Download Summer dinner theatre High school apprentice program

Summer dinner theatre
High school apprentice program
Montgomery College Summer Dinner Theatre is looking for two highly motivated, graduating
MCPS seniors to join us for our high school apprenticeship program, now in its third year. Each
apprentice serves as an Assistant Stage Manager for one of the Summer Dinner Theatre
productions. Once the first show closes, the apprentice assigned to that production is expected
to participate in some manner (agreed upon between the Production Manager and the
apprentice) on the second show.
Summer Dinner Theatre was started in 1977 and gives students extensive and intensive
experience in musical theater production. In addition to performance and technical work,
students work in the dinner service area. Our students come from area high schools and
colleges and work alongside professional directors and designers. A typical summer will involve
about 70 actors, 15 technicians and 12 to 14 college interns. Actors from one show are
expected to serve in a technical area for the other show. Our general technical students are
trained in several technical areas.
About 12 years ago Summer Dinner Theatre started its college internship program primarily to
develop Stage Managers and to give students the opportunity to specialize in one area while
being mentored by one of our professional staff. Interns receive a stipend to defray costs so
they can be on site during the day to prepare for the evening’s rehearsals or work calls. The
internships have expanded over the years to include 12 areas of production. The success of the
program has been so great, that many of our interns have been employed in the areas that they
trained in at Montgomery College. Our interns have worked for such companies as Arena Stage,
Cirque de Soleil, Washington Savoyards, Wooly Mammoth Theatre, American Dance Institute,
Maryland Opera Society, Atlas Theatre, The Washington Fringe Festival, and many other places.
In recent years, some of our past interns have received Helen Hayes awards.
The duties of the apprentice will be to assist the Stage Management Intern in many of their
duties. The apprentices will gain valuable hands-on experience in the process of producing a
large-scale production from the first rehearsal to technical rehearsal, performances and postproduction. They will have the opportunity to work alongside working professionals in all areas
of theatrical production and will receive 3 college credits in Musical Theatre Production and a
small stipend to cover expenses such as transportation and food.
Qualifications:
In order to qualify for an apprenticeship, a student must be a Montgomery County resident, be
expected to graduate from a MCPS high school by the end of June, and have theatre
experience. Furthermore, the student must be in good academic standing at his or her high
school. Qualified applicants will be interviewed and selected by the Artistic Director and/or the
Production Manager of Summer Dinner Theatre. To apply, interested and qualified applicants
should send an email to [email protected] . The subject line should read: “SDT
HS Apprentice Application” and the email should include a brief statement of why they think we
should consider them for the position. Students should also attach a resume. To be considered,
we should receive this email no later than close of business on Wednesday, April 27, 2016.
Schedule:
Start Date: Tuesday, May 16 (First class night of Summer Dinner Theatre)
End Date: Thursday, August 4 (Thursday following final strike of Summer Dinner Theatre)
Hours: M – F, 4pm to 10:30 plus weekend rehearsals and performances (this schedule may be
altered/modified for the student to meet high school obligations)
Schedule for final week: Monday – Thursday, 12 – 6pm
Supervisors: Technical Director/Production Manager and Artistic Director (with input from the
Directors and Stage Manager for the show to which the apprentice is assigned)
Compensation: $500 stipend and scholarship for tuition for 3 academic credits (Musical Theatre
Production)
As always, we are also looking for students 16 and older to either audition to perform in our
shows or interview to be a technician. These students should go to the SDT website:
http://cms.montgomerycollege.edu/sdt/ to sign-up for an audition or interview time.