Employment
Traveling Players Ensemble offers robust summer programs for dedicated students (in grades 2-12) to perform classical plays in outdoor amphitheaters. Selected as a “Summer School in the Arts” by the NEA, Traveling Players’ summer programs provide intensive theatre training to small troupes of actors. Programs include outdoor rehearsals, classes, & outdoor public performances. Our most advanced program, Shakespeare Troupe, culminates in backpacking trips to perform their show, giving teens and pre-teens the experience of wandering entertainers who carry dinner, tent and props all in their trusty pack. Traveling Players has performed at The Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage, Wolf Trap’s International Children’s Festival and Colonial Williamsburg.
- Dates for Residential: June 11 – August 7.
- Students are with us from June 25 – August 4 (6 weeks).
- Staff orientation (June 11–24) and strike (August 5–7) are mandatory and paid.
- Location for Residential: In residence at Freedom Center, Leesburg, VA
- Food and lodging is included in all contracts for residential staff. There will be one staff lodge, but some staff will have private rooms in camper lodges.
- Our staff will live together in community for all 8 weeks. Days off can be spent off-campus.
- Dates for Day Camp: A combination of 4 weeks of teaching and one week of Orientation.
- Orientation: May 30-31 plus June 13-15 at Freedom Center
- Camp A: June 19-23
- Camp B: June 26-30
- Camp C: July 17-21
- Camp D: August 14-18
- Location for Day Camp: Our Studio in Tysons Corner Center.
- Safety: You will be required to get the COVID-19 vaccine, including a booster, and a background check.
- You will get a COVID test (PCR) before arriving for orientation.
- Our entire community is required to be vaccinated against COVID-19, including boosters for those eligible.
- We are following recommendations from the CDC, American Camp Association and Virginia Department of Heath to determine our safety practices for the summer. You can read more about our safety policies here.
- Staff training: Community First Aid, Safe Boundaries for students and staff (taught by a LSW – including appropriate language and touch, comprehensive mandated reporter laws, risk management, and social media), Leave No Trace outdoor ethics, and teaching strategies. Plus we’ll cover pitching tents, fire building, learning styles, low ropes and ensemble building/training.
- Internships: Artistic Director Jeanne E. Harrison, MA, MFA, has worked at universities and can supervise or liaise with your university for college credit.
- Traveling Players Ensemble, Inc. does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, or disability in admissions to programs or in the administration of its employment policies. We comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and make all reasonable accommodations.
To apply for any position, please:
- Email personalized cover letter for this position and resume to jeharrison@travelingplayers.org
- Fill out this form.
Traveling Players Ensemble offers robust summer programs for dedicated students (in grades 3-12) to perform classical plays in outdoor amphitheaters. Selected as a “Summer School in the Arts” by the NEA, Traveling Players’ summer programs provide intensive theatre training to small troupes of actors. In non-COVID summers, programs culminated in backpacking trips to perform their shows, giving teens and pre-teens the experience of wandering entertainers who carry dinner, tent and props all in their trusty pack. Traveling Players has performed at The Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage, Wolf Trap’s International Children’s Festival and Colonial Williamsburg.
During the school year we offer acting training for students in grades 2-12 in our Studio in Tysons Corner Center. We offer acting classes and performance opportunities as well as creating community building opportunities.
- Safety: You will be required to get the COVID-19 vaccine, including a booster, and a background check.
- Our entire community is required to be vaccinated against COVID-19, including boosters for those eligible.
- We are following recommendations from the CDC, American Camp Association and Virginia Department of Heath to determine our safety practices. You can read more about our safety policies here.
- Internships: Artistic Director Jeanne E. Harrison, MA, MFA, has worked at universities and can supervise or liaise with your university for college credit.
- Traveling Players Ensemble, Inc. does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, or disability in admissions to programs or in the administration of its employment policies. We comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and make all reasonable accommodations.
To apply for any position, please:
- Email personalized cover letter for this position and resume to jeharrison@travelingplayers.org
- Fill out this form.
Year-Round Positions
Full-time, year-round with benefits
$40,000 – $50,000 — depending on experience
We would likely hire this position as the Camp Director (see summer positions), then hire to Full Time if it is mutually a good fit.
Works closely with the Founder/Producing Artistic Director to plan, implement, market and manage our vibrant educational programming, including our summer camp and year-round classes. Would ideally act as our Camp Director during the summer. Primary duties include:
- Building and maintaining relationships (with partnering organizations, students, families, performance venues)
- Marketing programs – implementing strategy via print, social media, e-blasts, and grassroots
- Scheduling and coordinating (performance tours, festivals, classes, staff)
- Manage database, website and various lists for registration, fundraising, marketing
- Assist on grant applications
- Bus driving. Candidate must have or be willing to obtain a CDL (commercial driver’s license) for back-up driving responsibilities
- Supervising summer staff (assisting in hiring, training, orientation, communication)
- Assisting with interviewing and processing scholarship applications.
