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A young person on work experience at Northern Stage. She is smiling while wearing headphones and an earpiece.

Work Experience

All about Work Experience

Work Experience at Northern Stage is for anyone aged 14-18 looking to gain an insight into the backstage roles in a theatre.

Our intensive week is focused on the technical and production elements of theatre, and there’s no performing involved. You’ll get the chance to try out different backstage roles in our professional theatre space and will be introduced to light, sound, special effects and stage management.

You’ll be one of 16 people between the ages of 14-18 taking part, and you’ll work together to design and produce your own technical installation.

You’ll also get the chance to meet Northern Stage staff across all areas, including producing, participation, marketing and programming.

Work Experience takes place in July each year. We are unfortunately unable to offer work experience at other times of the year.

Apply for Work Experience

Applications for work experience in July 2025 are now closed. If you have submitted an application to take part in work experience, we will let you know by Easter if we can offer you a place on the programme.

Applications for work experience in July 2026 will open in December, please keep an eye on our website and social media for applications opening. You can also sign up to our mailing list, and we will email you when applications are open.

Learn more about work experience at Northern Stage

Photos from our Work Experience weeks in 2022

A group of young people doing work experience. They are sat in a theatre auditorium learning how to operate pyrotechnics.
A work experience participant learning about the fly floor
Work experience participants being taught about sound
An audience in a performance space. There's a disco ball and purple lighting. In the background, young people on their work experience programme operate the sound and lighting.
Young people on their work experience programme working on the cues for a theatre show. They are in darkness lit by a small table lamp.
A group of young people doing work experience. They are gathered around a sound board with one young person operating the board. A technician showing a young person how to operate a lighting board. A young person with a theatre technican teaching them how to write cues on a script.

We recognise the underrepresentation that exists within our sector, and we’re committed to breaking down barriers to entry and one of the ways we strive to achieve this is through our Work Experience Programme. We therefore welcome and strongly encourage applicants from all backgrounds, regardless of disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, and any other protected characteristic to apply to get involved in our Work Experience Programme.

If you are a young person, teacher or parent/guardian who’d like to know more, please email workexperience@northernstage.co.uk.