We need to be flexible, support artists working multiple jobs, and make sure the experience is pleasant, if we want to keep skilled people in the industry.
Pivot Theatre
Pivot Theatre
Playbooks to Welcome and Orient Contractors
Pilot Project: Exploring sustainable models for engaging contract artists and workers within a small community. A central focus of the project was developing “playbooks” designed to foster ease, care, and mutual understanding among arts workers, while also helping new hires navigate company culture and identify clear pathways for work.
Project Duration: 2024–2025
Continuing to Implement: Yes. Pivot Theatre is continuing work to refine and finalize the playbooks and plans to schedule regular reviews to keep them up-to-date.
Resources Shared: Project Field Notes, Digital Platforms Playbook, Brand Playbook, Fireweed Market Playbook
About Pivot Theatre
Location: Yukon
Artistic Discipline: Theatre
Operating Budget: $100,000 to $1,000,000
Pivot Theatre (formerly Nakai Theatre) produces and presents high-quality, uncommon theatre for Yukon audiences and develops local artists and their work.
Founded in 1979, Pivot has a rich history of theatre making in Whitehorse and beyond.
Level UP! Project Details
As leaders of a theatre company based in the Yukon, Pivot Theatre Artistic Director Jacob Zimmer and Managing Artistic Producer Norah Paton understand the challenges arts organizations in small communities face when it comes to finding, training, and retaining workers—especially for contract positions. In response, the Pivot team focused their Level UP! project on exploring sustainable models for engaging contract artists and workers.
To help streamline and strengthen the onboarding—or “fit-up”—process for contractors, they developed a series of playbooks designed to help new artists and workers get up to speed on the values, norms, practices, and expectations associated with their roles. Playbooks, a term borrowed from North American football, are documents that not only contain the practical elements of any “play” – the X’s and O’s – but also relational information and insight about *when* and *why* to use the play. They are less linear and prescriptive than a manual.
Project Highlights:
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- Pivot staff spoke with past and current contractors to gather input on what information would be most helpful and how best to share it.
- Information was shared with incoming contractors through Slack, and playful elements were added to make the onboarding process more fun and engaging.
Resources
Pivot Theatre | Project Field Notes
About This Resource Pivot Theatre created these Project Field Notes in 2025 as part of their Level UP! Pilot Project. Their project focused on developing playbooks to support Pivot's “fit up” process—the process of orienting and integrating contractors into the...
Pivot Theatre | Brand Playbook
About This Resource Pivot Theatre (formerly Nakai Theatre) created this Brand Playbook in 2025 as part of their Level UP! Pilot Project. The playbook was designed to help contract workers become familiar with the theatre’s branding and communication guidelines. This...
Pivot Theatre | Digital Platforms Playbook
About This Resource Pivot Theatre created this Digital Platforms Playbook in 2025 as part of their Level UP! Pilot Project. The playbook was designed to help contract workers become familiar with digital tools and communication practices used at Pivot Theatre.
Pivot Theatre | Fireweed Market Playbook
About This Resource Pivot Theatre created this Fireweed Market Playbook in 2025 as part of their Level UP! Pilot Project. This resource is designed to support contract staff working at Pivot’s Fireweed Market booth by outlining key responsibilities, expectations, and...
More Information
For more information about Pivot Theatre, visit pivotyukon.ca.
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