CSC Apprentice Program

The ARC Cast of "Julius Caesar"

Unlock Your Shakespeare

The CSC Apprentice Program is an intensive Shakespeare-focused summer training program for early-career actors who are actively pursuing a career in theatre.  This training runs concurrently with CSC’s signature event, Free Shakespeare on the Common, founded in 1996 by Artistic Director Steve Maler with the vision that Shakespeare “belongs and should be accessible to everyone.”

Summer 2024

Program Dates: June 12-August 4, 2024

Scroll through the tabs below to learn more about the program and available resources.

Visit the “Apply” tab to submit your materials today!

Puck bids ado to the audience in ARC's 2023 production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream".

Puck bids adieu to the audience in ARC’s 2023 production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Photo by Nile Scott Studios.

Summer 2024

Program Dates: June 12-August 4, 2024

The CSC Apprentice Program offers a robust Shakespearean performance focus through professionally directed productions held in Boston. CSC faculty support the work in the rehearsal room through classes in Shakespeare’s Text and Linklater Voice. This is a joy-based program with an ethos of care; students’ skills and progress are measured with constructive feedback for optimal growth. Apprentices may also bring their skills and enthusiasm to audience engagement and front-of-house work on the Boston Common through the Audience Ambassador Workstudy. Here, they are an integral part of Free Shakespeare on the Common’s success and can be eligible for understudy opportunities for the smaller roles on the Boston Common should they choose.

The CSC Apprentice Program is designed as a 7.5-week summer intensive that gives students a rigorous tour of Shakespeare’s language in professional practice and performance. Upon completion of the program, students will have 200+ hours of work on Shakespeare’s text, voice, movement, professionalism, networking, audience engagement, actor self-care, rehearsal and performance. The program is a bit like a classics-focused grad school primer, equivalent in hours and content to a six-credit, 400- to 600-level class.

At the end of the summer, Apprentices will receive a Certificate of Achievement upon completion of the program. 

If your college or university offers professional theatre internship credits for summer work experience or instruction, please feel free to reach out to us (or have your professor reach out to us) about signing off on internship evaluations or the like. While we do not offer credit ourselves, we do often assist in this area! 

Alumni Testimonials

Pascal Phoa

2023 Apprentice Alum

Pascal Phoa as Lysander in the 2023 ARC production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Photo by Nile Scott Studios.

“Spending a summer with CSC is one of the best decisions I have made for my growth as an actor and person. What I really liked about the program was how eager to learn everyone was. My classmates were all very welcoming and willing to incorporate feedback to discover new layers of pieces they’re working on. These are people who will always have each other’s backs and I am really glad to have worked, hung out and become good friends with them! I am especially thankful to the non-teaching staff who were always there to support me and the teaching staff who really challenged and encouraged me to make the characters that I play my own. And Boston – what a beautiful city it is to be doing theater in!”

Dani Grace Nissen

2022 Apprentice Alum

Dani Grace Nissen (Tybalt) in Romeo & Juliet, Apprentice Program, 2022. Photo by Nile Hawver/Nile Scott Shots

“My time with CSC this summer will always hold a very dear place in my heart. I met some incredibly talented and genuinely good people who I know will be in my life for a very long time, and who I honestly can’t wait to work with again. In addition to growing as an artist and in my experience with Shakespeare, I feel like the deep relationships I cultivated with other apprentices and with CSC staff are what has made this summer truly special. It is rare to find the kind of caring, supportive, and passionate community that I was immersed in here, and I am grateful for that.”

Alcides Costa

2019 Apprentice Alum

Alcides Costa (Bertram) in All’s Well That Ends Well. Apprentice Program, 2019. Photo by Evgenia Eliseeva

“From day one I aimed to push the boundaries of what I knew to be true in the work, and learn something new about it. In turn I ended up learning so much about myself. Working in All’s Well That Ends Well as Bertram was a mountain to climb, because the language was so difficult and he’s a really tricky character in general. The CSC team, from teachers, coaches, and even the actors on the main stage were always there to lend an attentive hand to help me along the way. The family bond here is so strong that it is impossible to fall through the cracks, and instead, you may feel the village elevate you as a whole!  The best aspect of course, is all the amazing people you meet. It was invigorating to be surrounded by industry professionals, but even more so to be in a creative space of apprentices who are so talented and dedicated. It really infuses the joy of the profession into you, and leaves you walking away instilling the belief that you and everyone around you deserves to be doing this!”

