1

Backstage Jobs in Wisconsin (NOW HIRING)

Host / Expo

Milwaukee, WI · On-site

$15 - $20/hr

As a Host / Expo , you're part greeter, part traffic controller, part backstage coordinator--and a major part of what keeps the show running smoothly. Whether you're welcoming guests or ensuring ...

Your focus will be weddings, corporate events, nonprofit galas, private dinners, and full-building special events including backstage services. You'll coordinate event logistics from planning through ...

Ensure backstage areas are clean and free of clutter * Follow company protocol as communicated by venue management * All other duties as assigned WHAT THIS PERSON WILL BRING * Applicable customer ...

Backstage information

What are some backstage jobs?

Backstage jobs include roles such as stagehands, set designers, lighting technicians, costume designers, and prop masters. These positions support the production behind the scenes and often require technical skills, knowledge of equipment, and the ability to work flexible hours during rehearsals and performances.

How much do backstage people get paid?

Backstage workers' pay varies depending on the industry, location, and specific role. On average, backstage crew members such as stagehands or technical staff earn between $15 and $30 per hour, with experienced professionals or those working in major productions earning higher wages. Compensation may also include benefits and overtime pay for longer shifts or specialized skills.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Backstage Crew Member, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Backstage Crew Member, you need practical knowledge of stagecraft, lighting, sound equipment, and often a high school diploma or relevant technical training. Familiarity with stage management software, rigging systems, and safety certifications like OSHA are typically required. Strong teamwork, attention to detail, and the ability to stay calm under pressure are crucial soft skills in this role. These competencies ensure smooth, safe, and professional execution of live events or performances.

What are Backstage jobs?

Backstage jobs refer to roles that support performances and productions behind the scenes in theater, film, television, and live events. These jobs include positions like stagehands, lighting and sound technicians, costume designers, set builders, and makeup artists. Backstage workers ensure that everything runs smoothly during a production, handling technical, creative, and organizational tasks. Their efforts are essential for delivering seamless performances to audiences, even though they are not visible on stage or screen.

How does a Backstage crew member typically collaborate with other departments during a live production?

Backstage crew members work closely with various departments such as lighting, sound, costumes, and stage management to ensure smooth transitions and timely execution of cues during a live show. Communication and teamwork are essential, as crew members often coordinate scene changes, manage props, and troubleshoot issues in real-time. These collaborations are usually rehearsed in advance, but flexibility and adaptability are crucial since live productions can present unexpected challenges. Building strong relationships with other departments can lead to a more seamless workflow and greater opportunities for advancement within the technical theater field.

Does backstage pay you?

Backstage is a platform that connects performers with casting opportunities; it does not directly pay users. Payment depends on the specific casting job or project, which may offer compensation or be unpaid. Users typically earn money through the roles they secure via Backstage listings.

What is the difference between Backstage vs Stage Manager?

AspectBackstageStage Manager
CredentialsTypically no formal certification required, but knowledge of theater or event production helpfulOften requires training or certification in theater production or event management
Work EnvironmentBehind the scenes in theaters, concerts, or events, focusing on technical setup and supportOn-stage and backstage coordination during performances or events
Employer & Industry UsageTheater companies, concert venues, event production teamsTheater productions, live shows, and large event organizations

Backstage roles focus on technical support and behind-the-scenes work, while Stage Managers coordinate the entire production process, ensuring smooth performances. Both roles are essential in theater and live event industries but differ in responsibilities and required skills.

Does anyone get jobs from backstage?

Backstage is a platform that connects actors, models, and performers with casting opportunities. Many users secure jobs through the site by applying to relevant casting calls and showcasing their profiles, which often include resumes and demo reels. Success depends on the quality of the profile and the fit for specific roles.
What are the most commonly searched types of Backstage jobs in Wisconsin? The most popular types of Backstage jobs in Wisconsin are:
What job categories do people searching Backstage jobs in Wisconsin look for? The top searched job categories for Backstage jobs in Wisconsin are:
Lead Engineer, Internal Developer Platform

Lead Engineer, Internal Developer Platform

American Family Mutual Insurance Company

Madison, WI • On-site

$131K - $220K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Posted 14 days ago


Job description

This role is responsible for designing, building, and operating cloud platform and DevOps capabilities across AWS and GCP. The engineer will enable reliable, secure, and scalable delivery by developing Kubernetes and Infrastructure-as-Code foundations, building and maintaining CI/CD pipelines, and driving automation, observability, and operational best practices across engineering teams.
Position Compensation Range:
$131,000.00 - $220,000.00
Pay Rate Type:
Salary
Compensation may vary based on the job level and your geographic work location. Relocation support is offered for eligible candidates.
This role has been not approved for sponsorship now or in the future. This also includes current Candidates that have an approved F1 / OPT/ STEM qualification.
Core Qualifications & Responsibilities:
Developer Experience (DevX) & Backstage Development:
  • Proven experience in designing, implementing, and managing an internal developer portal, preferably with Backstage.io.
  • A strong desire to improve the developer experience by creating self-service tools and streamlining workflows.
  • Expertise in developing custom Backstage plugins and customizing the platform using TypeScript, Node.js, and React to meet the unique needs of our developers.
  • Experience configuring and managing the Backstage Software Catalog to provide a unified view of services, documentation, and tooling.
  • Ability to create and maintain software templates using Backstage's Scaffolder to standardize project creation and enforce best practices.

