Following are brief descriptions of the internships available at California Shakespeare Theater.
Stage Management |
Sound |
All of our interns get an insider’s view into the process of producing a season, assisting the Artistic, Marketing, Development, and Artistic Learning departments with administrative tasks in the office and production tasks during technical rehearsals at the Lt. H.G. Bruns III Amphitheater. We are committed to providing our interns with the most diverse experiences possible; throughout the tenure of their internship, they are included as part of the company and interact with our full time staff, seasonal staff, artists, and artisans on a daily basis. Equally important to us in our commitment to the training of the Intern Company is cross-training in areas not as familiar to the intern as their chosen discipline. We believe that being well-rounded makes for a stronger candidate when being considered for employment.
STAGE MANAGEMENT
The Stage Management intern works closely with the Stage Manager and Production Assistant on all aspects of managing the rehearsal for each show. The intern learns professional methods of all Stage Management tasks, including preparing rehearsal reports, running rehearsals, taking line notes, and communicating rehearsal needs to various production departments. In tech and performance, the intern serves as an additional member of the backstage crew, assisting the Deck Manager and Production Assistant with the run and maintenance of the show. They also have the opportunity to Stage Manage a one-hour abridged presentation of a Shakespearean play for our five-week Theater Conservatory, sponsored by the Artistic Learning department. This internship is designed to be a training springboard into the professional stage management world.
SCENIC/ TECHNICAL DIRECTION
The California Shakespeare Theater is seeking a Scenery Intern for our 2008 season. The intern position works in a hands-on manner learning and/or refining scenery fabrication and installation skills (including rigging, carpentry and welding). The right candidate has the opportunity to also work with our Technical Director and Production Manager to gain valuable experience planning, budgeting, and drafting for our Mainstage productions. The intern can gain and practice valuable skills relating to the effective collaboration of artists, technicians, and management in a supportive environment. Furthermore, the Scenery Intern is given the opportunity to serve as TD for the Cal Shakes student summer camp productions. This is a great position for the student aspiring to work in the design or fabrication of scenery, or for the young professional looking to refine his or her talents. It can also be a great opportunity for technicians and artists in other fields (visual arts or sculpture for example) who are looking for a new and exciting way to apply their skills. Minimum qualifications include a basic working knowledge of common hand and power tools, the ability to read basic working drawings, and knowledge of safe working habits in a shop environment. More advanced fabrication and management skills are helpful but not required, and we will asses each applicant based not only on their current skill set, but on ability and motivation to learn new techniques and methods. An intern will be expected to learn: basic welding; new fabrication methods in wood, plastics, and metal; basic CAD drafting; working within the schedule and environment of a regional theater; rigging and installation techniques; and effective collaboration with other artists and technicians.
PROPERTIES
The Properties intern works closely with the Properties Master and Artisan on the build of each show and the management of the Prop Shop. During the rehearsal process, the Properties intern is assigned building projects involving carpentry, sewing, and metalwork, and will assist in procuring rentals and shopping shows. The Properties intern also assists in maintaining the Prop shop and storage. They have the opportunity to be the Properties Master for the five one-hour abridged presentations of Shakespearean plays produced by our five-week Theater Conservatory, sponsored by the Artistic Learning Department. This internship is intended to provide the intern with a diversity of projects through the build of different shows, and to establish a basis of professional experience that will lead to a successful working future in the theater.
ELECTRICS
Under the supervision of the Master Electrician, the Electrics intern participates in the lighting hang and focus of each show, with particular attention to special projects. During the technical rehearsals and run of shows, the Electrics intern operates a Followspot, learns to program the light board, and shares responsibility for maintaining the show. This internship is designed to hone the skills of the theatrical Electrician, to impart a working knowledge of design implementation, and to prepare the intern to work in the professional theater.
SOUND
The Sound intern works closely with the Sound Engineer to set up and maintain the sound system for the theater, and to implement the design of each show from rehearsal through tech and performances. Additionally, the Sound intern helps program and run shows, gaining familiarity with modern sound cuing programs and equipment. They also have the opportunity to be the Sound Designer for the five one-hour abridged presentations of Shakespearean plays produced by our five-week Theater Conservatory, sponsored by the Artistic Learning Department. This internship is designed to train the intern in systems, design, programming and mixing.
