Internship Areas

 

Administrative/General Management interns assist the Theatre’s management team with fiscal operation and personnel management, attend to daily financial processes and controls, while providing general administrative support. This position offers a great opportunity to learn the day-to-day accounting, payroll, contract negotiations, budgeting, and reporting to the Board of Directors, as well as the long-range operations of the Theatre.

Artistic/Casting interns work directly with the Artistic Director, Associate Artistic Director and Assistant to the Artistic Director, acting as a liaison with members of the summer company. Responsibilities include daily administrative tasks, scheduling and attending auditions, communicating with New York casting agencies, observing select Main Stage, Outdoor Stage and training program rehearsals, research and dramaturgical work on select projects, organizing the SPTP Seminar Series, as well as assisting with the scheduling and management of the Late-Nite Series and Late-Nite Cabaret.

Company Management interns assist The Shakespeare Theatre's Company Manager in tending to the needs of a company of over 350 artists, many of whom are in residence for all or part of the summer. Learning opportunities include organizing special events for company members and audiences, as well as becoming familiar with the theatre's contract with Actor's Equity Association, fulfilling requirements for artist benefits, travel arrangements and company housing. Because it overlaps many different areas, Company Management is an ideal arena in which to gain an overview of the interrelationships among all departments of a major regional theatre.

Costume Construction & Design interns work with the Theatre’s professional staff creating the myriad costume pieces for all Main Stage and Outdoor Stage productions. Areas of focus include improving sewing skills and learning new techniques in the production and alteration of quality stage garments. Construction Interns will not only assist with alterations, but will also have the opportunity to build at least one costume from start to finish – from assembling the first mock-up to final alterations. Opportunities for crafts work and/or millinery will be available based on interest and the needs of each production. Costume interns will participate in professional outings and workshops, which have previously included swatching and shopping in Manhattan’s fabric district, scouring the city for vintage clothing, visiting a costume rental house, and touring a costume shop that produces garments used on Broadway. Qualified interns with a design focus will assist Main Stage and Outdoor Stage designers and may also be asked to create and execute costume designs for one of the Next Stage Ensemble touring productions or The Final SPTP Project, providing additional resume and portfolio building opportunities.

Development/Fundraising interns assist The Shakespeare Theatre's Development Department in all aspects of fundraising. Responsibilities include maintenance of donor histories in the Theatre's database, assisting in the preparation of grant applications and fundraising activities, compiling support materials and other administrative duties. Interns also assist in the planning of special events for donors including the coordination of volunteers.

Directing interns assist the Theatre's professional directors on Main Stage, Outdoor Stage, and Next Stage Ensemble productions. The directing intern program focuses on observation, not only by assisting on shows as noted above, but also sitting in on select rehearsals for other SPTP projects, classes and workshops. Each intern will also direct members of The Apprentice Company in a classic non-Shakespearean scene night presentation. Scene selection, cutting, and initial rehearsals are overseen by members of the artistic/education staff to provide one-on-one guidance to each intern in relation to the text and his/her interaction with the actors. For those directing interns showing exceptional promise, the internship takes a more hands-on "laboratory" approach, incorporating independent projects in the Late-Nite Series directed by the intern under the guidance of professional staff members.

Weekly “Directors’ Forums” provide opportunities for the interns to discuss process with and gain feedback from their peers and mentors. These meetings are supplemented with master classes, workshops and Q&A sessions with resident and guest theatre artists. Other responsibilities may include research and dramaturgical work for select productions as well as assisting on The Final Project. The directing internship is the most competitive internship offered at The Shakespeare Theatre. Directing internships are often available prior to and following the dates of the SPTP to accommodate production needs during the Spring and Autumn season. Please note the strict application deadline: April 10, 2009.

Education interns assist the Education Department in coordinating various aspects of the professional training program, including rehearsal and class schedules, the planning of special events for training program members, and the management of the Next Stage Ensemble –The Shakespeare Theatre's summer touring company.

In addition to administrative and management duties, creative opportunities are available depending on the intern’s experience and talents. Education interns also act as teaching assistants for workshops and classes with the Junior & Senior Corps program.

Interns will research and assist in the creation of study guides and Summer Professional Training Program playbills, as well as maintain the Theatre's scripts and research materials. Qualified education interns with strong dramaturgical skills may be assigned as the production dramaturg for The Final SPTP Project.

Lighting Tech & Design interns assist the Lighting Supervisor. Responsibilities include light board programming and operation, hanging and focusing instruments, maintaining lighting equipment, and assisting lighting designers. The Shakespeare Theatre's Late-Nite Series also affords the opportunity for lighting design interns to showcase their own particular talents. Weekly master classes will be held on a variety of topics, including electrical theory, paperwork, design theory, and working on a design team.

Marketing & Public Relations interns assist with community and media relations efforts, electronic media, and the execution of sophisticated marketing strategies for subscription and single ticket campaigns. Duties include preparing and submitting press materials, online social networking for the institution, media and website editing and maintenance, assisting with media inquiries and interviews, photo calls, print production/design, and maintaining print and press archives.

