Can I still tour through China AND find an internship?

[Rosco]

So I just got a gig as the Assistant Lighting Designer, for a dance company that is doing a month long tour through China. Obviously I am super excited, this being my first ever professional tour, and it being international to boot! But its going through the middle of May through the middle of June, and I was still wanting to go out and have a summerstock position at a theatre. However, everywhere I look they all want people to be able to start right around the time I will be in china.

So my question is, does anyone know of anywhere that would allow someone to jump in perhaps a month late? Is that even normal? Some advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[rochem]

That's awfully late. The summer right after I graduated from high school, I managed to land an internship at a summerstock theatre, even though I couldn't start until mid to late June. The theatre was being renovated, so they pushed back the beginning of the season in order to allow that to continue, and that's the only reason I was able to get that job. A fellow intern was pretty overqualified for the job, but one of the big reasons he was there instead of somewhere else was because he was in Italy until late June, and this was the only job he could find that started so late. So, long story short, while I'm sure there are places that start later, you might have a hard time finding them. However, many summerstocks will use overhire electricians for hangs and focuses in addition to their full-time interns (and they usually pay the overhires quite a bit better), and you might just be able to get by with a number of freelance gigs. Alternatively, you might look into working for a production company for the summer, working out of a shop instead of doing shows - their schedules are usually less seasonal than summerstocks.

Hope that helps.

 

[gafftaper]

It's going to be tough but all you can do is apply. I would plan on putting out a VERY wide net of applications because it's already competitive with the bad economy out there and you are adding a restriction to yourself.

 

[Synchronize]

Perhaps reconsider the summer stock idea and think about other production related internships? Other production companies that do corporate events, trades hows, concerts, the like? That's all part of the industry, too. And a lot of those companies look for help as needed. Get lots of resumes out there and get them out there early.

 

[Footer]

There are a handful of summerstocks that do start in Mid to early June. Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma starts around the 7th or 8th. Saratoga Opera up by me starts mid to late June.