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
- 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)
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!)