Alexandra Lin

2018 Apprentice Alum

Alexandra Lin (Margaret) in Henry VI, Part III, Apprentice Program, 2018. Photo by Nile Scott Studios

“My time at CSC as an apprentice has completely transformed how I view myself as an artist and a human being. I am forever grateful for the opportunities that everyone at CSC gave me. For the first time in my early career as an actress, I felt like I was not only capable, but worthy of tackling challenges head on, no matter how difficult they seemed. Truth be told, I was worried that I would discover I’d been pushed to my limits as a performer, but the people at CSC are so compassionate, supportive, and inspiring that I couldn’t help but feel compelled to rise to the occasion. I am indebted to folks that keep CSC running; they revived my dedication to this craft. Plus, it’s a whole summer of Shakespeare! Please, everyone, give CSC a shot. It will change your life.”

CSC’s Official Apprentice Program Partner:

FAQ’s:

What do you look for in an Apprentice? Is this program right for me?

We consider a variety of factors when selecting members of our Apprentice Company.  First and foremost, we are looking for actors who have demonstrated a serious commitment to the study of acting and are interested in pursuing theatre arts as a career.

Apprentices must be 18 years of age and have completed at least one year of undergraduate (or equivalent) training, OR have similar pre-professional/professional experience. While there is no age limit on the program, the majority of Apprentices fall between 18-26 years of age. Actors of all races, ethnicities, gender identities, and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to audition.

We are equipped to respond to accessibility-related accommodation requests. If you have questions, please get in touch with us at apprentice@commshakes.org.

Our program is built on the three founding principles of our company:

Access

Actors are a part of CSC’s community engagement with our diverse audiences, whether through the opportunities provided by our Apprentice Rep Company (or ARC) performances, Audience Ambassador Workstudy on Boston Common, or engaging with our other access programs like HandShakes.  Sometimes this engagement takes the form of performance and sometimes it is apparent through conversation and service. We believe that each of these are useful tools for the artist who strives to make theatre, and Shakespeare in particular, accessible for all.

Excellence

We look for actors who demonstrate a strong work ethic and show promise as positive and reliable collaborators with their peers and faculty. Actors should have enough training/experience to be challenged but not lost in our advanced classes. We look for those who are willing to work at a professional pace, coming prepared to every class and rehearsal, and who will set personal goals for their own work. We think of excellence in terms of process, not just product.

Education

Thinking critically about how Shakespeare and classical acting training fits into their overall acting training–either as a new practice or building on previous skills–is important. We look for actors who can articulate specific professional goals and use the resources at CSC (including connections with CSC2 and the professional company) to fit into these plans. Actors who listen and share their learning process with each other are a key element in making the Apprentice Program a valuable and worthwhile experience.

What will my experience be like?

Take a look at this video from our 2023 program to see more about what it’s like to be an Apprentice with CSC.

What will my schedule be like?

The Apprentice Program is designed as a fully-immersive training program that allows students to experience the professional theatre and the beautiful city of Boston.

Apprentices are involved in multiple aspects of our company, and no two weeks’ schedules are exactly alike. In the program’s first half you will attend daily sessions of classes or rehearsals. Your schedule will be Monday through Friday 9am-6pm. We will have both weekend days off during this half of the program, through July 12, as well as Juneteenth and the July 4 weekend (July 4-7).

In mid-July, most Apprentices will begin their work on Boston Common through the optional Audience Ambassador Workstudy. Our day off will shift to Monday to mirror the Equity company, and the other six days will be split between rehearsals for ARC performances and work on Boston Common for the Audience Ambassador Workstudy participants. Work on the Common typically begins around 4:30PM and lasts until 11:00-11:30pm, depending on the day. In the final weeks of the program, we will tech and present our ARC performances at the Modern Theatre in downtown Boston, and our classes and training will culminate in presentations of monologues and scene work.

The Apprentice Program’s schedule is a rigorous one, but highly rewarding for students who are committed to their training. Although it is intended to be a full-time commitment, CSC still offers some flexibility for outside work for those students who choose to do so. A calendar of guaranteed days and hours off will be available during the spring.

Where will the Apprentice Program take place?

