Interviewing Theatre Hires: Five Questions About How Someone Works in a Team

Oct 27

2 min read

Theatre interview questions for managers tend to cover skills and registration well. They often cover the team less well, and the team is where a new starter either settles or struggles.

This piece gives you five questions about how someone works in a team. The format here is a practical "one idea, one action" article.

The idea

A CV tells you what lists someone has covered. An interview can tell you how they behave when a list changes, when something looks wrong, or when they are new and need help.

Ask for a specific example every time. Specific answers are easier to compare than general ones, and they are harder to rehearse.

Five questions to ask

"Tell me about the last time a list changed on the day. What did you do?" A good answer names the change, the person they spoke to and what happened next.
"Describe a time you spoke up because something did not look right." A good answer shows they said it clearly and to the right person, and tells you how it was received.
"What do you need from a team in your first two weeks?" A good answer is practical. Orientation, a named buddy and clear expectations are common examples.
"Which part of a scrub and scout handover do you never skip?" The answer tells you what they treat as non-negotiable.
"What kind of list would you like more of, and what would you like less of?" This helps you place them, and tells you where they want to grow.

There are no perfect answers. You are listening for detail, ownership and a willingness to ask for help.

One action for Monday

Pick one of the five questions and add it to your next interview. Write down the answer in the candidate's own words. Compare it with what the next person says.

After a few interviews, you will have a small, consistent set of answers to compare. That is more useful than a gut feel from a good conversation.