Variety Theatre Internships What is involved for our teens backstage?

Do you have a child between Could they benefit from an inclusive, educational opportunity where they the ages of 13-20 who is can gain professional experience interested in theatre? while earning service hours?

Are they looking for opportunities to foster independence, improve social skills, learn responsibility, and learn a specific technical theatre skill?

Then a Variety Theatre internship could be for them! The internship program provides an inclusive group of St. Louis teenagers the opportunity to work side-by-side with some of the community’s top theatre professionals. Serving as an assistant their department, the interns get hands-on experience in the theatrical production process from start to finish. The chance to attend production meetings, rehearsals, design meetings, and assist in the process of technical rehearsals and mounting the show, allows students to learn a specific technical theatre skill in a professional environment. The best part? There is no previous experience required!

Internships are available in the following production fields: , Director/Choreographer, Musical Director, Stage/Production Manager, Props Coordination, Lighting Designer, Sound Designer, Designer, Hair/Wig Designer, and Makeup Designer.

More information about each position, including time commitments and specific tasks, is included below!

For more information and to apply for an internship, please contact Joy Addler [email protected] (954) 652-8388 Props Interns Christopher works with our Props Carpenter to repair a broken table during rehearsal. Real-time, hands-on experience is offered to our interns in their particular area of interest.

Wardrobe Intern Emily helps the wardrobe team during costume fittings by sewing name tags for all of the . In her time with the wardrobe team, she learned how to sew and has been developing this life skill throughout her time as an intern.

Directing Intern Taylor helps our Director Lara Teeter give notes to the cast at the end of a rehearsal. The opportunity to collaborate with professionals throughout the rehearsal and production process is a unique offering of our program.

Sound Design Intern Zack operates the sound cues during a performance. Because of the skills he developed through a Variety Theatre intern, he went on to pursue a professional theatre career, and currently works for Shakespeare Festival St. Louis each summer. What you'll do: Who you'll work with: read the script Jan Albus, Executive Producer of Variety Theatre attend all auditions & callbacks to observe the Time commitment: Moderate professional casting process one production meeting per month, starting in Executive attend production meetings as available/assigned February (optional) attend Curtain Up summer camp to assist the Late March/early April: two weekends of auditions Producer directors & coordinators (about 25 hours) attend rehearsals as necessary to complete June: optional week-long theatre camp Intern assignments given by mentor September: 1 weekend of rehearsal (about 20 hours) attend all technical rehearsals and notes sessions October: 2-3 rehearsals per week (4-6 hours); one week of technical rehearsals (about 35 hours)

What you'll do: Who you'll work with: Lara Teeter, director/choreographer read the script Drew Humphrey, /choreographer attend all auditions & callbacks to observe the professional casting process Time commitment: Maximum Director/ attend production meetings as available/assigned one production meeting per month, starting in February Choreographer attend Curtain Up summer camp to assist the (optional) directors & coordinators Late March/early April: two weekends of auditions (about Intern attend all rehearsals to assist with set-up, taking 25 hours) notes for the director, tracking blocking & June: optional week-long theatre camp choreography, etc. September: one weekend of rehearsal (about 20 hours) Attend all technical rehearsals & notes sessions October: 6 rehearsals per week (40 hours); one week of technical rehearsals (about 35 hours)

What you'll do: Who you'll work with: read the script Joy Addler, Equity Stage Manager attend all auditions & callbacks to assist the stage Jack Rushen, Production Manager manager 2 assistant stage managers from Webster Conservatory attend production meetings as available/assigned Time commitment: Maximum attend Curtain Up summer camp to assist the sage one production meeting per month, starting in Stage/ manager February (optional) Production attend tape-out in the rehearsal space Late March/early April: two weekends of auditions assist with set-up and clean-up for daily rehearsals (about 25 hours) Manager attend all technical rehearsals and notes sessions June: optional week-long theatre camp September: 2-3 days prep work meetings (5 hours); Intern 1 weekend of rehearsal (about 20 hours) October: 6 rehearsals per week (40 hours); one week of technical rehearsals (about 35 hours); 2 weekends of performances (20 hours per weekend)

