What are the responsibilities and job description for the Summer 2026 College Acting and Teaching Intern position at Playground Stage Children's Theatre?
DESCRIPTION
Summer College Acting & Teaching Interns 2026
Playground Stage Children’s Theatre is hiring College Acting and Teaching Interns for our 2026 Summer Camp in Asheville North Carolina.
Required Dates and Times
Summer Prep Days: Monday June 8th - Friday June 12th 9:00am-5:00pm
Summer Camp Session 1: Monday June 15th –Friday June 26th 8:30am-4:30pm
Summer Camp Session 2: Monday June 29th- Friday July 10th 8:30am-4:30pm (No camp July 4th)
Summer Camp Session 3: Monday July 13th- Friday July 24th 8:30am-4:30pm
Summer Family Musical Rehearsals: July 13th - July 30th
Summer Family Musical Performances: July 31st & August 1st Evenings & Matinees
Staff Wrap Up Days: August 3rd & 4th 9am-5pm
About Playground Stage Children’s Theatre
Playground Stage is a non- profit 501(c)(3) Children’s Theatre based in Buncombe County NC. Our mission is to empower and nurture children to learn 21st century skills using hands-on theatre education. Playground Stage specializes in teaching children in Kindergarten-6th grade.
About the Position
The Acting and Teaching College Internship at Playground Stage Children’s Theatre is geared toward young performers pursuing a musical theatre career and who are also interested in gaining skills in theatre education. We believe great theatre teaching artists should have strong performance experience and should be competent in their craft in order to be an effective educator. We want our college interns to leave the summer with both skills as an educator and a professional performance role on their resume as they enter the job market.
Teaching
During Summer Camp, College Interns will assist experienced Teaching Artists with a cast of 15-30 children in an age appropriate musical in our 1-2 week long summer day camps. Our Summer Camp provides children the opportunity to try out every aspect of theatre. Campers will act, sing, and dance in a musical, design the scenery and props, create costumes, learn how to run a box office, and put it all together for a final show at the end of each camp session. College Interns will assist Teaching Artists with directing & choreography, back-stage duties, theatre crafts, lunch & snack time, and other camp activities. College Interns will receive coaching in teaching pedagogy, age appropriate stage direction, and choreography.
Performance
College Interns will perform a lead role in the musical Willy Wonka (Theatre For Young Audiences Version) as a part of our Summer Family Musical Production. Rehearsals are in the evenings after the camp day ends. We will be considering the following roles for our Summer College Interns:
WILLY WONKA
Description: Adult Male Presenting. Mysterious lead character and owner of the Chocolate Factory. Confident and larger than life personality.
Vocal range top: F4 Vocal range bottom: G2
VERUCA SALT
Description: Adolescent Female Presenting. Spoiled Golden Ticket winner touring the factory. Should have strong dance skills.
Vocal range top: F5 Vocal range bottom: G3
Essentials for a College Acting & Teaching Intern
● Enrolled or recently graduated (2024, 2025, 2026) from a higher education institute studying theatre (or studying education with collegiate musical theatre performing experience).
● A well-rounded knowledge of both performance and backstage theatre arts.
● Experience or willingness to learn how to lead a large group of elementary aged children.
● Pass a fingerprinting and background check before the start of camp.
● Attend Summer Camp training before the start of camp.
● A can-do, go with the flow, upbeat attitude.
● Ability to be physically and mentally active for up to 9 hours.
● Interest in Children’s Theatre, Theatre Education, and a genuine love of teaching children.
● Non-equity Actor
● Asheville does not have reliable public transportation, bringing a car is preferred.
Job Details
● $400/week salary (Pro-rated for partial weeks)
● Housing provided in Asheville, NC for the duration of your contract. Housing is shared with other PGS Interns.
● College Interns will be employed as W2 employees.
● College Interns will be encouraged to set professional goals and gain experience in an artistic area of choice as it pertains to children’s theatre.
● College Interns will perform as a professional actor in a lead role in the Summer Family Musical in August.
To Apply Please Submit:
1. Interest Letter
· State your interest in this job and why.
· Any conflicts you may have during the required dates and times listed.
· A list or description of any relevant teaching experience (not required but considered).
2. Performance Resume & Headshot
3. Audition Video Submission
· 2 contrasting Musical Theatre songs
· Video highlighting any basic dance ability
· Feel free to send us videos you have already made in the past year, even if they are for other companies. We just want to see your best work and don’t need a video made specifically for us.
Email to Executive Director Leslie Putnam at [email protected]. Interviews will be conducted via zoom on a rolling basis when submissions are received. Final deadline for submissions is Monday April 27th.
Any questions about the position or application process can be directed to [email protected]
DURATION
Jun 8, 2026 - Aug 5, 2026
SALARY
$400.00 – $400.00 per week
- NON-UNION