What are the responsibilities and job description for the Children’s Theatre Program Specialist position at Cayton Children's Museum?
Children’s Theatre Program Specialist
Organization: Cayton Children’s Museum
Reports to: Museum Experience & Administration Specialist team
Classification: Part-Time, Non-Exempt (Hourly)
Schedule: 3 days per week, including both Saturdays and Sundays / 22.5 hours total (includes occasional evenings)
Compensation: $30–$35/hour, commensurate with experience
The Cayton Children’s Museum is seeking a Children’s Theatre Program Specialist — a creative, collaborative, and performance-minded educator who loves using theatre, storytelling, and play to inspire young children and families.
This part-time position will lead the development of the Cayton’s performing arts programs, including five daily, 20-minute Daily Drop-In sessions that bring imagination to life through storytime, puppetry, and creative movement. The ideal candidate will have both performance experience and a passion for early childhood learning, as well as the ability to coach staff and collaborate with other arts organizations across Los Angeles.
Join a mission-driven team that believes in the power of play and creativity to build empathy, confidence, and connection in every child.
About the Cayton Children’s Museum
The Cayton Children’s Museum is a nonprofit organization that activates the power of play to enrich the lives of children and their families, build stronger, more connected communities, and nurture a more compassionate, confident, and equitable society. Through hands-on exhibits, creative programs, and community partnerships, the Cayton provides opportunities for children to practice empathy, inclusion, and imagination every day.
Position Summary
The Children’s Theatre Program Specialist develops and leads the Cayton’s performing arts programming, both in the museum and through community outreach. This position focuses on creating imaginative, participatory, and age-appropriate theatre experiences for children and families that align with the museum’s Daily Drop-In program series — five 20-minute sessions offered daily.
The Specialist will design, perform, and coordinate a rotating schedule of live, interactive performances (storytimes, puppet shows, dramatic play, creative movement) and develop partnerships with other performing arts organizations to expand the Cayton’s roster of guest performances. This role also provides training and mentorship for frontline Play Guides to ensure consistency and confidence in delivering theatrical, story-based, and performance-infused experiences for young visitors.
Key Responsibilities
Program Development & Delivery
Organization: Cayton Children’s Museum
Reports to: Museum Experience & Administration Specialist team
Classification: Part-Time, Non-Exempt (Hourly)
Schedule: 3 days per week, including both Saturdays and Sundays / 22.5 hours total (includes occasional evenings)
Compensation: $30–$35/hour, commensurate with experience
The Cayton Children’s Museum is seeking a Children’s Theatre Program Specialist — a creative, collaborative, and performance-minded educator who loves using theatre, storytelling, and play to inspire young children and families.
This part-time position will lead the development of the Cayton’s performing arts programs, including five daily, 20-minute Daily Drop-In sessions that bring imagination to life through storytime, puppetry, and creative movement. The ideal candidate will have both performance experience and a passion for early childhood learning, as well as the ability to coach staff and collaborate with other arts organizations across Los Angeles.
Join a mission-driven team that believes in the power of play and creativity to build empathy, confidence, and connection in every child.
About the Cayton Children’s Museum
The Cayton Children’s Museum is a nonprofit organization that activates the power of play to enrich the lives of children and their families, build stronger, more connected communities, and nurture a more compassionate, confident, and equitable society. Through hands-on exhibits, creative programs, and community partnerships, the Cayton provides opportunities for children to practice empathy, inclusion, and imagination every day.
Position Summary
The Children’s Theatre Program Specialist develops and leads the Cayton’s performing arts programming, both in the museum and through community outreach. This position focuses on creating imaginative, participatory, and age-appropriate theatre experiences for children and families that align with the museum’s Daily Drop-In program series — five 20-minute sessions offered daily.
The Specialist will design, perform, and coordinate a rotating schedule of live, interactive performances (storytimes, puppet shows, dramatic play, creative movement) and develop partnerships with other performing arts organizations to expand the Cayton’s roster of guest performances. This role also provides training and mentorship for frontline Play Guides to ensure consistency and confidence in delivering theatrical, story-based, and performance-infused experiences for young visitors.
Key Responsibilities
Program Development & Delivery
- Create and perform interactive, age-appropriate theatre programs that fit the Daily Drop-In 20-minute format, five times daily, with rotating weekly or seasonal themes.
- Design original scripts, songs, or dramatizations that align with the Cayton’s values of play, empathy, creativity, and inclusion.
- Lead or co-lead daily sessions such as storytime, puppet theatre, dramatic movement, and music-based play for children ages 0–10.
- Evaluate audience engagement and adapt programming to meet developmental and cultural needs of diverse families.
- Build and manage a network of educational, nonprofit, and performing arts organizations across Los Angeles to collaborate on guest artist performances and shared programming.
- Schedule and coordinate guest performances within the Daily Drop-In program calendar, ensuring mission alignment and quality control.
- Represent the Cayton at community arts convenings and cultivate partnerships that increase visibility and cross-promotion.
- Develop and deliver training modules for Frontline staff (Play Guides) on performance techniques, voice, audience interaction, and child-centered theatre facilitation.
- Provide ongoing coaching and assessments to ensure consistency and confidence in delivering daily theatrical programs.
- Collaborate with Public Programs leadership to embed theatrical practices into daily museum experiences.
Operational Support
Qualifications
Physical Requirements
Work Environment
This position operates in a dynamic, creative, and fast-paced museum setting, engaging with children, their caregivers, and staff throughout the day. Work includes both indoor and outdoor activities and occasional off-site community programs.
- Maintain and organize theatre materials, puppets, costumes, and props.
- Support outreach events, museum celebrations, and partner activations with live performance components.
- Participate in staff meetings, trainings, and museum-wide initiatives.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Theatre, Performing Arts, Early Childhood Education, or related field, or equivalent professional experience.
- Minimum 2 years of experience in children’s theatre, education, or family engagement programming.
- Demonstrated skill in performing and teaching theatre for young audiences.
- Strong understanding of child development, early learning, and inclusive pedagogy.
- Excellent interpersonal, communication, and improvisational skills.
- Ability to work weekends and occasional evenings for special programs.
- Familiarity with Microsoft Office required; experience with Versai or TriNet a plus.
Physical Requirements
- Frequent movement, light lifting (up to 25 lbs.), and ability to engage actively in play and performance with children and families in a museum setting.
Work Environment
This position operates in a dynamic, creative, and fast-paced museum setting, engaging with children, their caregivers, and staff throughout the day. Work includes both indoor and outdoor activities and occasional off-site community programs.
Salary : $30 - $35