What you'll do: Who you'll work with: read the script Janice Kemper, Wardrobe Coordinator attend meeting in Kansas City to view the professional sewers and dressers costume package Time commitment: Moderate attend production meetings as one production meeting per month, starting in February Costume/ available/assigned (optional) Wardrobe attend callbacks to help wardrobe team take March: costume meeting in Kansas City (1 day) measurements April: one weekend of measurements at callbacks (5 hours) Intern attend Curtain Up summer camp to help with June: optional week-long theatre camp costume coordination September: 2-3 costume meetings, 1 weekend of costume attend costume walk-thru & fittings, taking notes fittings (15 hours) for the wardrobe team October: 2-3 days of fittings (5 hours); 1 week of technical serve as a member of wardrobe crew during rehearsals (about 25 hours); 2 weekends of performances tech & performances (20 hours per weekend)

What you'll do: Who you'll work with: read the script Kelley Jordan, Wig Designer attend production meetings as available/assigned professional wig/hair team attend Curtain Up camp to assist with hair/wig coordination Time commitment: Moderate attend wig styling sessions with the wig designer, as one production meeting per month, starting in assigned February (optional) Wig/Hair work as a member of the wig/hair crew backstage June: optional week-long theatre camp Intern during technical rehearsals and performances (helping September: 1-2 wig/costume meetings (3 hours) get ready, upkeep of wigs throughout the run, October: 1-2 wig meetings per week (3 hours); etc). 1 week of technical rehearsals (about 25 hours); take notes for wig designer during technical rehearsals 2 weekends of performances (20 hours per weekend) What you'll do: Who you'll work with: read the script A professional makeup designer and their crew attend production meetings as available/assigned attend Curtain Up summer camp to help with Time commitment: Moderate Makeup makeup for the week one production meeting per month, starting in attend costume walk-thru, taking notes for the February (optional) Intern makeup designer June: optional week-long theatre camp attend all technical rehearsals, helping apply September: 1-2 makeup meetings (3 hours) makeup and taking notes for the designer October: 1-2 makeup meetings; 1 week of technical throughout the week rehearsals (about 25 hours); 2 weekends of serve as a member of makeup crew during tech performances (20 hours per weekend) & performances

What you'll do: Who you'll work with: read the script A professional Lighting Designer attend production meetings as available/assigned a team of lighting designers & electricians attend Curtain Up camp to assist with lighting Lighting Time commitment: Minimal coordination Design attend light hang and focus to assist the lighting team in one production meeting per month, starting in getting the theatre ready for the production February (optional) Intern attend technical rehearsals as assigned, taking notes June: optional week-long theatre camp for the lighting designer and learning how to operate the October: 1 day of light hang and focus (4 hours); sound board 3-4 days of technical rehearsals including notes sessions (about 20 hours)

What you'll do: Who you'll work with: read the script Rusty Wandall, Sound Designer attend production meetings as a team of sound techs and engineers available/assigned Sound attend Curtain Up summer camp to help with sound for the week Time commitment: Minimal Design attend load-in to help the team one production meeting per month, starting in set up speakers, microphones, etc. February (optional) attend technical rehearsals as assigned, June: optional week-long theatre camp Intern assisting with sound needs, taking notes for the October: 1 day of load-in (4 hours); 3-4 days of designer, and learning how to operate the technical rehearsals including notes sessions sound board and sound cue program (about 20 hours)

What you'll do: Who you'll work with: read the script, making note of specific prop needs A professional prop designer and their team attend production meetings as available/assigned attend Curtain Up camp to assist with prop coordination Time commitment: Moderate Props assist the prop designer in researching, gathering, and one production meeting per month, starting in making props for the show February (optional) Intern attend all technical rehearsals to help with prop fixes, June: optional week-long theatre camp and to help the backstage team with props throughout October: 1-2 days of rehearsal/prop meetings a the show week 4 hours); 1 week of technical rehearsals attend performances as assigned to assist backstage (about 30 hours); 2 weekends of performances 20 with props throughout the show hours per weekend)

Please visit varietytheatre.org for more details on each position, and to download the intern application for our 2020 season!