r/PDXEmployment • u/Therealetd • 6d ago

Stage hand work

Hi im a local stage tech in California and im thinking about moving up to Portland in the next few years and looking to find some work as a stagehand in Portland any suggestions?

2 Upvotes

54% Upvoted

37 comments sorted by

12

u/BillyCorndog 6d ago

No

3

u/Therealetd 6d ago

lol

4

u/BillyCorndog 6d ago

You could reach out to the Portland center for the arts, but I doubt they would have enough work to put you on full time if they even had openings. There’s not much in the way of theater here, except maybe in small spaces that would probably depend on volunteers.

1

u/Therealetd 6d ago

I’m currently work at a convention center in California

3

u/BillyCorndog 6d ago

You could look into Metro, and through them the Portland convention center. I would be surprised if there are many openings, the job market here is rough so people are sticking in positions they may normally move on from or outgrow.

0

u/Therealetd 6d ago

Yeah ok

0

u/Therealetd 6d ago

Thank you

3

u/ridiculouspompadour 6d ago

Are you union?

1

u/Therealetd 6d ago

No

5

u/ridiculouspompadour 6d ago

If you want to work as a stagehand here, you probably should look into joining the union. There are a few jobs, but really not many, unfortunately. Most will require you to be an IATSE member. If you are set on moving here, you should probably secure other work first and then try to find a job in your field, because it will probably take a long time. The job market here is really rough unfortunately, especially for creatives.

4

u/BusinessNormal6561 6d ago

Lots of strip club stages.

0

u/Therealetd 6d ago

Come on

-4

u/Therealetd 6d ago

I’m looking for professional work

15

u/claremontmiller 6d ago

Dancing is professional work

-7

u/Therealetd 6d ago

Why?

5

u/SnakeDove8 6d ago

Strippers run the city, forsure.

V lucrative, PDX is the capital per capita and honestly the industry lends to itself.

But there was a posting for $19/hr if that’s what you’re jnto!

5

u/missmegs31 5d ago

Ohhhh buddy, Portland is NOT the place for you. Maybe try Utah with an outlook like this.

3

u/debauched_sloth_ahoy 6d ago

There is no professional work here for you. Move elsewhere please.

2

u/ThrowRA-007-20 6d ago

Depends on your skill set. You can apply at the local 28 hiring hall for the big venues, you’re at the bottom of the list but it’s a start.

1

u/Therealetd 6d ago

Fantastic!

4

u/allislost77 5d ago

That’s a rough industry to get into here. Like others have said, join the union; NOW. Portland job market is TERRIBLE and it’s so expensive now. You can find work through labor/temp agencies. If I were you and working, I’d stay where you are until the economy improves, if it ever does…

3

u/Upper_Welder_9755 6d ago

There is a company here called showcall that hires for stage work. Pushing cases or hanging lights and stuff like that. It’s a good way to get a foot in the door with venues and promoters.

2

u/CaliHoboTechBro 4h ago

My neighbor has worked there for a long time, they won’t be busy again until June but like you said it’s a good way to get into it.

2

u/thresher97024 6d ago

Moda center is going to be going through a renovation so doubt there will be many shows happening once they start the work.

2

u/screechingnugget 5d ago

Good luck. It’s so over saturated in Portland. If you have or are able to get rigging experience that’s definitely a leg up

2

u/Jaded-Supermarket-28 6d ago

First mistake was telling them you're from California 🤣 the hive mind no like

0

u/JeffersonNomad 5d ago

Yeah tell them youre homeless coming from any other state... youll be welcomed with open arms

1

u/WNESO 5d ago

IASTI Local 28

1

u/Greedy_Intern3042 5d ago

The job market is really bad in PDX but goodluck

1

u/feralkh 4d ago

There’s less work here in theatre than Cali in a meaningful way to make a living, you are going to have to wait until they remodel the Moda center and the Keller/build new one - who knows how long that will be

1

u/Shot-Yesterday-1024 2d ago

You can go to portland 5 arts center and moda and get on call lists they are union houses. All the clubs are not union like Roseland and crystal ballroom. Doing concerts and theatre you can make a meager living. When I was in industry tours made the money then club gigs and rose garden or coliseum shows filled the gaps a little. Like another mentioned showcall is the best bet currently in town. If ya need a line to em. Message me and happy to get you couple contacts to help out. I ran production for local independent promoters for 15 years over a decade ago.

1

u/Mellifluous_2069 2d ago

Join the union, IASTE Local 28, once in you get unemployment during periods where there is no work, which happens frequently. The music industry is very seasonal here compared to CA. Otherwise you really have to know someone to get a job in the music industry. I’ve been in it here since 2017 and have worked up from stagehand to box office to merch to runner and now a warehouse coordinator. Most of these jobs are not advertised, although I saw that mammoth just posted for stagehands. You can get immediate low paying stagehand work at either Rhino or Showcall. Look for higher paying stagehand work in the event industry, especially the corporate event industries.

1

u/CrowsEgo 1d ago

There’s a stagehands union here I don’t remember the local chapter number sorry

1

u/Precatlady 1h ago

Contact IATSE local 28, they're in the labor federation building if you're visiting in person

0

u/AdCommercial4807 3d ago

We’re currently full, sorry :/