Bay Area Playwrights Festival Internship
PLAYWRIGHTS FOUNDATION – BAY AREA PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL CREATIVE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
FOR CURRENT UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS
Playwrights Foundation (PF), a center for new play development in San Francisco, is looking for enthusiastic, ambitious, and resourceful students to assist with our 2026 47th Bay Area Playwrights Festival. This opportunity will allow one to earn money (via an internship grant) or academic credit while working alongside theater professionals based in the Bay Area and beyond, applying their academic knowledge to a real-world career experience.
All interns will support the overall festival within a specific concentration area based on your individual interests and will be integrated into various aspects of planning, promoting, and executing a successful festival for our community in alignment with PF’s Values.
Interested students may apply to one of the following concentrations: Artistic Production, Communications and Engagement, and Directing, Dramaturgy, and/or Stage Management. In addition, networking opportunities and educational seminars from industry professionals on a variety of topics including new play development will be provided.
Concentration Descriptions:
Artistic Production
The Artistic Producing Intern will support the Literary & Producing Director. This intern can expect to support the rehearsal process, assist with front of house engagement, casting, learn tools of managing multiple schedules and timelines, engage with casts and creative teams, company management, and assist with load-in and load-out of the theatre. Someone interested in this position might have interest in pursuing a career in theatre, company management, or event production. This person may enjoy organizing spreadsheets, being involved in multiple aspects of a particular project, and creative problem solving.
Communications & Engagement
The Communications & Engagement Intern will support the Communication & Engagement Manager. Depending on interest and experience, areas of focus may include festival marketing (ie. social media and emails), producing community engagement events, and creating exciting content/graphics (using Adobe Illustrator). Someone interested in this position might have interest in pursuing a career in social media management, event promotion, graphic design, and community engagement. This person may enjoy spending time on social media platforms, learning about digital marketing, and finding new ways to engage new audiences.
Directing, Dramaturgy, and/or Stage Management
The Directing, Dramaturgy, and/or Stage Management Intern will support the Literary & Producing Director or Executive Artistic Director as well as serve as an assistant on a particular play reading process. This intern can also expect to work alongside creative teams in rehearsal rooms throughout the festival. Responsibilities may include note taking, research and text work. Students interested in this role will be given the opportunity to shadow directors, dramaturgs, and stage managers throughout the process, learning different styles and approaches to new work development. Someone interested in this position might have interest in pursuing a career as a director, a dramaturg, or a stage manager.
Seeking the following Qualities:
- Dedicated to diversity, inclusion, equity, access and anti-racism
- Eagerness to learn and contribute to a small team
- Values focused
- Relationship Centered
- Collaborative
- Resourceful
- Observant and intuitive
- Proactive problem solver
- Detail-oriented
- Self-starter, dynamic and able to thrive in a small but active environment
- Ability to work independently with a diverse team
Skills and Qualifications:
- Fluent in Google Suite and Docs.
- Strong communication skills
- Completes assignments/projects accurately and in a timely manner, as set by deadlines.
- Experience with online research, analyzing and organizing information desirable.
- A fine attention to detail.
- Reliable. Interns are responsible for completely remote work without direct supervision and getting themselves to and from work on time when in person.
- Strong organizational skills and a common sense approach to problem solving.
Program Benefits include:
- To learn about new play development from inside a professional organization
- Educational Seminars
- Free admission to all Playwrights Foundation events during the 2026-27 seasons
- Recommendation letters (upon request)
- We will endeavor to provide documentation and evaluation to satisfy requirements for academic credit. All university requirements and paperwork must be presented on the first day of the internship.
- Participation in the lively Bay Area theater community
Hours/Duration: July 1- September 30, 2026 (option for a later start date), 10-12 hours a week; increased hours to 20-30 hours a week during the festival September 11-27, including some nights and weekends. A more detailed schedule will be discussed during the interview process.
Location: Remote through September 11 and in person during the month of September at Playwrights Foundation, 1616 16th St, Suite 350, San Francisco, CA 94103 and onsite at The Reuff at ACT’s Strand Theater, 1127 Market St, San Francisco, CA 94103.
Remuneration: This is an unpaid internship from Playwrights Foundation, therefore, students must receive academic credit or compensation via an internship grant. The daily schedule will be agreed upon between the student intern and PF. Housing and transportation are not provided, so applicants must be local to the Bay Area and have access to reliable transportation for the duration of the internship period.
To Apply: Please submit a cover letter detailing the following to hiring@playwrightsfoundation.org
- The Concentration to which you are applying.
- Your current engagement in your theater major.
- Your future goals as a theater artist.
- Why you believe an Internship at Playwrights Foundation might support your future goals.
At Playwrights Foundation, we celebrate diversity and seek to uphold inclusive and anti-racist practices. We are an equal opportunity employer and encourage applicants of all race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status to apply.