Patron Services interns work directly with the Box Office staff and the House Manager to assist with the various aspects of the Theatre's numerous patron programs and needs. While in the Box Office, the intern will gain experience with the Theatre Manager software system, a sophisticated ticketing and marketing system, and receive training in customer service, phone sales and computerized ticketing systems while working in a fast-paced box office environment. While assisting the house manager, s/he will participate in all aspects of front-of-house operations, including scheduling and communicating with volunteers, researching items for the gift shop and placing orders with vendors. Patron Services interns will also assist with Opening Night celebrations and other special events.

Photography / Media interns work with the Marketing and Education departments to archive the numerous productions, classes and other activities that take place at The Shakespeare Theatre each summer through photography, video and web design. The intern is also given opportunities to gain additional mentorship from (and work alongside) the Theatre’s staff and guest photographers. Culminating in a final presentation, the experience also provides the intern with an incredible portfolio-building experience.

Production Management interns assist the Production Manager in coordinating all the logistical operations for The Shakespeare Theatre's season. Duties include: pricing and purchasing supplies and scenic materials, scheduling apprentice crew calls, scheduling and assisting with the execution of strikes and turnarounds, monitoring production budgets, upkeep and maintenance of the Theatre, and acting as a liaison between the Production Manager and the production staff. Production interns also attend weekly staff and production meetings and help facilitate production needs for the Late-Nite Series, the Late-Nite Cabaret and the Next Stage Ensemble.

Properties interns work closely with our Resident Props Master to create and obtain the diverse range of properties needed in our shows, including weapons, severed heads, furniture, conceptual pieces, and much more. Opportunities include working on Main Stage productions in our extensive prop, paint, and scenic shop, as well as learning about prop inventory, rental, and storage, and assisting in maintenance of props during performance runs, depending upon the needs of each production.

Scenic Construction & Design interns work with the Technical Director and professional staff as part of the team that builds and mounts each Main Stage and Outdoor Stage production. Each day, these interns report to one of the theatres or The Shakespeare Theatre's expansive Production Center, acquiring and utilizing newly-learned skills to construct all scenic elements for the season. Though traditional woodworking and carpentry approaches are most common, in recent years, The Theatre's technical shops have incorporated a great deal of metalcraft and welding techniques. Qualified interns with a design focus will assist Main Stage and Outdoor Stage designers and may also be asked to create and execute scenic designs for one of the Next Stage Ensemble touring productions or The Final SPTP Project, providing additional resume and portfolio-building opportunities.

Scenic Painting interns assist the Scenic Charge Artist in the execution of the designs for the productions of the Theatre, both Main Stage and Outdoor. Responsibilities can include all phases of the work (color mixing, cartooning, painting, carving, et cetera, and clean-up and maintenance); additional projects from, or assistance for, other shops may occur at the discretion of the various division heads (scenic carpentry, properties, load-in or –out). Select Paint interns may be eligible for design projects in the Late-Nite Series, at the discretion of the Scenic Charge Artist and the Education Department.

Sound Tech & Design interns work directly with sound designers, composers, and musicians. Interns will work with the latest recording, digital editing, MIDI and audio playback technologies while assisting the Sound Supervisor in the creation and operation of the sound for each production and the daily care and maintenance of sound equipment. Weekly master classes will be held on a variety of subjects, including design basics, signal flow, editing techniques, and music theory. Select sound interns may be chosen to design for the Next Stage Ensemble, or for the Late-Nite Series.

Stage Management interns work directly with Equity Production Stage Managers, seeing productions from rehearsal through performance, where the interns are often in charge of backstage running crews. Stage management interns also have the opportunity to work on productions with the Next Stage Ensemble, The Shakespeare Theatre's summer touring program, and projects in the Late Nite Series. When not in rehearsal or performance, stage management interns work with the Director of Production, gaining important hands-on experience in a variety of areas helpful to stage managers. Weekly master classes will be held on a variety of topics including touring, disaster management, expectations from Equity actors, and notating fight choreography. Many stage management interns have worked their way up the professional ladder with us, eventually earning their Equity union card with The Shakespeare Theatre. Stage management internships may also be available in the spring or fall, to accommodate production needs beyond the period of the SPTP.

Technical Direction interns are heavily involved in the various aspects of planning and coordinating the scenic elements of all Shakespeare Theatre productions and oversee, with the guidance of Shakespeare Theatre professional staff, all aspects of the Next Stage Ensemble summer touring productions. Initially working full-time in the scene shop, interns are given a hands-on opportunity to learn how all aspects of the shop function together. Interns assist with management and communication within the shop, as well as coordinate with designers and other departments.

Wardrobe/Wigs interns work with the Wardrobe Supervisor to dress actors and maintain costumes, wigs and makeup for the Theatre. Basic skills in stitching and mending garments are required. In the past, qualified interns showing promise have on occasion been given responsibility over a particular production run; maintaining, preparing and troubleshooting garments and wigs for that production with the guidance of the Theatre’s professional staff. During the program, interns will receive guidance on effective interaction with actors and designers, improvement of sewing skills, and training in wig styling and maintenance, as well as inclusion in professional outings and workshops noted in the Costume Construction internship listing above.