INTERNSHIPS

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Artistic and Education Internship Program

About: National Queer Theater is an innovative theater collective dedicated to celebrating the brilliance of generations of LGBTQ artists and providing a home for unheard storytellers and activists. By serving our elders, youth, and working professionals, NQT creates a more just future through radical and evocative theater experiences and free community classes.

National Queer Theater’s internship program aims to develop emerging theater professionals who are passionate about theater-making, community engagement and LGBTQ advocacy in New York City and beyond. Interns will gain hands-on experience in the day to day operations of an innovative non-profit theater company and aid in platforming emerging queer artists and their work. Interns are an essential part of executing NQT’s mission. Their input and perspectives are vital to the growth and development of the organization.

Job Description: The Artistic Engagement and Education Interns will assist the Artistic Director and Producing Director with the daily tasks of running the theater, including public programming and community initiatives. These positions are hybrid- working in-person in New York City 1-2 days per week and working remotely 1-2 days per week, depending on events.

Artistic Engagement Intern Duties include:

Implement marketing activities such as e-blasts, social media, partner marketing.
Assist in production of staged readings, workshops and productions, including casting, producing, and evaluation.
Play central role in planning activities related to NQT’s international LGBTQ theater festival.
Attend NQT events and outside plays.
Coordinate NQT Artistic Collective, a group of diverse multidisciplinary artists evaluating and planning new play production.

Education Intern Duties include:

Implement marketing activities such as e-blasts, social media, and community partnerships.
Assist in recruitment, selection, curriculum development, and evaluation for Staging Pride: Queer Youth Theater after school and DREAMing Out Loud immigrant playwriting programs.
Assist Teaching Artists for Staging Pride: Queer Youth Theater program, including providing food and MetroCards for classes. Help plan and coordinate field trips and Masterclasses.
Attend NQT events and outside plays.
Coordinate other community initiatives with the Artistic Director.

Work Hours:

Part-time (20 hours per week/ Occasional nights & weekends).

Interns will gain skills and mentorship in artistic production, literary management, company management, fundraising, event management, education/applied theater, and marketing.

Skills required: Google G Suite (docs, drive, gmail), strong writing, organized, works well independently and collaborating with others. Experience and passion for LGBTQ issues, community organizing, and performing arts are strongly preferred.

This internship pays a $1,000 stipend, and may be available for school credit.

Applications are now closed. Please check back in Fall for Spring internships.

National Queer Theater provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

National Queer Theater is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants with diverse backgrounds, experiences, abilities, and perspectives are encouraged to apply. Applicants of color, disabled, and trans or gender non-conforming applicants are especially encouraged to apply.

Intern Insights

"My internship with the National Queer Theater was nothing short of incredibly eye-opening. For the first time, I stepped into theatre spaces that were not only professional, but were alive with stories I had never heard before. Getting to work on FrikiNation as Assistant Stage Manager was especially transformative; as I worked alongside many inspiring artists, I also got to contribute to telling the widely unknown story of artists who lived through the AIDS crisis in Cuba. It wasn’t just performance; it was testimony, memory, and resistance, and being part of that storytelling shifted the way I understand what art can do. The people whom I worked alongside also truly made this experience as valuable as it was. I was surrounded by some of the most brilliant administrators, directors, playwrights, and actors I have encountered, from the Criminal Queerness Festival to the Cherry Grove staged readings, and my amazing co-interns who I now feel especially bonded with. Every conversation, every rehearsal, every meeting left me more in awe of the talent and passion in those rooms! The professional development sessions were also invaluable, as they taught us the crucial details of producing, community engagement, and directing in the industry that I had never been exposed to in college. By the end of this internship, my passion for the performing arts wasn’t just affirmed, it was reignited, reminding me why I can’t imagine a future without it!"

-Noel U., Summer 2025 Intern

"I am extremely grateful for this internship because it has allowed me to challenge myself and reach greater heights in my career goals. I consistently remind myself that healthy discomfort is often the best avenue for growth, and I strive to maintain a growth mindset in every situation. I can confidently say that I have grown throughout this internship. I am eager to pursue more opportunities within the theatre industry in the future. Thanks to this internship, I now consider myself a well-rounded artist capable of contributing both on and off stage."
-Palig A., Summer 2025 Intern