Chicago Shakespeare Theater education internship

About the organisation

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) is one of America’s leading regional theaters, known for vibrant productions that reflect Shakespeare’s genius for intricate storytelling, musicality of language and depth of feeling for the human condition. As a leading international cultural institution, CST is dedicated to producing extraordinary classical productions, new works and family fare; unlocking Shakespeare's work for educators and students; and serving as Chicago’s cultural ambassador through its World Stage Series. At its state-of-the-art facility on Chicago’s Navy Pier, CST house two intimate theatre spaces. Through a year-round season encompassing more than 500 performances, CST attracts nearly 200,000 audience members annually – including 40,000 students and teachers through its comprehensive education programs.

Find out more about the company on their website

About the internship

Internship opportunities at Chicago Shakespeare Theater are designed to provide an enriching, career-broadening experience for qualified college and graduate students. The level of responsibility and the ongoing workload of an ever-growing artistic institution require that interns be highly motivated, energetic and self-reliant.

The 2013 summer intern will be placed in the Theater’s Education Department. The Education Department creates and coordinates a number of programs, including: student matinee performances at the Theater and on tour regionally to schools; professional development through teacher workshops and seminars; online educational resources to complement the work on our stages; an onsite Teacher Resource Center; and “CPS Shakespeare!” – an abridged production staged by an ensemble of Chicago Public high school teachers and their students. Through these efforts, CST has created one of the largest and most respected arts-in-education programs in the country, which is further bolstered by diverse audience enrichment programs for playgoers of all ages.

The Education Department has a permanent staff of three, working closely with many of the 65-person staff of the Theater for various inter-departmental efforts. The Education Intern will work to support the department’s efforts; specific responsibilities are outlined below.

The internship will run for eight weeks, from approximately 1 July 2013 until 30 August 2013, though dates are flexible. All costs will be covered by Global Challenge.

Duties and responsibilities

  • Researching and writing essays, teaching activities and other materials for teacher resources
  • Internet research for production-related information and education programming updates from a variety of sources
  • Assisting in preparation and hosting of week-long teacher workshop for Chicago Public School high school English teachers
  • Assisting in preparation and hosting of week-long summer workshop for the student and teacher ensemble of the CPS Shakespeare! Program
  • Teacher Resource Center material management, acquisition and accessioning
  • Tabulation and qualitative analysis of evaluation and survey data

Qualifications and skills

Essential:

  • Strong communication and interpersonal skills
  • Detail-oriented, focused work ethic
  • Excellence in research and writing
  • Knowledge of online and print research materials
  • Maturity, good judgement and practical experience working with adolescents

Desirable:

  • Experience with digital photography
  • Proficiency and experience in desktop publishing

The internship is likely to be of most interest to students studying English, Drama or Education, but strong applicants from other disciplines will be considered. The most important skill, regardless of your degree discipline is writing and the ability to research

Application instructions

Applications for this opportunity have now closed.