Summer Independent
The Summer Independent program is a professionally mentored program unique to Village Theatre. It is the pinnacle theatrical experience for students in the KIDSTAGE program and provides autonomy, resources, and mentorship to aspiring theatre professionals to produce their own full-scale show from start to finish. Unlike other KIDSTAGE productions, emphasis is put on the design, creation of the show, and peer-to-peer mentorship. Students take on every aspect of producing; from directing to designing and building sets, creating costumes, running sound and lights, marketing, management, and more.
Each summer, students prepare a written proposal of shows that they are interested in producing for the following summer. Applications are reviewed by Village Theatre Executive Producer, Artistic Director, and KIDSTAGE staff, and interviews are held with select teams before a show is selected to produce.
Village Theatre’s entire professional staff — from the technical and design studios to the marketing office to the stage managers and beyond — are involved in mentoring the artistic team, all of whom are interns. The Summer Independent program is an entry point to professional theatre for the entire production team and Summer Independent performers are challenged with the goal of reaching the highest professional standards possible.
The Summer Independent Internship program includes:
- A customized learning plan
- 20-40 hours per week of hands-on experiential learning
- Direct mentorship by a theatre professional
- A progressive learning experience that can potentially lead to paid positions
- Theatre skills applicable to career opportunities
- The promotion of positive values through art
- Summer Independent internships include a stipend to reimburse expenses depending on schedule and position
Students prepare a show proposal of what show the team would like to produce for the following summer, and submit an application to be reviewed by the Village Theatre Executive Producer, Artistic Director, and KIDSTAGE staff.
For those interested in the director, choreographer or music director internships for future Summer Independents, please check out the Summer Independent Proposal Process for more information about joining the direction and submitting proposals. Proposals are submitted a year in advance of the production performance.
For more information, including how to submit proposals: