Performing arts internship: technical roles and production backstage

Live performance seen from the wings

The audience sees the performers; an intern discovers everything else. A production rests on a set of trades that depend on one another: technical direction, production stage management, stage crew, lighting, sound, video, machinery, props, costumes, dressing, administration, production, touring and distribution, and audience relations.

This variety is an advantage, because it lets you steer towards what suits you: handling tools, working with fabrics, managing a budget, coordinating artists. But it also means asking the right question from the start: which job do you want to observe? An internship in a technical crew has almost nothing in common with an internship in the administration of a theatre company.

Where internships take place

The host venues are more varied than the famous big theatres. Typical examples include:

• theatres and publicly funded venues, which have permanent teams and several auditoriums;
• opera houses, orchestras and dance centres, with specialised departments;
• independent companies, often smaller, where everyone does a bit of everything;
• festivals, which offer intense assignments but only for a limited time;
• technical suppliers, who specialise in hiring out and installing stage equipment;
• live music venues and multi-purpose arts centres.

A small company lets you see a production from start to finish; a large venue lets you observe strict procedures and big teams at work.

Stage management, lighting, sound, costume: what a technical intern does

At first, an intern learns by watching and assisting. On the stage crew, you follow the scene changes, locate the props and prepare what each scene needs. In lighting, you help rig the lamps, patch them into circuits and memorise the cues. In sound, you learn to run cables, test microphones and follow a running order.

In the costume workshop, you may discover how fabrics are prepared, how alterations are made, and how outfits are maintained and tracked during the run. In every case, a good internship is about understanding how tasks follow one another rather than piling them up. Seeing how a scene change was designed, timed and then rehearsed teaches you more than a long series of small chores.

Production and administration: the other side of the stage

Many people drawn to the performing arts do not realise that fascinating office-based jobs exist: production officer, administrator, touring and distribution officer, communications or box-office manager. These roles organise tours, negotiate contracts, follow budgets, prepare grant applications and look after visiting artists.

A production intern might contribute to a touring schedule, write a presentation pack, update a contact list or help welcome a visiting company. This kind of internship suits someone who enjoys organisation and working with people, and it combines well with studies in cultural management or performing arts administration.

Stage rules to respect from day one

A stage is a workplace with precise constraints. Silence during technical set-ups, respect for call times, and care when moving around scenery and cables are part of everyday life. Some tasks carry real risk: working at height, handling heavy loads, electrical installations, pyrotechnic effects or smoke.

An intern must never carry out a task without having been shown how to do it and, where required, without the proper certification. If an instruction seems dangerous or unclear, ask, even when the day is hectic. Teams appreciate caution and are wary of too much initiative. Wear dark, practical clothes and closed shoes unless told otherwise.

Training routes, work-study and the status of professionals

There are many ways in: technical school diplomas, higher education courses in stage technology, drama and set design schools, bachelor's degrees in performing arts, and master's degrees in cultural administration. Several training centres offer work-study programmes for stage managers and technicians, which let you train while working inside an organisation.

You should also know a particular feature of the sector: many professionals work on a series of short contracts and come under a specific unemployment-benefit scheme. An intern does not benefit from it, but quickly hears about how it works. Understanding this reality early helps you decide calmly whether you are aiming for a permanent post in one venue or a career moving from project to project.

A fictional example: a six-week internship with a theatre company

Here is an illustration, with rounded and hypothetical figures. Karim is studying for a stage technician diploma and joins a company for six weeks while it creates a play with six performers. During the first two weeks, he assists the stage manager at rehearsals and learns to keep the prompt book, a document that records every lighting, sound and stage cue.

In the third week, the company moves into a theatre for the technical rehearsals. Karim helps with the rigging, checks the props, then follows the first three performances from the control booth. He leaves with an annotated prompt book, a sense of how teamwork operates and a written opinion from the stage manager on his reliability. The internship does not guarantee a job, but it provides a credible reference.

Finding your place and convincing a team

Applying in the performing arts means knowing the venue or company: look at its programme, its past productions and its teams. Write to the technical director or the administrator, depending on the role you want, with a short message that is precise about dates and about your project. Attach a CV focused on useful experience: a drama society, festival volunteering, backstage work at school.

Timing matters: teams are less available during get-ins and new productions, and more open during preparation periods. Try to suggest your dates well in advance. During the internship, be the first to arrive and the last to leave at get-ins: people very quickly notice who can be counted on.

Framework, allowance and mistakes to avoid

In France, an internship usually takes place as part of a course, with an agreement signed between you, your school and the host organisation. Beyond a length set by regulations, an allowance is due; its amount changes and should be checked with your school. Hours in live performance are sometimes unusual: evenings, weekends, travel. They must appear in the agreement and respect legal limits.

Common mistakes: turning up without knowing the play, standing in front of the lights, using a phone during rehearsals, sharing rehearsal photos without permission, or asking to touch a setting without having been trained. Discretion, listening and punctuality remain the most sought-after qualities.