Our classes, rehearsals, and performances will take place at Suffolk University (CSC’s Official Apprentice Program Partner) close to our company’s outdoor performance space on Boston Common. Additionally, dormitory housing will be available for rental from Suffolk for the duration of the program (more info on Housing tab). Participating students are NOT required to live on campus for the program but will be responsible for their own timely transportation and/or parking should they choose to commute. We anticipate all program locations and necessary amenities to be within a reasonable walking distance and an MBTA pass would not be required.

What about COVID?

CSC, in coordination with Actors’ Equity and the City of Boston, continues to diligently monitor the public health situation. Health decisions are made with the safety of our audiences, artists, and staff as our top priority. Please note:

  • CSC will require all Apprentice Program participants and staff to provide proof of a completed FDA-approved vaccine regimen and boosters for COVID-19. 
  • CSC will follow both AEA and city-mandated health and safety guidelines for COVID-19 or any other public health concerns at the time of the Apprentice Program. 
  • CSC also reserves the right to add additional protective guidelines where deemed necessary for the safety of all, which will be communicated to all students and staff directly, if implemented. 

Should you have an individual concern or question about our safety protocols, please reach out to us at apprentice@commshakes.org.

Bryn Boice teaches a text class

Core classes for Apprentices include Shakespeare’s Text and Voice Class, with additional training happening alongside these two core classes. Instructors will independently teach fundamentals crucial to unlocking Shakespeare’s language throughout the summer.

Shakespeare’s Text

The class will focus on textual conventions used in Shakespeare’s plays, including rhythm & meter, punctuation, and rhetoric, with a strong focus on speaking Shakespeare’s language for maximum clarity and connection within the body. This work (drawn from Cicely Berry, Giles Block, Laban, and others) will help students to see these conventions not as rules that dictate how Shakespeare should be performed, but rather as opportunities for experimentation and play.

Voice Class

Following Kristin Linklater’s method of  “Freeing the Natural Voice,” students are guided through a progression of exercises designed to free, strengthen, and develop their whole vocal range. The majority of classroom focus explores physical awareness, breathing, resonance, and the connection of voice to emotional and imaginative impulse. Additional coursework addresses vocal health, building a reliable and personal warm-up, Alexander Technique, and applications of voice work to Shakespeare’s text.

Additional Training

Apprentices will also receive individual monologue coaching from members of CSC2 (CSC’s emerging artist program) and other CSC professional acting alumni as part of a cross-mentorship program, and scene coaching from the program’s teaching staff, to sharpen scene study, self-staging, and text analysis skills.

In addition, Apprentices will engage in the Company Conversation series, meeting with members of the Free Shakespeare on the Common company to discuss their artistic process for the summer’s production as well as larger career questions.

Interspersed during the program, guest teachers and artists will share their work and expertise in short workshop opportunities. These offerings are unique each year, but past topics have included: clowning, actor self-care, improvisation, musical theater, auditioning for the camera, stage combat, voice over, and yoga for the actor.

Faculty and Staff Bios

Bryn Boice

Associate Artistic Director and Director of Education & Training for CSC

Shakespeare’s Text Instructor, Shakespeare on the Common 2024 Director

Bryn (she/her) is an award-winning director, actor, educator and producer. Recent directing work includes: Gloria (Gloucester Stage); The Sound Inside (Speakeasy Stage); The Half Life of Marie Curie (The Nora Company at Central Square); Admissions by Joshua Harmon (The Gamm Theatre, Providence); The Children by Lucy Kirkwood (Speakeasy Stage); an all-female production of Julius Caesar for Actors’ Shakespeare Project. For CSC: Universe Rushing Apart: Blue Kettle & Here We Go by Caryl Churchill (Elliot Norton Award for Outstanding Direction, Large Theatre).  For CSC2, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2022) and Romeo & Juliet (2023). Bryn serves as the text coach for Free Shakespeare on the Common. New York and Regional credits as actor and/or director include work with Asolo Repertory Company, Boston Playwrights’ Theater, InProximity Theatre Company, Theatre Row, Monomoy Theatre, Caroline’s on Broadway, and Manhattan Theatre Club. Bryn holds an MFA in Directing from Boston University and an MFA in Acting from the Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training (FSU). She does private acting, voice, and public speaking coaching, and as a visiting Professor at Salem State University, she taught Acting III, Voice for Performance, Applied Movement, Directing I, Dialects, and Dramatic Theory & Criticism, among others. Proud member of Actor’s Equity Association since 2002.

