Underground Santa Show Producer/Director/Performer

Kents Cavern preshistoric caves puts on a very popular "Santa in the Caves" underground quest to find Father Christmas. We are looking for someone to produce, direct and star in this year’s show.

The Show

General Public:
The Santa show runs at weekends in December and days leading up to Christmas. Audiences of up to 40 people, adults and children, are led on an underground aventure, lasting about 45 minutes. Shows are scheduled every half hour and there can be up to 10 shows a day. Typically the shows are promenade performances around the caves with four actors each doing a 10/12 minute performance every half hour, passing on to the next actor at specific times OR it can be run as a team of two actors performing for 45 minutes followed by another team of 2 actors.

Nursery and Preschools
During the weekdays nursery schools and preschools pre-book slots. The show is generally designed around the same theme of the weekends shows however it is simplified and looked after 1 actor and Father Christmas.

Every child gets a wrapped present from Santa. Sourcing and wrapping the presents is not part of this remit. The caves are wired for sound FX. Kents Cavern has a reputation for staging quality events and these shows are no exception.

Target Audiences

Target Age group is: Santa 2 – 8 year olds with parents

Show Dates and Times

Santa in the Caves – Nursery/ Preschool Dates
• Wednesday 2nd to Friday 4th December (10am-3.00pm)
• Monday 7th to Friday 11th December (10am-3.00pm)
• Monday 14th to Thursday 17th December (10am-3.00pm)

Santa in the Caves – General Public Dates
• Sunday 6th December 2015

• Saturday 12th December 2015
• Sunday 13th December 2015

• Saturday 19th December 2015
• Sunday 20th December 2015

• Tuesday 22nd December 2015
• Wednesday 22nd December 2015
• Thursday 24th December 2015

What we want the successful applicant to do
• Visit Kents Cavern
• Have experienced theatre in the caves, Shakespeare, Ghost Tour or Santa.
• Understand the design constraints of performing back to back shows in the caves with transparent handovers from group to group.
• Get some ideas on concepts that work and those that don’t.
• A Christmas script can be provided but we would like the successful candidate to devise an entertaining script with a relevant "magical" Christmas theme, fun for children and amusing for parents/adults
• Select and coach cast.
• Identify and source relevant props, sound and light FX.

Fees
Santa in the Caves – General Public
• The fee for producing, directing and starring in the Santa Show is £150 per performing day.
• 8 days of performances = £1200
• Additioanally a bonus scheme will be discussed based on achieving audience targets.

Santa in the Caves – Nursery/ Preschool
• A set hourly rate for starring in the weekday shows for nursery/ preschools performances. Hourly rate to be discussed.

Extra Information
• All cast members employed by the producer will be paid an hourly wage by Kents Cavern.
•
• Kents Cavern is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, the highest level of protection in the land, and this requires compliance to statutory obligations and our strict health & safety procedures.

• You are required to be present for each show.
• The fee includes adding activities relevant to the show for our kid’s activity zone.
• The fee is calculated to include all preparation costs so time spent writing the script, rehearsing, sourcing props, sounds and light FX is not paid.
• The budget for props, sounds and light FX is £500.

What to do next

If you think you could do this show and have the time and can commit to the task then contact James Hull, General Manager, on 01803 215136 or email jameshull@kents-cavern.co.uk. Candidates will be sent an application form to complete and suitable candidates will be interviewed for the position. Deadline for expressions of interest is Friday 10th July 2015

For more information visit http://www.kents-cavern.co.uk/