Cloud and Infrastructure Management:
  • Extensive experience with at least one major cloud provider (AWS, GCP) and familiarity with the other. This includes expertise in core services like VPC, IAM, S3, and managed Kubernetes (EKS, GKE).
  • Proficiency in Infrastructure as Code (IaC) principles and hands-on experience with tools like Terraform to automate the provisioning and management of cloud resources.
  • Experience with Crossplane.io to manage cloud services and infrastructure through a unified, Kubernetes-native API. This includes creating and managing composite resources to abstract away the complexity of the underlying infrastructure.
  • Strong understanding of containerization technologies, including Docker and Kubernetes, and their ecosystems.

CI/CD & DevOps Mindset:
  • Solid experience with CI/CD principles and proficiency in building and maintaining pipelines using GitLab CI/CD.
  • Experience integrating various tools into CI/CD pipelines to automate builds, testing, and deployments.
  • Proficiency in managing software artifacts and dependencies using JFrog Artifactory. This includes creating and managing repositories and integrating Artifactory with our CI/CD pipelines.
  • A strong scripting and automation skill set using languages like Python, Go, or Bash.

Observability & Site Reliability Engineering (SRE):
  • A solid understanding of SRE principles, including Service Level Objectives (SLOs), error budgets, and a focus on reliability, scalability, and performance.
  • Hands-on experience with Datadog for full-stack observability, including setting up monitors, creating dashboards, and using APM for distributed tracing.
  • A proactive approach to identifying and resolving platform issues before they impact developers.
  • Experience in troubleshooting complex, distributed systems and a methodical approach to problem-solving.

Software Development Fundamentals:
  • Strong programming skills in languages such as Python, TypeScript, and JavaScript.
  • Experience with web development fundamentals and API design (REST, GraphQL).
  • A solid understanding of software development lifecycle (SDLC) best practices, including version control with Git.
  • Demonstrated knowledge of modern SDLC practices and operating models (e.g., Agile, product-based teams, platform-as-a-product).
  • Demonstrated experience delivering and operating cloud platforms in both AWS and GCP, including core services for compute, storage, networking, IAM, and managed Kubernetes.
  • Demonstrated experience designing, building, and operating Kubernetes platforms and tooling (e.g., cluster lifecycle, upgrades, workload onboarding patterns, ingress, service discovery, secrets/config management).
  • Demonstrated experience with Infrastructure as Code and reusable module patterns across cloud providers (e.g., Terraform; CloudFormation as needed), including pipeline integration, versioning, and promotion strategies.
  • Demonstrated experience with CI/CD tooling and practices (e.g., Jenkins, GitLab CI, GitHub Actions, Bitbucket pipelines), including build/test/release automation, artifact management, and environment deployment strategies.
  • Demonstrated experience with GitOps and deployment automation patterns (e.g., Argo CD/Flux where applicable) for Kubernetes and cloud workloads.
  • Demonstrated experience with observability and operational practices (monitoring/alerting, centralized logging, tracing, dashboards, on-call readiness, incident response, runbooks).
  • Demonstrated experience applying SRE/operational metrics and reliability practices (SLIs/SLOs, error budgets, capacity/performance considerations).
  • Demonstrated systems and network fundamentals for cloud environments (VPC/VNet design, DNS, routing, load balancing, proxies/firewalls, certificate/TLS basics).
  • Demonstrated programming/scripting capability in one or more of: Python, Go, Java, Shell/Bash; strong Linux fundamentals.
  • Demonstrated experience integrating services and tools through APIs and secure communication patterns across applications, databases, and platforms.
  • Demonstrated knowledge of DevSecOps practices (secrets management, vulnerability scanning, least privilege, supply-chain controls such as signing/SBOM where applicable, and automated policy enforcement).

Licenses
  • Not applicable.

Travel Requirements
  • Up to 10%.

Physical Requirements
  • Work primarily involves sitting/standing.

Working Conditions
  • Not applicable.

Additional Information
  • To ensure a strong start, all employees participate in our New Employee Orientation during their first week. This experience is held in person at our Madison, WI Headquarters or one of our AmFam core locations to help you connect with our mission, meet key team members and build relationships that support your growth. At times, sessions may be delivered virtually based on scheduling and availability.
  • Offer to selected candidate will be made contingent on the results of applicable background checks
  • Offer to selected candidate is contingent on signing a non-disclosure agreement for proprietary information, trade secrets, and inventions
  • Sponsorship will not be considered for this position unless specified in the posting

Preferred Qualifications:
  • Previous experience in a dedicated Platform Engineering or Developer Experience (DevX) team.
  • Contributions to open-source projects, especially Backstage or other developer tools.
  • Familiarity with securing CI/CD pipelines and implementing secure coding practices.
  • Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively with developers, product managers, and other stakeholders.

• • A product-oriented mindset, treating the internal developer platform as a product with developers as your customers.
We provide benefits that support your physical, emotional, and financial wellbeing. You will have access to comprehensive medical, dental, vision and wellbeing benefits that enable you to take care of your health. We also offer a competitive 401(k) contribution, a pension plan, an annual incentive, 9 paid holidays and a paid time off program (23 days accrued annually for full-time employees). In addition, our student loan repayment program and paid-family leave are available to support our employees and their families. Interns and contingent workers are not eligible for American Family Insurance Group benefits.
We are an equal opportunity employer. It is our policy to comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws pertaining to non-discrimination, non-harassment and equal opportunity. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law.
American Family Insurance is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please email AskHR@AmFam.com to request a reasonable accommodation.
#LI-BC2