Victoria Townsend

Associate Director of Education and Training and Artistic Programs Manager for CSC

ARC Performance Director 

Victoria (she/her) is a Boston-based director, teaching-artist and occasional performer who has been working with CSC since 2011.  Directing Credits: For CSC: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2023), As You Like It (2022) and several Boston Theater Marathon pieces; Emerging Playwright’s Festival (Wheelock Family Theater), Cosi Fan Tutte (New England Conservatory’s UGOS Program), The Memorandum (Flat Earth Theater). Assistant Directing Credits: Fear and Misery in the Third Reich, Kiss me Kate, Romeo and Juliet and Shakespeare and Leadership (CSC) and L’Egisto (NEC/UGOS). She has also served as a teaching-artist for Watertown Children’s Theater and Live Arts Education. A Massachusetts native, Victoria currently resides in Woburn and is a graduate of Saint Michael’s College in Vermont with degrees in Theatre and English Literature and holds a certificate in Social Impact Management and Leadership from the Institute for Nonprofit Practice & Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University. 

Brendan O’Neill

Apprentice Program Faculty, Scene Coach

Brendan O’Neill (he/him) takes great pride in having coached CSC Apprentices over the past two seasons, infusing his two decades of experience as a Los Angeles-based versatile writer, editor, script doctor, acting coach, and actor. Brendan currently is a visiting associate professor in Salem State University’s Theatre and Speech Communication department. In addition to his university role, Brendan is dedicated to teaching Oral Communication for Social Justice in the Lynn Public Schools system. Contributing to the local community, he shares his passion for effective communication and activism with students. Returning to the New England theatre scene after a significant hiatus, Brendan recently appeared as John Heminges in Hub Theatre Company’s production of “The Book of Will,” marking a comeback to his hometown roots. Brendan’s literary work extends across various film genres, with multiple scripts in various stages of development. He also has an upcoming release of his debut novel, Whatever Happened to Austin Wellington?—a dark, funny exploration of his favorite theme: dim-witted criminals.

Regine Vital

ARC Performance Director

Regine (she/her) is a storyteller, theatre artist, educator and current Associate Producer at Actor’s Shakespeare Project. Most recently, she was seen onstage in ASP’s productions of As You Like It (Celia) and Seven Guitars (Louise). As an actor, director, dramaturg, teaching artist, and coach, she has worked with several theatre companies, programs, and schools. She teaches performance studies, composition, literature, and public speaking at Boston area universities; text and performance to high school students; and has taught continuing adult education classes in literature. A hometown girl from Somerville, MA, she is the previous Manager of Curriculum and Instruction at The Huntington. Regional credits: The Huntington, Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, American Repertory Theatre, Actor’s Shakespeare Project, ArtsEmerson, Company One, SpeakEasy Stage, Central Square Theatre. Fringe/Local: Fresh Ink Theatre, Boston University School of Theatre, Moonbox Productions, Plays In Place, Flat Earth Theatre, HUB Theatre of Boston, Open Theatre Project, Concord Players, Birch Tree Productions, Green Door Labs. NYC/Podcasts/Film: The Huntington, Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre, Broadway Podcast Network, The Penumbra Podcast, Revolutionary Spaces. Education: BA, Boston University; MA, University of Massachusetts, Boston; MA candidate, King’s College London/Shakespeare’s Globe. “Merde, folks! ” 😉

