APPRENTICE INFORMATION
Apprentice Program Goals
Elizabethan theatre companies had “apprentices,” or young performers who were training for the profession by working directly with a certain company. In keeping with that tradition, Original Practice Shakespeare Festival trains four actors each summer in our Apprenticeship Program. We also offer additional Stage Management and other Technical Theatre internships in cases of special interest.
OPS Fest is one of the only companies in the world to rely primarily on authentic elements of Elizabethan performance to shape our season, and we seek to provide our apprentices with additional unique and valuable opportunities.
OPS Fest is one of the only companies in the world to rely primarily on authentic elements of Elizabethan performance to shape our season, and we seek to provide our apprentices with additional unique and valuable opportunities.
By the end of the summer as an OPS Fest apprentice, it is our goal that our apprentices will have gained:
Extensive knowledge of Elizabethan performance techniques:
You will learn how Elizabethan-era actors were able to create engaging and exciting performances with no direction, save for their own text and cue lines. These skills will then be put into practice as you perform in the OPS Fest style. You’ll also gain a thorough understanding of Shakespearean language and plays. For many, Shakespeare's language often sounds foreign and confusing. Playing in first folio (or cue
script) technique is a surprisingly effective way to "decode" the plays. In addition, you will be exposed to a wide variety of the canon, between the 22 different plays in our repertoire and Spring Training scene work.
The opportunity to perform with professional actors:
OPS Fest is a professional company and, as such, we employ a group of talented and professional actors each summer in roughly 30 performances. As an apprentice, you will have the opportunity to join our busy summer season as 50/50 crew/performer, helping to run half the shows and performing in the other half, in leading and supporting roles, alongside these actors. These performances are great learning opportunities and your fellow actors are an important resource for your success in the program.
Large, enthusiastic audiences in beautiful outdoor settings:
We tour parks in the Portland area and generally enjoy spending much of our summers in the sunshine, not to mention the practical training inherent in performing in the open air. OPS Fest is also grateful for the loyal support of our regular audience, and we're not bad at drawing a crowd, so between old and new friends, our performances tend to be fun and rewarding experiences.
***In 2020, we moved our season entirely online in the interest of actor and audience safety. We were surprised and delighted to discover how well the OPS style transferred to zoom, and our new opportunities for audience reach and interaction. The 2021 season may include both online and in-person shows, contingent upon CDC and state safety guidelines. OPS Fest will continue to prioritize the safety of the community in its decision-making -- made easier by the creativity and flexibility of the company.
Valuable experience working with a professional theatre company:
Working with industry professionals, you will gain important experience that is incomparable to purely educational or retreat style programs. Real world, hands-on involvement with a self-sustaining company prepares you for life after school and looks great on both performance and professional resumes.
The chance to acquire useful public relations and networking skills:
As an OPS Fest apprentice, you will represent the company in a number of different situations. Hands-on experience with company promotion and audience engagement is an important part of the self-sustaining company model. Public relations tasks may include distributing information about the company and performances through various media, staffing the concessions & information table for in-person shows, and moderating online chats during live-streamed shows. The skills you gain as an OPS Fest ambassador are both unique and applicable to several different employment arenas.
New friends and important connections in the Portland theatre community:
OPS Fest company members are involved in a wide variety of different projects in the Portland theatre community. The connections you make during your time as an apprentice could lead to other opportunities later on. Plus, we're really awesome and fun to be around...!
Unique mentorship for tech-focused apprentices:
Apprentices who wish to focus exclusively on technical work will have the opportunity to learn about the various tech needs of performances online or in person. Our company employs well-respected stage managers in the Portland theatre scene, and many performing company members have technical theatre knowledge in addition to their acting work. Your tech apprenticeship can be guided by your specialized interests, in addition to receiving a broad foundation of technical skills needed to manage outdoor performances and/or live-streamed shows.
Extensive knowledge of Elizabethan performance techniques:
You will learn how Elizabethan-era actors were able to create engaging and exciting performances with no direction, save for their own text and cue lines. These skills will then be put into practice as you perform in the OPS Fest style. You’ll also gain a thorough understanding of Shakespearean language and plays. For many, Shakespeare's language often sounds foreign and confusing. Playing in first folio (or cue
script) technique is a surprisingly effective way to "decode" the plays. In addition, you will be exposed to a wide variety of the canon, between the 22 different plays in our repertoire and Spring Training scene work.
The opportunity to perform with professional actors:
OPS Fest is a professional company and, as such, we employ a group of talented and professional actors each summer in roughly 30 performances. As an apprentice, you will have the opportunity to join our busy summer season as 50/50 crew/performer, helping to run half the shows and performing in the other half, in leading and supporting roles, alongside these actors. These performances are great learning opportunities and your fellow actors are an important resource for your success in the program.
Large, enthusiastic audiences in beautiful outdoor settings:
We tour parks in the Portland area and generally enjoy spending much of our summers in the sunshine, not to mention the practical training inherent in performing in the open air. OPS Fest is also grateful for the loyal support of our regular audience, and we're not bad at drawing a crowd, so between old and new friends, our performances tend to be fun and rewarding experiences.
