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Internships

To ensure that we can offer our interns a holistic, enriching experience, Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s Internship Program is temporarily suspended while our teams are working remotely. We will post an update here when the program resumes, so please check back on our internship opportunities for future terms.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) is a leading international theater company, known for vibrant productions that reflect Shakespeare’s genius for storytelling, language, and empathy for the human condition. A recipient of the Regional Theatre Tony Award, CST produces as many as 20 plays and over 650 performances every season, making it one of America’s largest, most celebrated theaters.

Internships at Chicago Shakespeare Theater offer an enriching, career-broadening experience for qualified college students, recent graduates, and young professionals. Internships are available during three seasons per year (Summer, Fall and Winter/Spring) in the following departments: Advancement, Casting, Company Management, Costume Shop, Education, Electrics, Gala, Marketing/Public Relations, Production Management, Properties, Stage Management, Scenic Department, and Wigs.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater is committed to professional development and career preparation, and strives to make our internships a valuable learning opportunity. Chicago Shakespeare is committed to building diversity and inclusion onstage and throughout the organization. We especially encourage candidates from underrepresented groups to apply.

Throughout the internship, CST interns:

  • Act as integral members of their respective departments; obtaining hands-on, real world experience in a creative and supportive atmosphere
  • Receive one-on-one mentoring from CST staff members, plus the opportunity to meet with the heads of various departments
  • Build professional relationships
  • Develop a body of work that can be used towards building a professional portfolio
  • Participate in an intern seminar series that illuminates the workings of a large arts organization

Other benefits include:

  • A modest travel stipend
  • College credit as available through a student’s academic institution
  • Complimentary tickets to CST performances
  • A review of the intern’s resume and portfolio with CST staff members
  • Invitations to company-wide events with actors, designers and other artists
  • Free and reduced-price tickets to other Chicago theaters through "industry" offers
  • Engagement with Chicago’s vibrant theater scene, including the opportunity to network with Chicago theater professionals and other Chicago interns through the League of Chicago Theatres’ Intern Networking Events

Previous Chicago Shakespeare Interns have gone on to work for South Coast Repertory Theatre, Goodman Theatre, Broadway in Chicago, Drury Lane Theatre, Birmingham Repertory Theatre, The Julliard School, The Field Museum, The Glimmerglass Festival, Windy City Playhouse, Stage 773, Ravenswood Events, Children’s Museum of Manhattan and Chicago Public Schools, among others.

The level of responsibility and the ongoing workload of an ever-growing artistic institution require that interns be highly motivated, energetic, and self-reliant. Scheduling is flexible, though most internships are full time and 3-4 months in duration. School-year internships typically require a minimum of 2-3 days per week. All Stage Management positions are full time, typically Tuesday-Sunday. Chicago Shakespeare Theater does not offer internships in directing, acting, or design.

Please note that not all departments offer internships each season.

Arts Administration Internships

  • Advancement
  • Casting
  • Company Management
  • Education
  • Marketing / PR

Production Internships

  • Costume Shop
  • Electrics
  • Production Management
  • Properties
  • Stage Management
  • Wigs
   
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