Stage Management Internship

[ruinexplorer]

From Cirque du Soleil's job section:

Stage Management Internship Opportunities, Resident Shows Division, Las Vegas (Winter 2010) - RES03094

Description

This position will report to a representative of Stage Management: Your goal will be to gain the training and experience you need to enter the exciting field of stage management for a production or theatre company.



As an intern you will gain hands-on experience, develop skills in our stage management department as well as gain knowledge about the operations of the production company;
You will learn more about your field of study and your career goals while establishing a network of professional contacts, mentors, and references;
You will gain insight into the key competencies, skills, and work characteristics employers seek;
You will be expected to follow all employee guidelines, policies and procedures as well as act in a professional manor;
You will be required to meet all mandatory assignments/projects and readings issued by your manager;
You will be expected to do all other duties as assigned by your manager.
*To be considered for this position you must attach an essay to your cover letter when applying for the position.

The essay requirement is:

Minimum 300 words;
How would an internship with Cirque du Soleil help meet your future goals and what distinguishes you from other applicants?

Qualifications

Internship Opportunities are available for Winter 2010.
The ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications:
Have a 3.0 G.P.A (cumulative or within your degree program
The ability to receive college credit for the internship;
The ability to participate the entire length of the internship program;
Experience participating in college or high school theatre performances;
Ability to communicate in English;
Ability to use Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Internet;
Excellent verbal and written communication skills;
Willing to work on weekends, nights and holidays as needed or required;
Ability to provide your own transportation and housing while participating in the in internship;
Ability to live or provide for your own means on a minimum $7.55 per hour pay rate.
*To be considered for this position you must attach an essay to your cover letter when applying for the position.
The essay requirement is:
Minimum 300 words;
How would an internship with Cirque du Soleil help meet your future goals and what distinguishes you from other applicants?

Job: Production and Technical Support & Operations
Primary Location: Las Vegas (USA)
Organization: Resident Shows
Travel: No

Job Posting: 2009-Jul-17
Unposting Date: 2009-Jul-31

From what Gafftaper says, having an internship with Cirque gives you a stron upeer hand with getting hired on one of their shows. I hear that they also do internship interviews at USITT and other shows like that, so keep your eyes open.

[NickJones]

Oh, I might look into some of these later down the track... I could live in Vegas....
Nick

[gafftaper]

Originally Posted by NickJones

Oh, I might look into some of these later down the track... I could live in Vegas....Nick

Living in Vegas is not necessarily what you might think. Career wise it's a great place to work, don't get me wrong. You'll build great connections and establish some great stuff for your resume. If I was 19 again I would put getting an internship like this (there are several offered each year) at the top of my goals list. These people have a much better than average chance at getting hired for a really cool job with Cirque. However, is it a good place to try to find a soul mate, settle down, have a family, and grow old? Not so much.

No problem you say, you'll just live their a few years and have a wild party life while you build your resume and then move on. That's a problem too, everything is VERY expensive. You can't afford to have a wild party lifestyle in Vegas on the salary you'll be making. You can easily blow a weeks salary on dinner, a show, and a night on the town afterward.

When you get away from the glitter (and expense) of the strip, life in Vegas is not what you might think. People, in general, are not particularly well educated. There's no real industry in Vegas other than gambling. My brother in law moved their excited about life in this exotic and glamorous city. But quickly learned he couldn't afford any of that on his salary. The people he met spent their lives dreaming of a job as a black jack dealer or cocktail waitress... really?... That's your dream job? But what else is there in Vegas for the average person to aspire to do?

Like I said, I'm not saying you shouldn't do it. I love Vegas. It's a great place to build your career in tech theater. However, the reality is Vegas may not be your dream destination for the rest of your life... it's also freakin' HOT there in August.

Comments from the Vegas residents?

[ruinexplorer]

Well, it's not as hot as Phoenix in the summer, but close to it. Some of my co-workers who have moved from New England or even Colorado are finding the heat quite oppressive. However, many of them like the mild winters that we have here.

As for lifestyle, I would say that the majority of the area does fit Gaff's perception of the intelligence of the population. Since there are so many hotels and restaurants, there is a need for many in the service industry. Well, it doesn't take a lot of intelligence for most of those jobs. They don't pay well and those of intelligence aspire to something more and find themselves out of options here.

In technical theater, there's a huge variety of jobs and payscales. I wouldn't have moved here if I hadn't been offered a job at one of the big shows (and one that I felt would last more than a few years). The problem is, if you come in working one of the small shows, you may be trapped into obscurity. I have heard that some of the hotels pay their AV staff minimum wage! Many of the on-call technicians make little more than that, even if they are working on headliner concerts. It's no wonder why they get trapped here, they can't afford to leave. If this job ever falls through, I'd try to get out of this town as soon as possible. I don't really enjoy living here as a family man. If I want to take my kids to the movies, bowling, or many other family activities, I am most likely going to have to go to a casino. Since casino's are designed for adults, that can be difficult to take your family there.

Getting an internship with Cirque, even if it doesn't lead you to a job with Cirque, will provide you with something great for your resume. Once it's on your resume, you will need to run for a job as soon as possible. Make sure that internship doesn't get buried with a lot of other experience so that it gets noticed. The majority of people that I work with got their start working at theme parks, cruises, or even the Feld Entertainment shows. That's probably your best bet to working your way into the top shows in Vegas.

[derekleffew]

Originally Posted by gafftaper

... it's also freakin' HOT there in August.

Comments from the Vegas residents?

June and July can be warm also. (High of 109°F expected today.) If you can't stand the heat...something about kitchen.