Jess Meyer

Apprentice Program Administrative Associate, Fight/Intimacy Coordinator

A Headshot of Jess

Jess (they/them) is a multi-hyphenate theatre artist who is passionate about the power of storytelling and the importance of accessibility in the arts. Their work with CSC began the summer of 2022 as the HandShakes Program Associate and assistant director for Bryn Boice’s Apprentice Program production of Romeo and Juliet. Jess also worked as the Fight and Intimacy Director for the CSC2 2023 production of Romeo and Juliet. They are a producer for site-specific play company Plays in Place which develops new plays in collaboration with historical organizations in the Greater Boston area. Previous theatrical credits: Lyric Stage’s Preludes (Assistant Director), On Paying Attention (Director), Monster in the Sky (Director), Kill the Dogs Knock Them Over (Director), Unpacking (Director); Fresh Ink’s Revolutionary Spirits (Jones); Plays in Place’s Nothing But Victory (Jennie Loitman); Boston Playwrights’ Theater and Providence Fringe Festival’s Silvertone (Director); CentaStage and YASPLZ LLC’s Edinburgh Fringe Noir Hamlet (Assistant Stage Manager / 5th Business); Emerson Stage’s Amanuensis (Assistant Director), Men on Boats (Hawkins); and Mercutio Troupe’s Girl in the Machine (Assistant Director). Beyond Boston, Jess’ work has been seen in fringe festivals from Providence, Rhode Island to Edinburgh, Scotland. They have a BFA in Theatre and Performance from Emerson College and an American Sign Language Interpreter Certificate from Northern Essex. For more information about Jess, check out their website: jess-of-all-trades.com

Tom Giordano

Voice Teacher

(he/him) is an actor, teacher and director based in Boston. He is on the faculties of Emerson College, Shakespeare & Company, and Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, specializing in teaching Voice and Shakespeare.  He is a Designated Linklater Teacher and a certified teacher of Colaianni Speech, a non-prescriptive approach to speech training.  His training as an actor at the Shakespeare & Company January Intensive was the springboard to receiving his MFA from Columbia University, where he trained extensively with Kristin Linklater.  Additionally, he has worked in the Education program at Shakespeare & Company, Classic Stage Company, Letter of Marque Theater, the MIT Shakespeare Ensemble, and Columbia Business School. In his spare time, he works as a software engineer in Cambridge.

Lauren A. Cook

Education and Artistic Associate

Lauren  (she/her) is a Boston-based stage director, intimacy choreographer, and voice teacher. Intimacy direction and staging credits include A Midsummer Night’s Dream with the Commonwealth Shakespeare Apprentice Repertory Company, MassOpera’s immersive La TraviataThe 39 Steps with Greater Boston Stage Company, Queens with Moonbox Productions (winner of the BroadwayWorld Boston “Best New Play” award), and the world premiere of Nighttown with Lowell House Opera at Harvard University (winner of the 2023 American Prize in composition), as well as a number of educational workshops and lectures. A former faculty member of the Holden Voice Program at Harvard University, she holds a Master of Music degree in Vocal Pedagogy from The Boston Conservatory at Berklee and continues to teach both actors and singers in voice, speech, and dramatic interpretation. Her writing on consent-based and ethical performing arts teaching is featured in Trauma and the Voice: A Guide for Singers, Teachers, and Other Practitioners, published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2023.

Performing in Downtown Boston: ARC Performances

Joshua Crockett (Romeo) and Anna Kate Gossett (Juliet) in Romeo & Juliet at the Modern Theatre. Apprentice Program, 2022  Photo by Nile Scott Studios.

Training in the Apprentice Program culminates with the exciting Apprentice Rep Company (ARC) performances. Our Company will form two casts who each perform a professionally-directed 90-minute Shakespeare play. These three productions are offered in reparatory as free public performances at Suffolk University’s Modern Theatre in downtown Boston in the last weeks of the program. Auditions/casting for specific roles in these productions will occur shortly after the program begins. 

The ensembles of Julius Caesar (2023) and As You Like It (2022), at the Modern Theatre. Apprentice Program,  Photos by Nile Scott Studios.

Apprentices smile while they work on the Boston Common.

Apprentices smile while they work on the Boston Common. Photo by Nile Scott Studios.

Working on Boston Common: Audience Ambassador Workstudy

A major piece of training with CSC means being a part of the Company’s core values of audience access and engagement. Every member of our team, from Artistic Director to our volunteers, becomes an important part of this mission during the summer.

Our annual performance on Boston Common hosts upwards of 30,000 audience members in only three and a half weeks. These audiences come from all backgrounds and abilities with one thing in common, a desire to participate in the arts. The show is free, and for many it is the only piece of theatre they can afford to see during the year.