COSTUME SHOP
The Costume Shop intern is the primary manager of Costume rentals throughout the season, assisting the Costume Shop Manager with organization and maintenance of the stock as well as soliciting and coordinating all Rentals to other theaters. Additionally, the Costume Shop intern assists the build of each show as directed by the Costume Shop Manager. They also have the opportunity to coordinate costumes in participation with the Costume Design Intern for the five one-hour abridged presentations of Shakespearean plays produced by our five-week Theater Conservatory, sponsored by the Artistic Learning Department. This internship is designed to pride the intern with a greater background and sense of the inner workings of the Costume shop, to improve skills in construction, task management, and to open up professional theater experience and industry contacts.
SCENIC DESIGN
The Scenic Design intern works closely with the Scenic Designer throughout the rehearsal process and tech period in design implementation, Properties design, and problem-solving. The intern gains knowledge of Scenic Design in professional theater on our stage from its early conceptual stages through the opening of a show, encountering necessary adjustments based upon space, cost, and the evolving needs of the production. They also have the opportunity to design the set(s) for the five one-hour abridged presentations of Shakespearean plays produced by our five-week Theater Conservatory, sponsored by the Artistic Learning Department. This internship is designed to furnish the intern with solid experience in a professional, regional theater environment, and to establish contacts with Designers and Artisans.
LIGHTING DESIGN
Beginning with the studio phase of the design process, the Lighting Design intern works with the Lighting Designer and the Electrics and Scenery departments to successfully integrate the design into the space. The Lighting Design intern serves as an Assistant in tech, being on hand to take notes, record Followspot cues, and to assist in programming the show. A background in design and a familiarity with Vectorworks, Lightwright, and CAD—or related program experience—are desirable for the internship. Interns also have the opportunity to design the lighting for the five one-hour abridged presentations of Shakespearean plays produced by our five-week Theater Conservatory sponsored by the Artistic Learning Department. The intern will gain valuable experience in seeing the design develop, and will build professional relationships with Designers and Artisans.
COSTUME DESIGN
Perhaps more than any design discipline, Costume Design requires the greatest amount of flexibility and involves the most change throughout the rehearsal process. The Costume Design intern works closely from the beginning of rehearsals through the opening of the show on design implementation, from finalizing ideas to fittings through construction, rentals, and shopping; this requires close attention to the needs of the rehearsal process and particular interest in maintaining the central design aesthetic as it is realized in practical, material terms on the stage. They also have the opportunity to design the costumes and dress—in collaboration with the Costume Shop Intern—the five one-hour abridged presentations of a Shakespearean play produced by our five-week Theater Conservatory, sponsored by the Artistic Learning Department. The Costume Design intern will gain valuable experience in a professional context, potentially forging relationships that will assist in his or her career for many years to come.
EDUCATION
Education Interns work in close partnership with the Artistic Learning staff and summer teaching artists to produce a number of educational events. The interns gain an understanding of instruction in a number of performance disciplines, including Acting, Movement, Voice, Text, and Stage Combat, by working alongside professional teaching artists in two- and five-week Summer Theater Camps. They assist an age group during morning classes and afternoon rehearsals. In addition to observing quality instruction, education interns learn how to create effective lesson plans, developing curriculum which they put in to action, leading exercises and warm-ups during the camp session. For the final camp performances, the intern serves as assistant director, discovering how to polish scenes, give effective notes, and create engaging supportive environments for young actors to flourish. During Student Matinees, education interns serve as house staff, engaging with teachers, students, and chaperones as they experience Cal Shakes’ main-stage work. The intern also helps produce our Inside Scoop events, a Q&A panel where audiences engage actors, designers, and the director during the rehearsal process. The intern will emerge from the summer with all the tools necessary to become an early-career teaching artist at Cal Shakes and will build many new connections with professional teachers and artists in the Bay Area and beyond.