The goals of our program are threefold. We want to provide you with insight into various career paths, facilitate opportunities for you to make professional contacts, and equip you with marketable skills for jobs and graduate programs in theatre and not-for-profit management. Our comprehensive program provides hands-on experience in not-for-profit theatre administration & production. Through such features as our VIP Signature Seminars, Signature Mentorship, and the In-House Meeting Swap, Signature interns gain a wealth of insight and invaluable guidance in their careers. If you are an undergraduate, early-career professional, or graduate student, read on about our exciting program.
A Signature Intern
An essential goal of our program is to equip you with marketable skills by giving you project-specific tasks under the guidance of your department staff. A Signature intern will gain experience primarily through these projects and by handling various day-to-day administrative duties. As a Signature intern, you are completely integrated in the daily functions of the company and are considered a vital member of our staff. You will work closely with your department, participating in all department meetings, as well as all full-staff events and special events, which include but are not limited to:
VIP Signature Seminars
Sit down for a chat with Signature’s artistic & executive directors, department heads, as well as guest artists and industry professionals. At these monthly chats, you get a chance to ask questions and become acquainted with these seasoned theatre professionals in an informal atmosphere.
Signature Mentorship
Midway through your time at Signature you will be paired with a mentor. Through regular check-ins with the Internship Coordinator, you get a chance to discuss your interests and make requests for a mentor. This part of our program is intended to help develop relationship-building skills and foster professional relationships that can possibly last beyond your time here at Signature.
In-House Meeting Swaps
To accommodate our interns' growing interests and curiosities as they uncover the various facets of our company, we've implemented a feature of our program that allows them to get a direct look into the mechanics of each department, no matter what internship they've been hired for. So that if, let's say, you're an artistic intern with a budding interest in fundraising, you get the chance to sit in on development meetings. Or if you're a general management intern, and you want to experience a production meeting, you're more than welcome! Such features of our program aim to give our interns as dynamic an internship experience as possible.
Benefits of a Signature Intern
• A weekly stipend
• Complimentary tickets to all Signature productions
• Complimentary and discounted tickets to shows throughout New York City
APPLICATION & DEADLINES
Commitment:
Internships are offered for the Fall (September to December), Spring (January to May), and Summer (June to August) sessions. Full-time internships range from no less than 40 hours a week. Part-time internships range from no less than 20 to 29 hours a week.
Deadlines:
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
A Complete Application:
We strongly advise that you submit all these components at the same time. If necessary, letters of recommendation can be sent separately. Please be sure to clearly indicate BOTH your name and internship session on your letters of recommendation if they are sent separately. It is advisable to submit your whole application in one PDF, except for the letter of recommendation. These are the components of a complete application:
1. Download and fill out the Internship Application Form here:
PLEASE NOTE: Applications are considered incomplete without this form.
2. A letter of interest
3. A resume
4. At least one letter of recommendation
5. A non-creative writing sample of approximately 500 to 1000 words (for artistic and literary only)
Submit Applications to INTERNSHIP COORDINATOR :
Email: internships@signaturetheatre.org
Fax: 212-967-2957
Mail: The Pershing Square Signature Center
480 West 42nd Street
New York, NY 10036
ATTN: Internship Coordinator
NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE
Interviews:
Interviews are required. We greatly prefer in-person interviews, but can also arrange for phone interviews if necessary.
For more helpful information before submitting your application, refer to our Frequently Asked Questions.
SIGNATURE THEATRE INTERNSHIP POSITIONS
ARTISTIC INTERN:
The Artistic Interns assist the members of the Artistic Department with the management of all creative and administrative aspects of producing the season. Two full-time positions are available each semester. Responsibilities include:
• General administrative assistance for the Artistic staff
• Assisting with the updating of Artistic calendars and documents
• Assisting with the organization and upkeep of all Artistic files and archives
• Availability for all rehearsals, tech rehearsals, and preview performances for line running, on-book duties, and creative team assistance
• Assisting in the preparations for and execution of supplemental programming and in-house Artistic events at the Signature Center
• Providing assistance as needed for Signature’s Playwrights-in-Residence
• Completing research as needed
• Covering readings and performances throughout the city on behalf of the Artistic department
*Please note that the work schedule for the artistic internship will likely be irregular and include evening and weekend hours.
Candidates must have a strong theatre background. Must have excellent research, writing, and analytical skills, as well as strong computer and organizational skills.
Please submit a non-creative writing sample and references along with your application.
LITERARY INTERN:
The Literary Intern assists the Literary Director, Literary Associate, and Literary Fellow with all aspects of managing the Literary department. Responsibilities include:
• Writing for Signature’s Magazine, multimedia and other lobby displays, website and other supplemental materials
• Maintaining the script database
• Assisting in supplemental programming events
• Reading and evaluating scripts
• Covering outside productions
• Maintaining Playwright-in-Residence research archive
• Assisting with production dramaturgy
• Supervising scripts throughout rehearsal process
• Copy-editing
• Managing Literary Office archival material
Candidates must have a strong theatre background. Must have excellent research, writing, and analytical skills, as well as strong computer and organizational skills. Please submit a non-creative writing sample and references along with your application.
GENERAL MANAGEMENT:
The General Management Intern is an integral part of the General Management team and reports directly to the Associate General Manager. This internship provides a focus on general management for the not-for-profit theatre, in addition to supporting the organization’s rental program. The General Management Intern supports the department with:
• Agent correspondence, drafting artist contracts and handling payments
• Preparing royalty and show-related reports
• Production budgeting
• Responding to rental inquiries and scheduling/giving tours
• Managing rental customer database
• Drafting rental contracts and tracking of expenses
• Maintaining files and other administrative tasks
Qualifications:
Candidates should have a warm personality, good organizational, communication, and time-management skills, be detail-oriented, and have a genuine enthusiasm for theatre. Candidates should be proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook).
