Assistant Director – Les Misérables
/Job Title:
Assistant Director – Les Misérables
Organization:
Arts Club Theatre Company
Deadline:
Sep. 11, 2026
Organization Description:
About Us
The Arts Club Theatre Company is Canada’s largest year-round not-for-profit theatre company. The Arts Club offers the best in professional theatre and has staged over 650 productions. Arts Club is grateful to have our offices, rehearsal halls, workshops, and theatres on the unceded, ancestral and traditional shared lands of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. The stories on our stages reflect the beauty, culture, and artistic pulse of our city by engaging dynamic, diverse and dedicated artists.
We are British Columbia’s largest non-profit cultural employer—hiring more than 500 artists, staff, and crew to stage up to 20 shows annually. We educate and cultivate students and theatre lovers of all ages—over 2,500 people engage in our education and professional development programs annually. We support artists and other arts organizations through professional engagement activities, believing firmly that an investment in the industry benefits all. We are a major economic driver in the areas surrounding our venues—our theatres attract a quarter million theatre patrons to dine and shop in the South Granville, Olympic Village, and Granville Island neighbourhoods.
Our Mission
To inspire and nurture artists and audiences through cultural experiences that are engaging, thought-provoking, and artistically innovative.
Our Vision
A community that, through storytelling, is inspired to reflect on who we are and who we can be.
Our Values
❖ Determination: We have the drive to continue to move forward, with a respectful nod to our tenacious past and a fearless embrace of our future. It is through this forward momentum that we ensure we are the artistic leaders of our community.
❖ Curiosity: We have a strong desire to know more about ourselves, our art, and our patrons. This spirit is reflected in our willingness to make room for diversity of thought. This exploration of different viewpoints and ideas is reflected in our engagement with each other, with our art, our peers, and our community.
❖ Creativity: We use our imaginations to explore our artistic practice and champion innovation in all the work that we do. We believe in the depth of our local talent and use our resources to showcase it.
❖ Comradery: We interact with each other with good-fellowship and levity. Our spirit of generosity and warmth is seen in our empathy towards each other, our artists, our patrons, and our community. This allows us to embrace differences and makes us stronger.
❖ Safety: The health and well-being of each other and our community informs our work and creates a safe, inviting, and inclusive space for all who enter and interact with us. We commit to constantly review our practices to ensure they are anti-racist and non-discriminatory. We are fiercely dedicated to being an organization that continually respects, champions, and uplifts underrepresented voices in all jobs.
We also strive to provide a safe work environment, both physically and mentally, and we have made ongoing commitments to inclusion, anti-racism and anti-oppression. We want the stories we work together to tell to have nuanced and varied perspectives.
Website:
Job Description:
The Arts Club is currently looking to hire an Assistant Director for our summer 2027 production of Les Misérables, which will be directed by Ashlie Corcoran, Music Directed by Ken Cormier, and choreographed by Shelley Stewart Hunt. Performances will take place at the Stanley BFL Canada Stage.
This position is funded by The Arts Club’s Foundation in support of the Denis Simpson Fund – an endowment started in 2020 that supports equality, diversity, and inclusion at the Arts Club. This endowment continues to be made possible by generous individual donors in our community. To learn more about the fund and past recipients, please follow the link: https://artsclub.com/artistic-programs/denis-simpson-fund.
Synopsis: Set in early 19th-century France, Les Misérables tells the story of Jean Valjean; an ex-convict seeking redemption while being pursued by the rigid Inspector Javert. After breaking parole, Valjean builds a new life and becomes the guardian of Cosette, the daughter of the struggling factory worker Fantine. Their journey intersects with a diverse ensemble of characters: the cunning Thénardiers, who exploit those around them for survival; Marius, a passionate young student who falls in love with Cosette; and a group of idealistic revolutionaries, led by Enjolras, who fight for change during the Paris uprising. Spanning years of personal and political upheaval, the musical explores themes of justice, love, sacrifice, and redemption.
Responsibilities:
JOB SUMMARY
The Assistant Director will be a part of the creative team during rehearsals, production meetings, tech week and preview week. They will learn from, and work alongside, the Director. Opportunities & responsibilities will include: working on staging, specifically with supporting the understudies in the production, working with designers, actors, and stage management to execute the overall artistic vision of the piece.
The goal of this position is to invite emerging artists into our spaces, and to give them a chance to learn from industry professionals while on the job. Prior directing/assistant directing experience & musical ability are great assets but not required.
Qualifications:
ADDITIONAL DETAILS
Employment Type: Contract
The Assistant Director will be paid an honorarium of $5,000 CAD for roughly 320 hours of work (scheduled from dates below).
Engagement dates (in addition to pre-production meetings with the Director and Designers):
Rehearsals Start: Thursday, May 20, 2027
Tech Starts: Thursday, June 17, 2027
Dress: Wednesday, June 23, 2027
First Preview: Thursday, June 24, 2027
Opening: Wednesday, June 30, 2027
Understudy Rehearsal Runs: July 4 and 8, 2027 (exact schedule may be subject to change)
The contract ends after the understudy rehearsal run. The production runs until August 22, 2027.
Access and inclusion are incredibly important to us. In our rehearsal spaces, our studios are situated on the first floor, ensuring accessibility without needing to use stairs. The main entrance to the building to our rehearsal spaces is through our Timmie Marr Door, that includes access to a ramp. Many of our doors are accessed by using a keypad to enter a secure door code. Ample seating options are provided for Artists to use while waiting or taking breaks, along with two fully private, individual accessible washrooms within the premises. Each studio is equipped with loading-sized doors, facilitating barrier free entry for mobility device users. Regrettably, at our performance venue, the current infrastructure does not support mobility device users.
For those artists who have barriers to access to any part of our process as laid out, please don't hesitate to reach out to us and we will happily work with you to allow you to show us your artistry in whatever format is easiest and accessible to you.
How to Apply:
The Arts Club is fiercely dedicated to being an organization that continually respects, champions, and endeavors to uplift all voices in our work and we strongly encourage submissions from those who self-identify as belonging to historically underrepresented communities. Our stages and stories aim to reflect the beauty, diversity, and nuances of our city. We want to work with artists and administrators from every walk of life and are excited to meet new people.
Please submit a cover letter (maximum 1 page) & resume or bio to humanresources@artsclub.com with the email subject line as “Les Misérables Assistant Director – YOUR NAME”. If you may please include in your cover letter how receiving support from the Denis Simpson Fund would contribute to you as an Artist in the community, that would be greatly appreciated. Successful candidates will be selected for interviews.
*At this time, we are seeking Artists who are local to Vancouver as we cannot offer any additional funds for travel or accommodation*
Access and inclusion are deeply important to us. For those who have barriers to access to any part of our process as laid out, please don't hesitate to reach out to us and we will happily work with you to create a process that is accessible to you.
To enhance accessibility, you are also welcome to submit your application in one of the following formats: Word Document, PDF Document, Audio File, Video File, request a face-to-face Zoom application process, or suggest a format that is more accessible to you.
Application Deadline: September 11th, 2026
We thank all who express interest in this position; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. The Arts Club Theatre Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer and hiring decisions are based solely on the merits of the candidates and needs of the “Society”.
Remuneration:
The Assistant Director will be paid an honorarium of $5,000 CAD for roughly 320 hours of work
