Providing young artists with opportunities to enhance their skills in creativity, artistry, and professionalism through internships and programming.
About the Joanne Woodward Internship Program
Westport Country Playhouse is home to one of the nation’s preeminent theater internship programs. The training of emerging professionals in theater has formed a vital part of our mission since our program began in 1941. Each year, production and theater administration interns are given the opportunity to work directly with senior staff and gain crucial on-the-job experience in a vibrant and innovative professional theater. Weekly intern seminars feature a variety of guest speakers, including Playhouse staff members, visiting designers and artists, commercial producers, and more.
Due to our shortened season, we are unable to offer our production internships this year. We are offering Development, Education, and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Internships. We hope that our production internships return in the years to come.
The program will run from May 27th – August 12th, 2023
Stipend: $600 per week (equivalent to CT minimum wage)
These internships are in-person and work will occur at the Playhouse. This application is for all internships offered. Please submit only one application – even if you are interested in applying for more than one department. See individual job descriptions for more details.
Please note that you must be 20 or older and have a high school degree (or equivalent) to apply.
All Westport Country Playhouse employees are required to provide proof of complete COVID-19 vaccination AND proof of a booster dose (for those eligible as defined by Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines). Connecticut residents are encouraged to apply.
We are accepting applications from February 27th – March 24th.
The application deadline for our 2023 Woodward Internship is March 24, 2023.
***APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED***
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COMPENSATION
Interns will be paid a stipend of $600 per week (equivalent to current minimum wage for the State of Connecticut).
HOUSING + HOURS
Interns reside in provided housing for the length of their term; each intern will have their own room. The intern residence is located approximately eight miles from the Playhouse in Fairfield, Connecticut. Transportation to work is the responsibility of the intern but travel stipends may be available. Work hours are based on the needs of each department.
APPLICATION DEADLINE
The application deadline for our 2023 internship program is Friday, March 24th, 2023.
***APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED***
Questions?
Please reach out to our education department at education@westportplayhouse.org.
Internship areas
Development Intern
The Development Intern serves as assistant to the development department, which encompasses special events and working with donors. The Development Intern assists all aspects of the development department, including planning and implementation of donor cultivation events and other fundraising activities, research individual and institutional donor prospects, gift entry and database administration, and assists with administrative functions and maintaining fundraising data for the organization. This position may include evening and weekend work as needed.
Please download a PDF of the full job description which includes stipend information, additional job responsibilities, how to apply, and other important information.
Education Intern
The Playhouse is committed to engaging with K–12 students through the art of theater to create experiences that inspire lifelong learning as well as foster lasting partnerships with our community. All of our education programming centers around four pillars: Empathy, Collaboration, Literacy and Activism. The Education Intern assists all aspects of the education, including planning and implementation of education events and activities, research education programs and potential partnerships and assists with administrative functions and maintaining education data for the organization. This person will be required to work in-person at the Playhouse. Local CT and NY candidates are encouraged to apply. This position includes possible weekend and evening work.
Please download a PDF of the full job description which includes stipend information, additional job responsibilities, how to apply, and other important information.
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Intern
Equity is a core tenant of our work at the Westport Country Playhouse. We are passionate about building and sustaining an inclusive and equitable work environment for staff, artists, community members, and our audiences. Every team member at the Playhouse enriches our diversity by exposing us to a broad range of ways to understand and engage with the world, identify challenges, and discover, design, and deliver solutions. We seek an EDI Intern interested in joining us as we build capacity for our EDI mission and execute this new, dynamic, and creative work. We hope the EDI Intern will gain experience in how a non-profit theater functions as a creative hub within the community and brings about internal and external measures of equity that drive inclusivity.
Please download a PDF of the full job description which includes stipend information, additional job responsibilities, how to apply, and other important information.
My time with the Playhouse helped me to feel more confident in myself as an arts administrator, and I had the opportunity to work with industry professionals who were passionate about helping me learn! I was able to work on relevant projects, and was encouraged to bring my own ideas to the table. I loved my time with WCP!
Sydney Wyatt
2020 Marketing Intern
My time as the Education Intern at Westport was hands-down the most enriching and beneficial experience that I’ve had in theater to date. The community of artists at the Playhouse is an incredibly supportive and inspiring group of people, and I had so many opportunities to branch out while working with students from Westport and surrounding communities.
Gracelyn Shalaski
2020 Education Intern
This experience of working at the Playhouse is one I will cherish forever. The community was welcoming and I felt at home on the first day! The opportunities, people, and other interns I met during my time here created a family that I can always rely on.
Megan Coatney
2020 Development Intern
Westport Country Playhouse is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Applicants from populations underrepresented in the theater field are strongly encouraged to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, familial status, sexual orientation, national origin, ability, age, or veteran status.
All Westport Country Playhouse employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as defined by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
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