Theatre Design & Production Summer Program for High School Students

Spend your summer getting hands-on experience in many aspects of theatre production—including costume, set, lighting, and sound design. You will be immersed in your art and should expect each year to bring a unique experience shaped by the instructors and guest artists involved.

First 3-Week Session

The first three-week summer session is your opportunity to get design-focused experience in multiple areas of theatre design. While the primary areas of focus are Lighting Design, Costume Design, and Set Design, you'll also benefit from guest artists who share insights from their work in professional theatre—often in areas such as audio, lighting, set, stage management, and costume design. You’ll explore a variety of techniques—such as script analysis, character analysis, dramaturgical research, emotional response imagery, visual metaphor imagery, and first draft renderings—and share your designs in a final presentation.

Second 3-Week Session

The second three-week summer session is your opportunity to gain hands-on experience across multiple areas of technical theatre while working alongside industry professionals. You’ll begin with a Tech Olympics, where you’ll learn and demonstrate essential backstage skills such as knot tying, hanging and focusing lights, setting up a basic audio system, coiling cables properly, completing quick costume and wig changes, spiking and loading in furniture, and more.

This intensive introduction ensures you’re ready to contribute with confidence in a real production setting. After building this foundation, you’ll transition into a primary production role on one of our fully realized theatre productions. Students serve as stagehands, board operators, spotlight operators, costume crew, or even assistant stage managers—playing an integral part of bringing a show to life. This holistic approach allows you to explore the breadth of technical theatre while also focusing deeply on a specialized production assignment, preparing you for the collaborative, fast-paced world of live performance.

What You'll Learn

During your time at arts camp, you will work under the supervision of professional faculty and staff, and alongside students from around the world who share your passion for theatre. You will have the opportunity to concentrate on your primary area of interest, while developing a variety of other design skills.

As a Theatre Design & Production student, you may:

• Apply the elements and fundamentals of design
• Evaluate the varied and important technical roles that exist within a production environment
• Fulfill at least one technical role on a publicly produced play or musical
• Value your unique contribution to the storytelling process

Program Specialties

At Interlochen you'll get a well-rounded view of the behind-the-scenes theatre-making process. Focus areas and specialties may include but are not limited to:

• Lighting design
• Set design
• Costume design
• Sound design and engineering
• Stage management

Portfolio Requirements

Apply