Our audiences tend to arrive between two and three hours before the curtain goes up, offering us a wonderful opportunity to engage with them on a deeper level than most theater companies can. Every Apprentice will have the option to participate in the Audience Ambassador Workstudy should they choose (simply check the Audience Ambassador Workstudy box on your application and you’re in!) Apprentices will assist with typical front-of-house duties for half (approximately nine) of our summer performances. These duties will include tasks such as ushering, concession/merchandise sales, chair rentals and general service to our audiences. All FOH staff participate in nightly site set-up/break-down including, but not limited to: moving and setting-up pop-up tents, rental chairs, folding tables; organizing merchandise; setting up signage (lawn signs and sandwich boards); distributing programs. You’ll also be trained in best inclusion practices to help keep our show accessible to audience members of all abilities. Please note that this workstudy does require some lifting (up to 50 lbs and being on your feet for multiple hours at a time in various types of weather. Air conditioned spaces are available on the Common and reasonable accommodations for these duties can be made for individuals who need them. 

An Aerial View of Boston Common. PC: Josh Sutton.

This workstudy requires approximately 48 total additional hours of work and training during your summer and fits directly within your existing Apprentice schedule. The workstudy comes with a $700 tuition credit. We strongly encourage ALL Apprentices, regardless of financial need, to consider participating in this workstudy to get the fullest experience during your summer.

Understudy Opportunities

Some apprentices will be assigned an understudy role* for the 2024 Free Shakespeare on the Common performance. Understudy duties include: attending specific main stage rehearsals, possibly standing in during select rehearsals, and being prepared to perform should an actor be unable for any reason.

*Due to the logistics of our company, only students who participate in the Audience Ambassador Workstudy will be able to be considered for understudy opportunities in Free Shakespeare on the Common. Understudy assignments are not guaranteed for all Audience Ambassador participants due to the number of slots available.

Jared Reinfeldt as Antonio in Measure for Measure (2016). Photo by Nile Scott Studios.

Tuition Costs:

There are two price points for our 2024 Apprentice Program.* Every Apprentice will be given the option to participate in our Audience Ambassador Workstudy for the lower of the two price points (simply check the Audience Ambassador Workstudy box on your application and you’re in!). Please note that these prices do NOT include housing costs or other incidental expenses (meals/transportation/etc.):

  • 2024 Tuition WITHOUT Audience Ambassador Workstudy: $3,900
  • 2024 Tuition WITH Audience Ambassador Workstudy: $3,200

*Early Bird Discount: Apply by March 14, 2024 for an ADDITIONAL $200 discount off both the above prices. 

The Audience Ambassador Workstudy requires approximately 48 total additional hours of work and training during your summer and fits directly within your existing Apprentice schedule. The workstudy comes with a $700 tuition credit.  Due to the logistics of our company, only students who participate in this Audience Ambassador Workstudy will be eligible for understudy consideration in Free Shakespeare on the Common should they choose. Understudy assignments are NOT guaranteed for all Audience Ambassador participants due to the number of slots available. We strongly encourage ALL Apprentices, regardless of financial need, to consider participating in this workstudy to get the fullest experience during your summer. 

Housing:

2024 Housing Rates:

  • Early Bird Rate*: $3,000
    • *You must apply to our Apprentice Program by the early bird deadline of 3/14 and if accepted, sign your housing contract with Suffolk no later than 3/25. This rate has a firm deadline that cannot be moved.
  • Regular Deadline: $3,942

Participating students are NOT required to live on campus for the program but will be responsible for their own timely transportation and/or parking should they choose to commute. Dormitory housing is assigned, managed, and billed entirely through Suffolk University—not CSC—and is first come, first served until slots fill. If you are interested in living in dormitory housing, we encourage you to apply early for our program!

Dormitory style housing will be available for rental from Suffolk University for the duration of the program at their 10 West Street Resident Hall (10 West St, Boston, MA 02111). The style of dormitory is a Private Bedroom in a Shared Suite. Suites consist of two bedrooms that will house one person each and all of the students within a suite share a bathroom. There is no shared living room and no kitchen but all suites do open into a furnished common area. Mini fridges and microwaves are available to rent for a small additional fee (these supplemental items and their costs can be shared between roommates for the duration of your stay). Students will be assigned roommates randomly of the same gender identity. If there is an uneven number of CSC Apprentices in the dorms, students may be housed with students from other area summer programs not only from our Apprentice Program.

