Berkshire Theatre Group, celebrating its 98th year as a professional theatre in Western MA, is accepting resumes for a Cutter/Draper for the 2026 summer season. The festival will have five produced productions, plus concerts and special events on two stages. Weekly salary of $725 plus housing and all utilities provided. This is a full-time, seasonal position. Work schedules may include evenings and weekends and may exceed 40 hours during technical rehearsals and performances, in accordance with applicable labor laws. Summer season runs from mid May until mid/late August. Employment dates vary based on position.
The Colonial Theatre (founded in 1903) and Berkshire Theatre Festival (founded in 1928) are among the oldest cultural institutions in the Berkshires. In 2010, the two organizations merged under the leadership of Artistic Director and CEO Kate Maguire to form Berkshire Theatre Group. Today, BTG serves more than 68,000 patrons annually and reaches over 11,000 Berkshire County students through its education programs.
BTG is nationally recognized for artistic leadership and innovation, including becoming the first theatre company in the U.S. approved by Actors' Equity Association to produce a musical during the COVID-19 pandemic. As we approach our 100th anniversary in 2028, we remain deeply committed to artistic excellence, education, and community engagement.
Berkshire Theatre Group is committed to Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, and Access and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and identities and believe that a diversity of voices strengthens our work and our community.
BTG's vision is to be a center for creative work that enriches, educates, invigorates, transforms, and strengthens our community for the better.
To apply, please submit a resume, cover letter, and three references to hiring@berkshiretheatre.org. Once we've reviewed your submission, we will contact you if we'd like to schedule an interview.
We encourage all interested applicants to look at our website for a full listing of our current productions and more about our organization. You can find our website at www.berkshiretheatregroup.org
This position reports to: Costume Shop Coordinator and ultimately, the Director of Productions.
Qualifications:
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
- Proficient experience in a theatrical costume shop
- Ability to interpret original design work in order to create custom patterns and builds based on that design
- Proven experience in costume cutting, draping, and patterning within a professional or educational environment
- Familiarity with garment construction from the early and middle 20th century
- Ability to supervise and lead a team of stitchers through the steps needed to complete builds within an appropriate time frame
- Ability to multitask and oversee multiple projects at the same time
- Ability to meet construction and fitting deadlines as decided upon by the Costume Coordinator and Costume Designer
- Basic understanding of Google Suite (Google Drive, Docs, Sheets)
- Ability to lift/carry/push/pull up to 25-50 lbs.
- Proficiency in hand sewing techniques as well as technical proficiency in domestic and industrial sewing machine use
- Firm knowledge of fabrics and materials commonly used within the theatre industry
- Ability to multitask on concurrent projects
Preferred:
- Knowledge of tailoring techniques for different body types.
- Familiarity with dyeing, distressing, and costume craft work
Responsibilities:
Berkshire Theatre Group is committed to maintaining a safe working environment and provides safety training and protocols for all technical positions. Employees are expected to utilize that training and adhere to protocols when fulfilling the following responsibilities:
- Organize and execute the construction of costumes as required by the Costume Coordinator and Costume Designer
- Supervise and perform costume alterations on various projects going through the shop with the team of stitchers
- Attend/lead fittings as required for built garments
- Communicate with Costume Designers effectively to achieve their desired designs
- Attend technical rehearsals as required
- Other duties (such as organization, inventory, craft/dye work) as assigned
Expectations:
- Adherence to company safety regulations and rules of conduct
- Collaborate with coworkers on assigned tasks.
- Ability to communicate effectively with other staff members on projects
- Ability to handle pressure professionally in high stress situations.
- Be self-sufficient in tasks assigned by the Costume Coordinator or Costume Designer
- Read all scripts for productions being produced during the summer season
- Flexibility towards job assignments
- Represent the organization appropriately and abide by the mission statement.
- Demonstrate behavior showing a commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion and perform work in a manner that is consistent with that commitment