Ideal candidate will have MA in Arts Management, Social Work, or Education plus 1-2 years’ experience in camp management, and the following skills and characteristics:
- Exceptionally organized and a fast learner
- Able to multi-task, prioritize, initiate, and collaborate
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Experience marketing via traditional and social media
- Experience supervising staff
- Experience mentoring teens
- Experience as middle management in a small organization
- Relish working outdoors
- Clean driving record and reliable vehicle
- Optimistic spirit, energetic, good sense of humor, flexible and creative problem-solver and ability to maintain a level head in crisis situations
- Bonus points for: facility with databases (we use UltraCamp), experience with PR, experience with Mailchimp and WordPress, experience with backpacking, teaching, and theatre.
Summer Positions
Functions as assistant director/acting coach for an ensemble, and may teach classes in area of specialty. Salary: $350-$600/week plus room and board for 8 weeks.
Assists:
- Thespian Ensemble (performers in grades 6-8): Green Bird by Carlo Gozzi or Miser by Moliere – both performed twice (2 3-week sessions).
- Shakespeare Ensemble (performers in grades 8-12): Henry VI pt. 3 – performed twice (2 3-week sessions).
- Shakespeare Troupe (performers in grades 9-12): Romeo & Juliet – goes on a week long performance tour (1 6-week session).
Ideal candidate will have the following skills and characteristics:
- Have or be pursuing a BA, BFA or MFA
- Training in improv, acting technique, Shakespeare and/or Commedia dell’Arte
- Experience teaching acting to students (grades 4-12)
- A strong belief in the power of the ensemble
- Relish working outdoors
- Experience with ensemble-building, low ropes, or Leave No Trace camping skills a plus.
Works with professional designers to create costumes for our 5 summer productions, while training a small crew of high school students to assist you as part of our Technical Theatre Apprenticeship program. The production schedule is very tight; hence, the majority of the costumes will be altered from our existing stock of 4000+. The Shop Head may also apply to design one or more plays. Salary: $450-$650/week plus room and board for 8 weeks.
Ideal candidate will have the following skills and characteristics:
- Have or be pursuing an MFA
- Delights in mentoring and teaching teens
- Strong stitching, fitting and altering skills
- Experience successfully managing a crew – delegating, expanding skills, scheduling and meeting 5 production deadlines
- Super organized
- Maintain a joyful, educational and stress-free shop environment
- Excited by functioning in a makeshift shop, not a professional space
Works with professional designers to create costumes for our 5 summer productions, while training a small crew of high school students to assist you as part of our Technical Theatre Apprenticeship program. The production schedule is very tight; hence, the majority of the costumes will be altered from our existing stock of 4000+. Salary: $350-$500/week plus room and board for 8 weeks.
Ideal candidate will have the following skills and characteristics:
- Have or be pursuing a BA, BFA
- Delights in mentoring and teaching teens
- Strong stitching, fitting and altering skills
- Experience successfully managing a crew – delegating, expanding skills, scheduling and meeting 5 production deadlines
- Super organized
- Maintain a joyful, educational and stress-free shop environment
- Excited by functioning in a makeshift shop, not a professional space
Works with professional designers to create props & paint sets for our 5 summer productions, while training a small crew of high school students to assist you as part of our Technical Theatre Apprenticeship program. The Shop Head may also apply to design one or more plays. Salary: $450-$650/week plus room and board for 8 weeks.
Ideal candidate will have the following skills and characteristics:
- Have or be pursuing an MFA
- Delights in mentoring and teaching teens
- Strong painting, construction, and safety skills
- Experience successfully managing a crew – delegating, expanding skills, scheduling and meeting 5 production deadlines
- Super organized
- Maintain a joyful, educational and stress-free shop environment
- Excited by functioning in a makeshift shop, not a professional space
Works closely with the Founder/Producing Artistic Director to manage camp logistics and ensure that everything runs smoothly. Salary: $500-$850/week plus room and board for 8 weeks.
Contract could start May 1. Must be available by May 22. (Pre-camp does not necessarily include housing).
This position could transition into a year-round position (see Program Manager).
Primary duties include:
- Assist the Director of Programs as directed.
- Manage and maintain a database, timetables, and spreadsheets.
- Ensure that camp staff have access to paperwork, equipment, and resources from the office.
- Help supervise the implementation of our Contagious Diseases Protocol (CDP).
- Capture photographs and video footage of camp activities.
- Facilitate communication between the camp office and staff, parents, and the wider Traveling Players community.
Ideal candidate will have the following skills and characteristics:
- Have or be pursuing a master’s degree
- Experience working at summer camp, preferably in an administrative role
- A clean driver’s license and a working vehicle
- Exceptionally well organized and a fast learner
- Able to multi-task, prioritize, initiate, and collaborate
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Relish working outdoors
- Optimistic spirit, energetic, good sense of humor, flexible and creative problem-solver and ability to maintain a level head in crisis situations
- Bonus points for: knowledge of diesel mechanics, facility with databases (we use UltraCamp), experience with PR, experience with Mailchimp and WordPress, experience with backpacking, working with teens, and theatre – especially as a stage manager.