Dormitory style housing rental through Suffolk University does not include silverware, plates, pots, pans, bedding, towels, paper products, cleaning supplies, etc. Residents are responsible for maintaining their own bathrooms and kitchens (if applicable), including providing supplies and cleaning regularly. Please note that Suffolk University housing is a DRY space, meaning no alcohol or drug substances of any kind are allowed in the building, regardless of resident age. 

Accessibility accommodations are available for dormitory housing. Please reach out to us at apprentice@commshakes.org to discuss a specific need.  

Tuition Assistance:

Need-based Financial Aid:

This year, we are able to offer a limited amount of need-based financial assistance. If you are interested in requesting aid, please submit the below application at the same time as your other materials. Final deadline to request aid is April 12th, 2024 but decisions will be made on a rolling basis while supplies last:

FINANCIAL AID APPLICATION

Workstudy Opportunities:

In addition to the Audience Ambassador Workstudy opportunity open to ALL Apprentices with no additional application needed (simply check the Audience Ambassador Workstudy box on your application and you’re in!), we are offering six other workstudy positions that do require a supplemental application. If you are interested in applying for one of these workstudy positions, use the links below to submit an application:

Social Media Workstudy (1 position available)

Using short-form video and graphic design content this position will be a personality; taking our followers on the Apprentice’s journey, introducing them through regular, daily content, and promoting the ARC performances. They will also work with the Marketing Dept. on the lobby display at the Modern Theatre. Works directly with CSC’s Marketing and Communication Manager.

This position will require a few pre-program meetings, which may be by phone/Zoom for a non-local candidate, and between 2-4 hours of work per week outside of the program’s regular schedule. Interested candidates should have strong social media skills. Familiarity with video creation and editing is required.

Total hours= 22-25 

This position receives a $400 tuition credit. 

If you are interested in applying for the Social Media Workstudy, please submit the below application at the same time as your other materials. Final deadline to apply for this work study is April 12th, 2024 but an offer may be made to an early bird application candidate before then. 

SOCIAL MEDIA WORKSTUDY APPLICATION

Apprentice Experience Workstudy (1 position available)

Document through photos and videos each stage of the Apprentice Program, from coursework to auditions to production and beyond. This should include interviews with Apprentices and staff. In the final weeks of the program, this position will compile and create a 2-5 minute documentary video (example above) for our wrap-up day, and for posting on our website and social media. Responsible for archiving all content. Works directly with CSC’s Marketing and Communication Manager.

This position will require a few pre-program meetings, which may be by phone/Zoom for a non-local candidate, and between 2-4 hours of work per week outside of the program’s regular schedule. Interested candidates should have strong social media skills. Familiarity with video creation and editing is required.

Total hours: 22-25 

This position receives a $400 tuition credit. 

If you are interested in applying for the Apprentice Experience Workstudy, please submit the below application at the same time as your other materials. Final deadline to apply for this work study is April 12th, 2024 but an offer may be made to an early bird application candidate before then. 

APPRENTICE EXPERIENCE WORKSTUDY APPLICATION

Production Workstudy (4 positions available)

Assist our Apprentice Program Production Manager with load-in and load-out of ARC performances at Suffolk’s Modern Theatre. 

Load-in: must be able to lift platforms, work together to provide assistance moving these pieces into the truck from our storage space and into the theatre, assist with putting platform system together with direction from PM other CSC staff. 

Load-out: must be able to assist with taking platform system apart with direction from PM, lift platforms, work together to provide assistance moving these pieces into the truck from the theatre and back into its place in our storage space, and other load-in duties as needed with direction from PM and CSC staff. 

Please indicate if you have a valid drivers license and are comfortable driving an 18’ U-haul type truck. 

Total hours: 5+5=10

The three non-driver positions receive a $200 tuition credit. 

The one driving position receives a $300 tuition credit.

If you are interested in applying for the Production Workstudy, please submit the below application at the same time as your other materials. Final deadline to apply for this work study is April 12th, 2024 but an offer may be made to an early bird application candidate before then. 

PRODUCTION WORKSTUDY APPLICATION

Spark Scholarships for BIPOC Actors:

Commonwealth Shakespeare Company is actively seeking nominations for CSC’s Spark Scholarships for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) actors. Receipt of a Spark Scholarship includes full tuition to the 2023 Apprentice Program and participation in the Audience Ambassador Workstudy. This year we have four (4) full-tuition scholarships available for actors with an aptitude for, interest in, or angst for Shakespeare and performance.