***In 2020, we moved our season entirely online in the interest of actor and audience safety. We were surprised and delighted to discover how well the OPS style transferred to zoom, and our new opportunities for audience reach and interaction. The 2021 season may include both online and in-person shows, contingent upon CDC and state safety guidelines. OPS Fest will continue to prioritize the safety of the community in its decision-making -- made easier by the creativity and flexibility of the company.
Valuable experience working with a professional theatre company:
Working with industry professionals, you will gain important experience that is incomparable to purely educational or retreat style programs. Real world, hands-on involvement with a self-sustaining company prepares you for life after school and looks great on both performance and professional resumes.
The chance to acquire useful public relations and networking skills:
As an OPS Fest apprentice, you will represent the company in a number of different situations. Hands-on experience with company promotion and audience engagement is an important part of the self-sustaining company model. Public relations tasks may include distributing information about the company and performances through various media, staffing the concessions & information table for in-person shows, and moderating online chats during live-streamed shows. The skills you gain as an OPS Fest ambassador are both unique and applicable to several different employment arenas.
New friends and important connections in the Portland theatre community:
OPS Fest company members are involved in a wide variety of different projects in the Portland theatre community. The connections you make during your time as an apprentice could lead to other opportunities later on. Plus, we're really awesome and fun to be around...!
Unique mentorship for tech-focused apprentices:
Apprentices who wish to focus exclusively on technical work will have the opportunity to learn about the various tech needs of performances online or in person. Our company employs well-respected stage managers in the Portland theatre scene, and many performing company members have technical theatre knowledge in addition to their acting work. Your tech apprenticeship can be guided by your specialized interests, in addition to receiving a broad foundation of technical skills needed to manage outdoor performances and/or live-streamed shows.
As an apprentice, you are expected to:
-Devote an average of 25 hours per week to the company during the months of June, July, and August. Some training and initial tasks may occur in the month of May. Note that for a primarily online season, the apprenticeship may require fewer hours.
-Attend every performance. Apprentices are guaranteed a 50/50 split in performance time: onstage roles in half of the shows, and running tech for the other half of the shows. Tech tasks may include staffing the concessions/info table, filming performances, moderating live-stream chats, etc.
-Complete audience recruitment work. This may include hanging up posters in businesses, and talking with the general public in parks, social media promotion, and sending press releases. Apprentices might spend up to 8 hours per week on publicity shifts; fewer for an online season.
-Attend education programs. Spring Training begins in April, before auditions, and continues throughout the summer. Spring Training is open to the full company and consists of advanced training by professional theatre artists through workshops and scene practice. Acting
Apprentices are required to attend one class per week, focusing on a particular performance technique, followed by an all-Apprentice meeting with the program coordinator.
-Participate in production side work. Apprentices are an integral component of our summer tour, working with staff and Stage Managers in preparing and ongoing maintenance of productions. Regular duties for in-person performances include set-up and tear-down, run crew, organizing show materials, and concessions inventory. Other duties, such as costume laundry and concessions shopping, are performed as needed.
-Prepare for performances. As with all actors in the company, some time must be spent on your own actor homework. This work includes creating your scroll, memorizing your lines, making choices about your parts, and selecting props and costumes for your characters. You
will also have text sessions with the director throughout the season to go over your roles.
A limited number of part-time internships are available for those who may not be able to make the full-time commitment for the apprenticeship program.
-Attend every performance. Apprentices are guaranteed a 50/50 split in performance time: onstage roles in half of the shows, and running tech for the other half of the shows. Tech tasks may include staffing the concessions/info table, filming performances, moderating live-stream chats, etc.
-Complete audience recruitment work. This may include hanging up posters in businesses, and talking with the general public in parks, social media promotion, and sending press releases. Apprentices might spend up to 8 hours per week on publicity shifts; fewer for an online season.
-Attend education programs. Spring Training begins in April, before auditions, and continues throughout the summer. Spring Training is open to the full company and consists of advanced training by professional theatre artists through workshops and scene practice. Acting
Apprentices are required to attend one class per week, focusing on a particular performance technique, followed by an all-Apprentice meeting with the program coordinator.
-Participate in production side work. Apprentices are an integral component of our summer tour, working with staff and Stage Managers in preparing and ongoing maintenance of productions. Regular duties for in-person performances include set-up and tear-down, run crew, organizing show materials, and concessions inventory. Other duties, such as costume laundry and concessions shopping, are performed as needed.
-Prepare for performances. As with all actors in the company, some time must be spent on your own actor homework. This work includes creating your scroll, memorizing your lines, making choices about your parts, and selecting props and costumes for your characters. You
will also have text sessions with the director throughout the season to go over your roles.
A limited number of part-time internships are available for those who may not be able to make the full-time commitment for the apprenticeship program.
Additional questions?
Email apprentices@opsfest.org
