HIGH SCHOOL LEADERSHIP

Youth voice matters!

summer internships

PVTC interns support our summer camps. They work as rotation leaders, guiding groups of campers and helping them learn their parts, and support PVTC productions backstage. Interning at PVTC is a great way to develop your leadership, teaching, and facilitation skills while growing your knowledge of all aspects of theatre, making new friends, and having some good, old-fashioned summer camp fun.

Former interns describe interning at PVTC as “the best part of their summer” and “life-changing.” Become a PVTC intern today.

Applications for Summer 2025 Internships are now open.

Apply Here

This summer, all interns will…

Be present at camp full-time. For our production camps, this means arriving at 8:30 am and leaving at 3:45 pm each day. For Mayhem at the Museum, this means arriving at 8:30 am and leaving at 12:45 pm.
Work as rotation leaders for groups of younger campers, serving as role models, enhancing their camp experience, and supporting them in transitioning between activities, remembering blocking and choreography, and building relationships with their fellow campers.
Learn specialized technical theatre skills while working backstage during summer camp productions

We will not be offering theatre tech-specific internships this summer, but all interns can expect to learn technical theatre skills.

in Summer 2025…

We anticipate receiving more internship applications than we can accept. We will select interns based on:

Availability. Though we will try to place interns in their first-choice camp, we will ultimately place interns based on where our needs are greatest.
Experience working with youth ages 4-18 in creative contexts.
Interest in developing leadership, technical theatre, and theatre teaching skills.

If you are not offered an internship this time around, keep your eye out for volunteer opportunities throughout the summer and reapply next year.

Internship Placements

frequently asked questions

Students who are entering 9th grade through recent high school graduates are eligible for PVTC internships. Recent high school graduates who are looking to take on greater responsibility are welcome to apply for our junior staff roles instead of an internship.
All interested applicants should first fill out the application form, which includes some basic information about your availability. We also ask for students to describe their past experience in theatre/education, along with a brief personal statement that helps us get to know more about approaches to problem solving and creativity. If this is your first time interning, we also ask that you include a letter of recommendation from an adult who is not related to you.
First-time interns will also have a 15-minute interview with a PVTC staff member so that we can get to know you better.
Internship applications are due March 17th and decisions will be released by April 14th. We aim to match students to the roles and responsibilities that will cater to their interests and offer new skills, while also supporting the needs of every camp.
Intern training will be on Saturday, June 7th. First-time interns will attend from 10 am - 4 pm, and returning interns will attend from 12 pm - 4 pm. Snacks will be provided, but interns should bring their own lunches.
PVTC’s intern program includes hands-on education and mentorship in theatre, IDEA (inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility) work, and community building. This summer, internships will be compensated a per diem rate of $20/ day (or $100/ week), paid at the end of each session. Alternatively, interns can elect to volunteer their time and receive community service hours. We are also happy to provide letters of recommendation!

Youth Council

Youth Council at Portola Valley Theatre Conservatory (PVTC) is a leadership program for high school students who wish to invest energy, creativity, and insight into the PVTC community.

The Youth Council meets bi-monthly on the PVTC campus to create events and programs that engage peers, develop fundraising & marketing skills, and work alongside the staff to maintain the joyful and compassionate community PVTC is known for. Participants will receive leadership training and will be invited to practice their leadership skills through volunteer opportunities and ongoing programming.

Applications for our Youth Council for the 2024-2025 school year are now closed. Applications for the 2025-2026 school year will open in Summer 2025.

ALUMNI TESTIMONIALS

As an intern, I have gotten to take on more and more responsibility each year which has made me a more independent and confident person. While continuing to have incredibly fulfilling interactions with our amazing campers, and learn from our generous staff and mentors, PVTC has helped me become a better and more capable member of the theater and person overall. Sitting on the Youth Council this year was a really meaningful way for me to connect even deeper with the organization and I recommend it to any high school student who has been lucky enough to be a part of this community or is looking to join.

JULIA S.