We are seeking nominations for CSC’s Spark Scholarships from Professors, mentors, coaches, and other professionals in the field so that we might meet fantastic BIPOC Apprentice candidates from all across the country.

If you are interested in nominating an actor for the Spark Scholarship, please complete the form below to submit your nomination. If you are an actor who would like to be nominated for a Spark Scholarship, please send this form to your nominator to complete. Final deadline to be nominated for a Spark Scholarship is March 14th

SPARK SCHOLARSHIP NOMINATION FORM

Carmia Imani

2022 Apprentice Alum and Spark Scholarship Recipient

Carmia Imani (Marina) in Pericles. Apprentice Program, 2022. Photo by Nile Hawver/Nile Scott Shots

“This summer I was a part of Commonwealth Shakespeare Company’s Apprentice Program as a Spark Scholar… From the program, I learned that there was no longer a need to sacrifice a part of myself in order to fit into Shakespeare’s plays. I began to reclaim the characters as authentically my own: developing them by using the technique I was taught, blended with the nuances of being a black woman speaking and bringing life to the language and work.”

 

Matt Neary (Amiens/ Musical Director) in As You Like It at the Modern Theatre. Apprentice Program, 2022. Photo by Nile Hawver/Nile Scott Studios.

Application Requirements:

Interested applicants MUST submit: (Please click below text to access link)

In addition, applicants MAY submit the following supplemental applications: (Please click below text to access link)

Audition Requirements:

In addition to your other application materials, we require an audition to consider you for the Apprentice Program. We ask interested applicants to submit a video audition (via Vimeo or YouTube as a link viewable to all) to apprentice@commshakes.org that includes the following:

  • One Shakespeare monologue (preferably in verse), 2 min or under
  • One contemporary monologue, 2 min or under

For both your monologue selections, we encourage you to pick pieces you love that you think showcase your uniqueness best. For your Shakespeare piece especially, we are very open to performers of any gender playing any role and encourage you to free yourself of any limitations regarding your perceived “type” or other things you may have been told. We do encourage you to think about age/life-experience of the character (for example, most Apprentices are not yet ready to play King Lear) and if race is central to the character (Othello, for example), please consider if that role is appropriate for your identity. If you have any questions about the audition requirement, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at apprentice@commshakes.org.

In addition, CSC will be participating in a number of open call auditions this year. If you plan to audition at one of these opportunities, please reach out to us so we can keep an eye out for you. Should you perform a Shakespeare piece at one of these auditions, you do not need to submit an additional audition video to us. If you are performing another piece, we will ask for an additional video audition of your Shakespeare piece only:

Deadlines:

Apprentice acceptance decisions are made on a rolling basis. We will close applications as soon as we have filled our company, but no later than April 12th, 2024. If you are being nominated for a Spark Scholarship or would like to receive an Early Bird Discount of $200 off of your total tuition price (and be eligible for the discounted dormitory housing rate), please apply no later than March 14, 2024. Aid application decisions will also be made on a rolling basis, workstudy opportunities may be offered to early bird applicants and Suffolk dormitory housing availability is first come, first served. For all these reasons, if you are interested in our program we encourage you to not wait to apply!

You will be notified of our acceptance decision within two to three weeks, after we have received ALL of the above materials. It is helpful to our team if you can submit all materials within the same time frame.

Learn More:

We encourage interested applicants to thoroughly review all five tabs listed on this page, specifically the FAQ’s under the “About” tab. You are also invited to join us for a Zoom Info Session at one of the following times.

January 30, 2024 5pm EST

February 15, 2024 5:30pm EST

March 28, 2024 12pm (noon) EST

Zoom Info Sessions typically last 30-40 minutes with the last ten minutes reserved for interested applicants to ask questions. We understand if you need to leave early or arrive late during the session for other commitments. RSVP to one of the above times by emailing apprentice@commshakes.org to receive the zoom link OR to request a recording of a previous session. Lastly, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at apprentice@commshakes.org for any questions about the 2024 Apprentice Program. Thank you for your interest in our program!

Support for Commonwealth Shakespeare Company Provided by

Join our E-Newsletter!

Get the latest CSC News, directly to your inbox. From discounts and production announcements to educational opportunities and partnerships.