Summer Programs in Tech or Stage Management for a rising HS senior

My son is looking for a summer program with a residential component, to help him sort out whether he wants to pursue aa degree in either tech theater or stage management.

Any suggestions on where to look? We’re looking at CMU, but it would be a huge expense for us. I think we could figure out how to make it work,

On the other extreme, financially, we were looking at the possibility of having him apply to be a stage management intern at Muhlenberg College. Their program is not only free, but they pay a small stipend, but I’m not sure how much the students learn, vs. being used as poorly paid laborers.

Does anyone have experience with either program, or suggestions of other programs to look at?

If you are open to well known theatre camps (not run by a college/university) check out French Woods Festival in NY and Interlochen in MI. I have a friend who goes to French Woods and the shows they do are A) well-known large productions and B) provide a ton of tech opportunities such as Stage managing, lighting design, carpentry, etc.

Thanks! Interlochen is even more expensive than CMU!

I don’t think that camps are out of the question, but I’m having trouble understanding how the groupings work at French Woods, as my son would be at the very very top of the age range. I think he’d probably prefer something that is HS specific.

Perhaps community/regional theatre would be an option? I’m not sure where you are located, but here in the Washington D.C. area, there are a lot of community/regional theatres that have summer shows. They often look for volunteers to work on the tech aspects. These volunteers positions are often filled by adults and high school students (depending on the company).

The internship he’s got at Muhlenberg sounds fantastic. I don’t know about you, but I couldn’t wait to stop paying for opportunities and start seeing my S get paid for them (badly, but still).

I actually haven’t paid for anything theater related for him, it’s all been either school based or unpaid internships with a local theater program. So, maybe that’s partially why I have sticker shock, I’m not used to paying!

He doesn’t have the Muhlenberg internship, just saw it on their website and thought he might apply. I know nothing about it, other than what it says there:

http://www.muhlenberg.edu/main/academics/theatre-dance/smt/opportunities.html#intern (scroll down, HS internships are at the bottom).

Since I posted, he and I talked about what he wants for the summer. He clarified for me that while he does a lot of stage management stuff at the theater where he works, he doesn’t see himself as a professional stage manager. He says his interests are lights and scenery, and more from a technology perspective than a design perspective. He says the TD at the theater where he works has his “dream job”. So, now I’m thinking that Muhlenberg might not be the right choice.

Are there any 2 - 3 week programs in tech theater than anyone knows about? It seems that Point Park used to have one that sounded perfect, but it’s not running this summer.

Emerson has one: http://www.emerson.edu/academics/pre-college/pre-college-studio-programs

I agree with the poster above. Do not pay for any precollege program. See if your child can work in community theatre or regional theater for pay or as an intern. That will carry way more weight than you writing an $8000 check for a summer program. My son is a a college sophomore studying theater tech. He worked in our local theater for three summers, than as a residential (very low) paid intern at a key Shakespeare Festival the summer after his freshman year in college.