The Engine Room

A customised residency at Auckland Theatre Company

The Engine Room programme is designed to support the training and development of early to mid-career theatre directors keen to develop their careers and broaden their directing experience.

We are looking for two early to mid-career Theatre Directors to join Auckland Theatre Company (ATC) and work as Assistant Directors on three plays each across the 2025 season.

Offering two theatre directors the opportunity to join Auckland Theatre Company as Engine Room Assistant Directors, the programme allows access to the inner workings of a large producing theatre company, and insight into its programming and producing processes, audiences, teams, venues and on-going core business.

Be part of the process of staging three theatre productions at the ASB Waterfront Theatre: from the design phase, planning, rehearsals, production week and opening through to closing night. Engine Room residents will engage with all departments at ATC to gain a holistic view of how they all feed into and support the making of our productions.

The Engine Room Residencies are paid, full-time roles, offered on a fixed-term employment basis. There is a weekly wage, plus an hourly rate to cover pre-residency design meetings, an introductory meeting and a group wrap-up at the end of the programme.

“The greatest learning has been in finding my own artistic point of difference and the aesthetics I’m interested in pursuing further in my career.”

— Ahi Karunaharan (Engine Room participant, 2016)

The Engine Room Dates

The Engine Room Residency One: Tuesday 21 January to Sunday 15 June 2025
The Engine Room Residency Two: Tuesday 3 June to Sunday 2 November 2025

The Engine Room Applicant Pack
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We are looking for two early to mid-career Theatre Directors to join Auckland Theatre Company and work as Assistant Directors on three plays each across the 2025 season.

  • Applicants should have had training and/or equivalent experience in Theatre Directing.
  • Applicants need to be passionate and committed to directing as their chosen profession, with a track record of directing theatre productions.
  • We are keen to work with Directors at a turning point in their career who are determined to develop their capacity to direct productions of scale in a company context.
  • We welcome diversity and encourage applications from all backgrounds and communities.
  • You need to commit full-time for the full residency period. This role includes regular evening and weekend work.
  • You will be required to be based in Auckland for the residency period. ATC cannot provide relocation, travel costs or living allowance. A limited contribution towards expenses may be possible.
  • You must have a right to work in New Zealand.
  • As Auckland Theatre Company frequently works with young people, shortlisted candidates must undertake a criminal record check.
  • Applicants must be aged 18+

  • Fixed term, fulltime employment for roughly five months, immersed in Auckland Theatre Company.
  • The role of “Engine Room Assistant Director” on three ATC productions back-to-back.
  • A schedule of ATC Company meetings, Board meetings and Artistic Operations meetings to attend.
  • Six sessions with an external mentor, with sessions scheduled before the residency, between each project, and at the conclusion of the programme.
  • Salary of $1,200 per week plus holiday pay, employer contributions to Kiwisaver. Salary based on CNZ’s Remuneration Policy for Artists and Arts Practitioners.

Applications for the 2025 Engine Room Residencies closed on Wednesday 20 November, 2024. 

Start by exploring the Applicant Pack.

If you’d like more information about The Engine Room, please don’t hesitate to contact Sam Phillips, Head of Learning & Participation, at [email protected].Â