing technical & practical aspects of the Show, the design, and the working environment including health and safety aspects.
• You should expect to become quickly familiar with the stock, hired or made wigs/ pieces/facials and repair any damage or wear & tear, as well as effectively managing the regular & daily cleaning, setting and maintenance.
• You will be responsible for managing hair & wigs calls, according to the requirements of the show. In liaison with CSM/Creative & the Costume/ Sound teams, you should expect to prepare, and problem solve for cut & covered shows following the established communications.
• You will manage and approve cast haircuts, barbering and personal care requirements as designed & established at the start of the production period. At the end of the run, post the final performance, you will help facilitate & book any ‘return to original hair’ or hair care appointments.
• You will strive to maintain a good working atmosphere and encourage a positive professional attitude, setting a good example in your relationships within the backstage team, the cast and other company members.
• You will be responsible for designing and managing a weekly rota for yourself and any necessary cover to adequately staff both daily maintenance & shows, as well as any additional requirements for cast change tech & dress.
• Any planned absences should be agreed in advance as much as possible with the Costume HOD, and cover of appropriate experience and skill must be put in place..
• You are responsible for organising & maintaining the WHAM Room’s equipment & kits in dressing rooms and backstage areas – with support from the in -house Costume & Facilities teams as needed.
• You will be responsible for allocating & managing supplies and stock of appropriate chemicals, makeup & other relevant products, as well as sourcing replacements, on time and within an agreed budget.
• With regard to the above, you will be expected to manage a WHAM running budget including handling cash and receipts. You will be supported in this process by weekly meetings/check ins and be trained to use inhouse systems to process your petty cash receipts.
• You will be responsible for declaring any damage, issues and potential costs incurred to the Head of Costume/ Wigs Supervisor so that solutions and resolutions can be agreed upon from the Bridge Theatre so that we maintain good relationships with our Studios and suppliers.
• You will be expected to be responsible for the safe and appropriate use & storage of Chemicals & flammable products in line with COSHH regulations.
• You may be asked to participate in assisting with work related to offsite events such as photoshoots or marketing events.

Full list of duties available in Job Description.

 

Person Specification:

All candidates must have professional theatre experience, with specialist training & experience in Wigs Hair & Makeup

Essential:

• A keen eye for detail
• A proven record in theatre/ live performance experience
• Experience with period wigs styling, care & maintenance
• Experience working with Afro hair
• Experience of hair cutting
• Confident in taking initiative and working independently.
• Ability to work in a focused & organised manner.
• Ability to communicate clearly in show related written documents for future use
• Proven experience of working effectively with a wide variety of company members
• Excellent communication skills
• A positive attitude towards working with a large team.
• Demonstrable experience of managing a team effectively
• A positive and solution-oriented attitude
• Ability to work well within a large company, in a fast-paced environment.
• Calm under pressure and resilient in meeting new challenges
• Punctual and reliable

 

 

21/03/2025