Internship Descriptions

Taproot Theatre Company offers internships throughout the season in almost every aspect of the organization’s operations. Internships are generally held by undergraduate and graduate students, or recent college graduates.

We offer tickets to all of Taproot Theatre’s Mainstage performances to interns. Internships are unpaid and housing is not provided.  Summer interns have the additional opportunity to perform in the Summer Intern Showcase on our Mainstage. We encourage all interns to pursue the opportunity to sit down with Taproot staff, guest artists and other theatre professionals during their time with us.”

 

Summer Internships Offered for 2012

 Teaching Internship (7 positions)

This internship is for individuals with theatre experience and/or professional training, and a desire to pursue education, theatre or directing. This internship takes place during the months of June, July, and August, when teaching interns are teamed up with the instructors of our Acting Studio Summer Camp Program. Interns will assist teachers with teaching daily warm-ups, technique, and rehearsals of the showcase pieces. These pieces range from a collection of scenes to a full-scale musical, and everything in between. Interns may be asked to assist with direction, choreography, music coaching, stage management, administrative duties and program creating. Assignment to each camp is determined by need, experience, and interest of each intern. Interns will also rotate having one administrative week in the Taproot office where they will assist as needed and have the opportunity to spend time with other Taproot artists and employees. Time commitment: 40 hours per week (camp and intern project rehearsal) Advisor: Nathan Jeffrey, Director of Education and Outreach

Stage Management Internship (2 positions)

The Stage Management internship is for individuals seeking practical stage management experience. Stage Management interns will be assigned to the Acting Studio Summer Camp Program and act as stage manager for up to 6 showcase productions. The intern is expected to take notes during rehearsals, facilitate production meetings, coordinate with tech interns, create paperwork and maintain a production book for each showcase. He or she will then act as Stage Manager for the showcase performances and will call the show. The intern may also have the opportunity to work as ASM while their fellow SM interns are acting as Stage Manager. This will give them practical backstage experience also. In addition, the intern may be asked to assist the Production Stage Manager as needed. Time commitment: 40 hours per week (camp and intern project rehearsal) Advisor: Anne Hitt, Production Stage Manager

 

Costume Internship (2 positions)

This internship is for people interested in costume design and shop management and have prior knowledge and experience working with costumes. Costume interns will be assigned to the Acting Studio Summer Camp Program and act as costume designer for all showcase productions. Interns will be given the opportunity to design for the Supercamps, pull and alter existing pieces for the smaller showcases, and act as dresser for showcases when needed. In addition, the intern will assist the costume shop manager with shopping, stitching, cutting/draping, and fittings for the upcoming Mainstage production. This intern is required to attend production meetings. Time commitment: 40 hours per week (camp and intern project rehearsal) Advisor: Sarah Gordon, Costume Shop Manager & Resident Designer

Sound Internship (1 position)
This internship requires some experience in basic sound operations and/or design. Sound interns will be assigned to the Acting Studio Summer Camp Program and act as sound designer for showcase productions. The Sound intern will work with the lead teachers and intern production team to create sound designs for each showcase performance. The intern will learn to use sound software such as SFX and Adobe Audition to build sound designs. In addition, the Sound Intern will operate the sound board for showcase performances and may have the opportunity to observe Mainstage performances. Time commitment: 30 hours per week (camp and intern project rehearsal) Advisor: Anne Hitt, Production Stage Manager

Lighting Internship (1 position)
The lighting design internship requires some previous experience in stage electrics. Lighting interns will be assigned to the Acting Studio Summer Camp Program and act as lighting designer for showcase productions. The intern will work with the lead teachers and intern production team to create lighting designs for each showcase performance. The intern will build cues in the ETC Insight II light board within the existing light plot getting experience in designing, cueing and teching a production. Time commitment: 30 hours per week (camp and intern project rehearsal) Advisor: Anne Hitt, Production Stage Manager

Prop Internship (1 position)

This is for individuals seeking practical experience in prop design. Props interns will be assigned to the Acting Studio Summer Camp Program and act as prop designer for showcase productions. The intern will work with the lead teachers and intern production team to create prop designs for each showcase performance. This will include: shopping for props and prop materials, pulling and altering existing props, construction of new props, maintaining the workspace and returning used props to storage. Prop interns will assist as needed during the performances for each camp. Time commitment: 30 hours per week (camp and intern project rehearsal) Advisor: Anne Hitt, Production Stage Manager

Summer Directing Internship (1 position)

The summer Directing Intern will assist the director of the mainstage show, assist the director of the Road Company touring shows, and act as the personal assistant to the Director of Education and Outreach. They will be asked to attend rehearsals and work with the director and the stage manager during the rehearsal process. Directing Interns may also work as Literary Assistants and Dramaturgs for TTC productions, reading and researching plays. Additionally, the summer Directing intern will direct a piece in the Taproot Internship Showcase during the summer, under the mentorship of the Director of Education and Outreach. Time commitment: 20 hours per week, available from June through the first week of September. Advisor: Nathan Jeffrey, Director of Education and Outreach

Additional Information:

Interview Process:

• Upon receiving your application, the Education and Outreach Associate will email you to set up a preliminary interview.
• Second interviews for all tech internships will be scheduled by the Production Stage Manager with decisions made about placement by April 6.
• Second interviews for all teaching internships will be scheduled for March 16 or April 9 with decisions made about placement by April 13.
• Second interviews for directing internship will be scheduled by the Director of Education and Outreach with a decision made by May 1.