- Have a bachelor’s degree or MA
- Significant experience mentoring students (ages 10-18), ideally at a summer camp
- A strong belief in the power of the ensemble
- Relish working outdoors
- Experience with ensemble-building, low ropes, Leave No Trace camping skills or lifeguard certification a plus
- Event and management experience; exceptionally well organized
- Experience with helping students building coping skills and deescalating issues
- Experience helping students recover from homesickness, disappointments, friendship shifts and identity issues
- Have a passion they can teach/share with the students
- Experience with and passion for performing arts education a plus
- Calm under pressure, resilient, and authentic
- Bonus points for a CDL license (school bus)
- Have or be pursuing a bachelor’s degree
- Experience working at summer camp (ages 10-18)
- A strong belief in the power of the ensemble
- Relish working outdoors
- Experience with ensemble-building, low ropes, or Leave No Trace camping skills a plus
- Lifeguard certification for waterfronts a plus
- Experience with helping students building coping skills and deescalating issues.
- Experience helping students recover from homesickness, disappointments, friendship shifts and identity issues.
- Have a passion they can teach/share with the students
- Experience with and passion for performing arts education a plus
- Bonus points for a CDL license (school bus)
Leads a small team of kitchen staff in daily food-related duties — planning, preparing and serving meals for 100 campers and staff daily. Crafts opportunities for campers (ages 10-18) to participate in food prep and clean up in an enjoyable way. Our kitchen staff are fully integrated into the Traveling Players community and participate in the larger camp culture. Salary: ~$1000/week plus room and board.
Primary duties include:
- Manage a kitchen staff team – including an assistant head of kitchen and two cooks – in daily food-related duties.
- Plan, prepare, serve, and clean-up of all meals (the kitchen will have days off when the camp cooks for themselves over a fire/cookouts)
- Maintain the kitchen according to health, safety, and sanitary standards, including proper storage and serving.
- Accommodate special dietary requirements as reasonable.
- Maintain kitchen inventory, placing orders and overseeing the food budget
Ideal candidate will have the following skills and characteristics:
- Kitchen experience (3 years minimum)
- Experience in a supervisory role, running a kitchen, meal planning, maintaining budget, placing orders, restaurant math, reducing waste, maintaining fresh inventory, etc.
- Experience with food allergies and dietary restrictions (we have a significant number of vegetarian students & staff)
- Familiarity with young and developing palates
- Interest in creating healthy, simple, varied, and tasty dishes
- Interest in developing a portfolio of menus
- Strong interpersonal skills, especially with children age 10-18
- Ability to take initiative
- Desire to be fully integrated into all-camp community activities
- Current ServSafe certification preferred, as well as a clean license and reliable vehicle
- Assist the Head of Kitchen and Assistant Head of Kitchen as directed
- Lead the camp community in getting involved with cooking and cleaning
- Preparation, serving, and clean-up of all meals.
- Maintain the kitchen according to health, safety, and sanitary standards, including proper storage and serving.
- Accommodate special dietary requirements as reasonable.
- Kitchen experience (1 year+)
- Experience with food allergies and dietary restrictions (we have a significant number of vegetarian students & staff)
- Strong interpersonal skills, especially with children age 10-18
- Desire to be fully integrated into all-camp community activities
- Current ServSafe certification a bonus, as well as a clean license and reliable vehicle
Functions as assistant teacher/acting coach for a small ensemble of actors, and may teach classes in area of specialty. Salary: $350-$450/week, including either before or aftercare daily
Dates are different for this position:
- Orientation: May 30-31 plus June 13-15 at Freedom Center
- Camp A: June 19-23
- Camp B: June 26-30
- Camp C: July 17-21
- Camp D: August 14-18
Ideal candidate will have the following skills and characteristics:
- Have or be pursuing a BA, BFA or MFA
- Training in improv, acting technique, Shakespeare and/or Commedia dell’Arte
- Experience teaching acting to students (grades 2 – 4)
- A strong belief in the power of the ensemble
- Experience with ensemble-building skills a plus.
Transportation
(COVID-19 update: not relevant)
Traveling Players provides daily transportation and performance tours, requiring some positions to acquire a commercial driver’s license (CDL). Training for CDL is provided for free; all DMV expenses are covered, too. As we are a touring theatre company, our bus drivers are the heart of our company. Preference is given to candidates who can safely drive our purple buses.
Compensation for CDL drivers will increase pay by $150-250/week.
All applicants are eligible (above the age of 21).
Internship Opportunities
Marketing Intern: assists artistic director in re-writing program descriptions, revising website, placing ads, writing press releases and reviewing marketing plan and presenting recommendations.
Program Manager Intern: assists artistic director by serving as registrar for arts education programs, human resources for summer personnel and assisting in marketing programs by responding to inquires and attending publicity events.
Commitment: 2-3 days/week (24 hours max/week); occasional evening or weekend hours. Ideal candidate will be an arts management student; detail-oriented, highly organized, able to multi-task, initiate and collaborate; possess strong communication skills; have some experience in specific field and have a reliable vehicle (no public transportation available).
Compensation: Unpaid; however, TPE can supervise your work for internship or college credit. TPE is a growing organization and internships can lead to future employment (we’ve hired interns before!)