This is a full-time position with some evening/weekend work required.
COMPANY MANAGEMENT :
The Company Management Intern is an integral part of the Company Management team and reports to the Company Manager. This internship provides a focus on company management for the not-for-profit theatre.
The Company Management Intern supports the department with:
• House seats and other company ticketing requests and special event rsvp’s
• Attending to the needs of artists and providing show coverage
• Assisting the Company Manager with travel and accommodations
• Planning and executing special events including first rehearsal meet & greets, Alumni nights, and closing events
• Agent correspondence, drafting contracts and handling payments
• Maintaining production files and other administrative tasks
Qualifications:
Candidates should have a warm personality, good communication, organizational and time-management skills, be detail-oriented, and have a genuine enthusiasm for theatre. Some evening and weekend work required. Candidates should be proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook). Tessitura or other ticketing experience is a plus.
This is a full-time position with some evening/weekend work required.
DEVELOPMENT AND SPECIAL EVENTS INTERN:
This is a fundraising position, assisting the Development Department with:
• Researching potential donors
• Coordinating special events
• Writing letters, proposals, and reports
• Communicating and interacting with donors
Qualifications:
This position offers broad exposure to various aspects of fundraising and is an excellent opportunity for anyone looking to learn about non-profit arts administration.
FINANCE:
The Finance intern works closely with the General Manager and Controller. This internship provides a focus on financial management for the not-for-profit theatre. Responsibilities include:
• Assisting the Business Department with fiscal operation and personnel management
• Assisting in facilities rental and management
• Attending to daily financial processes and controls
• Assisting with contracts and the monitoring of payment schedules
• Audit organization and prep work
• In addition, the intern provides general administrative support including telephone, filing, copying and correspondence.
Qualifications:
Candidates should possess excellent writing, communication and organizational skills, be computer and internet savvy, and be able to work independently. A well-rounded theatrical/office management background is preferred.
MARKETING:
The Marketing Intern works closely with the Marketing Director, Marketing Manager, Marketing Associate and Marketing Assistant. This internship provides a focus on marketing for the not-for-profit theatre. Responsibilities include:
• Assisting the Marketing team with the planning and implementation of seasonal and production marketing strategies
• Helping to identify and research new audiences
• Maintaining press and photo archives
• Managing database and website content
• Assembling and implementing mailings
• Assisting with Box Office Operations
• Develop, implement, and execute a Social Media Campaign utilizing Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube
• Assist with the execution of special events and supplemental programs
Qualifications:
Candidates should have excellent writing and organizational skills, be computer and internet savvy (knowledge of Tessitura or other Box Office software a plus.)
DIGITAL MEDIA:
The Digital Media Intern assists the Digital Media Associate and other members of the Marketing department with all aspects of multimedia content. Responsibilities include:
• Shooting and editing video content
• Helping coordinate artists and assisting on photo shoots
• Translating digital media efforts to social networking and other online platforms
• Converting existing assets to digital formats
• Tracking results of digital media efforts
Qualifications:
Candidates should have an interest in and some experience in video production/editing and be able to work independently and meet deadlines. Specifically, knowledge of Final Cut Pro 7, Adobe After Effects, and Adobe CS5 is preferred. Knowledge of HTML is not required but is a plus. Please submit an example of previous editing or film work with your application.
PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT:
The Production Management Intern will assist the Production Management office in:
• Coordinating the technical aspects of all Signature Theatre Company productions, special events and rentals
• Providing administrative support to technical departments at Signature Theatre Company
Qualifications:
This is an excellent opportunity for anyone interested in production to work hands on with an Off Broadway company.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What type of internships do you offer?
We offer internships in the following areas: Artistic, Literary, Company Management, Development, General Management, Marketing, Capital Campaign and Production Management.
Do I need to include a writing sample?
We only require writing samples for the Artistic and Literary Internships.
What kind of writing sample should I submit?
The writing sample should be critical in nature, non-creative and in the 500 to 1,000-word range. Possibilities include a short essay, an article or a review. We prefer that you do not submit a creative writing sample—no short stories or excerpts from plays, please.
What is the best time to submit my application?
To be considered for a fall internship, we recommend you submit your application materials by late June; for a spring internship, mid-October; and to be considered for the summer session, early March.
Are there exact start and end dates?
All start and end dates are flexible. We do ask that you please indicate in your cover letter or application form if you are not available for any portion of the internship session for which you are applying.
Do I need previous experience?
We are looking for candidates who have demonstrated a strong interest in theatre either in school or professionally. Our interns have a wide variety of skills, backgrounds and experience.
Are the internships full- or part-time?
We offer both full-time and part-time internships depending on your schedule. Our administrative office hours are Monday-Friday, 10am-6pm. Full-time interns work no less than 30 to 40 hours per week, and part-time interns work no less than 15 to 29 hours per week. During the season Artistic, Production Management and Company Management interns are expected to help with rehearsals and performances outside of regular office hours.
Are stipends or housing available?
Signature interns do receive stipends, but can opt for college credit instead. We understand and are happy to accommodate the need for paid part-time employment outside the company. Unfortunately, we do not provide intern housing.
Can I receive academic credit for my internship with Signature?
Yes, by arrangement with your institution.
What if I have additional questions?
Please note that we do not accept phone calls regarding internships. If you have additional questions, we are more than happy to take them via email. Please email any questions you may have to internships@signaturetheatre.org. We look forward to hearing from you!
IMAGE: Bill Heck in The Orphans' Home Cycle by Horton Foote. Photo by Gregory Costanzo.