Center Theatre Group offers internships for college undergraduate and graduate students throughout the year. Our interns get hands-on experience at departments across the company, study and learn alongside professionals, and participate in career development programs.

All internships are part of a company-wide structured learning experience that includes mandatory weekly professional development sessions on Tuesday afternoons on topics such as resume and cover letter writing, careers in Los Angeles theatre, and anti-racism in theatre.

For the 2023/24 school year, we will be offering internships for the summer cycle. Applications will open Tuesday, April 2. 

In addition to summer internships, we will be hosting Getting Started: A Career in Theatre Administration Symposium on January 27. Presented in partnership with East Los Angeles College, this symposium will introduce current undergraduate students to the different roles and functions of the business of theatre and offer professional development workshops to explore different career pathways in theatre administration.

Note that opportunities in technical theatre and artistic pathways are available through the Apprenticeship Program

Expandable element Can I send you my resume to keep on file? And can I apply to more than one internship at a time?

No. All applicants must submit a separate cover letter, resume, and PDF Center Theatre Group Internship Application for each position during the application window. We do not keep resumes on file. Choose one position that greatly interests you and submit a thoughtful, well-researched cover letter that expresses what you would bring to the position, what you hope to learn, and why the internship would support you in your career development. If two positions appeal to you, you can submit two separate cover letters and we will see to it that each is considered separately.

Expandable element When do applications open, and when do internships start and end?

We offer most internships in three cycles annually. Fall applications open in late August, start in October, and end in December. Spring applications open in late December, start in February, and end in April. Summer applications open in late April, start in June, and end in August. To be notified when applications open, sign up for our Education newsletter.

Expandable element What is the time commitment? Can I start or end my internship later?

Most undergraduate internships are 10 weeks long and range from 10–16 hours/week split over two weekdays. Graduate-level internships are 13 weeks long and range from 20-32 hours/week split over three or four weekdays. Interns must attend professional development sessions on Fridays between 11am-3pm. Most internships take place during our regular office hours: Mon–Fri, 10am–6pm. See individual internship descriptions for details.

Please do not apply if you are not available for the full time commitment, including Fridays, and in the specified date range.

Expandable element Do interns receive payment or school credit? Can I come in and help as an unpaid intern?

All of our interns are compensated, either through college/university credit or via a stipend. When you apply, please indicate which you would prefer to receive. Once the internship is secured, it is the responsibility of the intern to register for an internship course and inform his/her supervisor of any requirements or paperwork necessary to receive credit. If you indicate you are able to take the internship for credit, you will be expected to do so if selected. Stipends are based on hours per week worked, and range from $500/term for undergraduates to $1,000/month for graduate students.

We are unable to host any unpaid interns.

Expandable element What departments offer internships? Are there opportunities available in departments I don't see listed, and/or in acting, directing, design, stage management, or producing?

Positions vary by term. We offer an average of 10 undergraduate positions and three graduate-level positions each term. In the past two years, undergraduate internships have been offered in Account Sales, Artistic Development, August Wilson Program, Community Partnerships, Company Management, Costume Design, Development, Education, Finance, Front-of-House, Graphics, Human Resources, Information Systems, Lighting Design, Marketing, Media & Communications, Prop Design, Theatre Management, and Ticket Operations. Graduate-level positions have been offered in the August Wilson Program, Education, Information Systems, Literary, Marketing, Sherwood Award Program, Technical Direction, and Producing.

We do not currently offer internships in acting, directing, scenic design, or stage management.

Expandable element What position should I apply for if I'm uncertain about my career path, or if I want to work in an area of theatre where no internships are available?

We strongly suggest you only apply for a position that will support you in your career path. Our supervisors receive up to 40 applications each term. They're looking for a person with genuine interest in the specific internship position, and whose career would be supported and enhanced by this internship opportunity. For example, the strongest candidate for the Community Partnerships internship is someone who has a demonstrated interest in working in the community, some experience, and is curious about pursuing community-based work as a career. If you are looking for a broader experience or aren’t sure what area of arts management appeals to you, you may be better suited to an internship at a smaller theatre company, where you’ll have opportunities to work with multiple departments. For summer positions, we suggest you look at the range of local theatre companies participating in the Los Angeles County Arts Internship Program.

Our internship program may not be a good fit for aspiring actors, designers, and directors' career development. We'd advise you to look for opportunities through Big Cheap Theatre, a Yahoo! Listserv used by the Los Angeles theatre community to post auditions, jobs, volunteer opportunities, and community announcements. Learn about how to audition for Center Theatre Group.

Expandable element What information should I include in my customized cover letter and work resume?

A strong cover letter for usually addresses:

  • Why you want to work in a particular department and/or with the internship supervisor.
  • What you hope to learn or gain from the internship, and how this will support your career path.
  • Why you are interested in learning these skills at Center Theatre Group (instead of a smaller theatre, a for-profit theatre, a movie studio, etc.).
  • What you bring to the position that makes you uniquely suited to the internship.

Your work resume should be a 1–2 page document that outlines your education, work history and what each position entailed, and hard skills (computer programs, languages spoken, etc.). Some resumes also include information about volunteer positions, awards received, and professional reference contact information. Please do not include a photo, acting credits, a list of courses taken, or fun facts.

Expandable element I’m an international student. May I apply?

Yes. International students have interned for us while on a three-month student Visa. However, we do not sponsor international applicants. A J1 Visa is likely not a viable option for our program, as the J1 is designed for a longer work opportunity than our 10-week program. In order to participate, international students must have a United States Social Security number OR register for school credit through their college or university.

Expandable element What are the age and education requirements?

We do not offer internships for high school students and/or people under the age of 18. We encourage young people under age 18 to sign up for our Education newsletter and explore our student events. Our program has no age limit for older college undergraduate and graduate students. If you fit the eligibility requirements and believe you would benefit from our program, we encourage you to apply.

If you have been out of school for more than one semester (undergraduates) or one year (graduate-level), you are not eligible for our Internship Program. Please take a look at our employment opportunities page instead.

We consider some applications from young people not currently enrolled in higher education. Please contact us via email by phone at 213.972.0759 to discuss.

Expandable element Why do you ask for my ethnicity/gender identification/arrest history? Who sees this information?

Supervisors only receive the first page of the Center Theatre Group Internship Application along with the applicant's resume and cover letter. The Internship Program Manager, who does not make selection decisions, is the only person who sees the additional pages. Center Theatre Group collects candidate data for tracking and human resources purposes only. Demographic data is optional, but helps us report on our program. Information about past felonies is required.