Teaching, Stage Management, and Costume Interns:

• Training week June 18-22
• First week of camp June 25-29, final week of camp August 27-31
• Approximately 33 hours/wk will be spent in camp 9:30am-4:30pm, Monday-Friday
• Approximately 7 hours/wk will be spent in rehearsal for the intern project

Props, Lights, and Sound Interns:

• Training week June 18-22
• First week of camp June 25-29, final week of camp August 27-31
• Approximately 23 hours/wk will be spent in camp 9:30am-4:30pm, Monday-Friday (schedule dependent on Production Stage Manager and intern mentor)
• Approximately 7 hours/wk will be spent in rehearsal for the intern project

Directing Intern:

• Available June through first week of September.
• Specific schedule TBD by Director of Education and Outreach

Housing is not provided, but resources in helping you find housing will be suggested. There is no stipend for the internship provided. If you have additional questions, please email Suzanne.

Seasonal Internships

Teaching Internship
This internship is for individuals with theatre experience and/or professional training, and a desire to pursue education theatre or directing. Interns will have the opportunity to assist teachers in our Acting Studio with daily warm-ups, acting technique and rehearsals. These classes range from scene study to a full-scale musical, and everything in between. In addition, interns will have the opportunity to work closely with the Director of Education in the daily running of an educational program including student registration and correspondence. Interns may be asked to assist with direction, choreography, music coaching, stage management as well as administrative duties. This internship requires 35 hours per week.
Advisor: Nathan Jeffrey, Director of Education & Outreach

Directing and/or Literary Assistant Internship
Directing interns will be asked to work as an assistant to the director for Mainstage and touring productions. They will be asked to attend rehearsals and work with the director and the stage manager during the rehearsal process. Directing Interns may also work as Literary Assistants and Dramaturgs for TTC productions, reading and researching plays. The Intern is expected to work 15 –20 hours a week. There are up to six Directing internships available, corresponding to the six season productions.
Advisor: Karen Lund, Associate Artistic Director

Stage Management Internship
The Stage Management internship is for individuals seeking practical stage management experience. A stage management intern will be assigned to a production and will assist the stage manager during the rehearsal process (essentially acting as ASM). The Stage Management Intern will learn to recognize and communicate all administrative details associated with a production including creating paperwork, taking blocking notes and running a show backstage. The intern may also be provided opportunities to stage-manage Acting Studio Showcases and Road Company touring shows. The Intern is expected to work up to 30 hours a week.
Advisor: Anne Hitt, Production Stage Manager

Costume Design Internship
The Costume Design internship is for individuals seeking costume design, construction, wardrobe, and shop management experience. It is an intensive, individually designed internship for those who desire to be professional costumers. The internship can include: assisting guest and resident designers with construction on Mainstage and touring productions, production day work, millinery, crafts, patterning, wig maintenance, organizing stock, learning the business side of running the costume shop, running wardrobe for Mainstage productions. Individuals will learn not only from the shop manager, but also from the professional cutters, drapers and stitchers working in the costume shop. Individuals applying must have completed coursework in costume design or costume history, and have stitching experience. Two years experience in an educational or professional costume shop is required. The intern is expected to work an average of 20 hours a week, duration and scope of the internship to be determined by the intern and advisor.
Advisor: Sarah Gordon, Costume Shop Manager

Development Internship
This internship is for individuals seeking hands-on, supervised experience in the intricacies of non-profit theater development and fundraising. Duties will include assisting with fundraising events, researching foundations, correspondence with donors and writing and revising proposals to companies and foundations. The position calls for excellent writing skills and familiarity with standard software applications, as well as an interest in non-profit management. We prefer a university student with a junior year standing or above. The Intern is expected to work 5-10 hours a week.

Front of House Internship
This internship is for individuals seeking practical experience in house management and concessions management. Candidates must be comfortable working with the public and be detail oriented. Previous theatre experience is a plus. The position calls for excellent customer service skills and familiarity with standard software applications, such as Word. The Intern is expected to work 10 – 15 hours a week.
Advisor: Jenny Cross, Front of House Coordinator