Young Technicians
Young Technicians is a fun introduction to the world of technical theatre for 13 to 17 year olds.
What is Young Technicians?
Young Technicians is a fun introduction to the world of technical theatre for 13 to 17 year olds.
You will be introduced to different elements of technical theatre including Stage, Lighting, Sound and Stage Management. You’ll get the chance to try out different backstage roles in our professional theatre space and will learn from our experienced technical team.
If you’re curious about what goes on behind the scenes in a theatre but don’t know where to start, this is the perfect opportunity to start exploring.
What you’ll do
Over 8 weeks,you’ll be introduced to the exciting world of technical theatre. Here’s a glimpse at what you’ll get up to:
- Explore taster workshops in sound, lighting, stage and stage management – all led by our expert tech team
- Get hands-on with equipment including rigging lights, flying bars, programming light and sound desks, making props… even using pyrotechnics!
- Practice backstage skills like marking out a set design, exploring ‘The Book’, and calling cues from a prompt copy
- Discover the wide range of careers that make live theatre possible
When is it?
The dates for the upcoming term of Young Technicians are:
Saturday 23rd January, 3-5pm
Saturday 30th January, 3-5pm
Saturday 6th February, 3-5pm
Saturday 27th February, 3-5pm
Saturday 6th March, 3-5pm
Saturday 13th March, 3-5pm
Saturday 20th March, 3-5pm
Saturday 27th March, 3-5pm
In addition to the above session dates, there will be a visit to see a show at Northern Stage
If you’re interested in technical theatre, you might also be interested in our Work Experience programme which takes place in July each year.
Who can take part
To be eligible to take part in Young Technicians, you need to:
- Be 13-17 years old at the time the group starts
- Live in the North East of England
Fees
The cost of the course varies depending on your circumstances. We have created a payment scale (see below) to help you identify which fee is appropriate for you. Fees cover the cost of the 8 sessions as well as tickets to selected performances at Northern Stage as part of the programme.
Fees are required to be paid in advance of starting the course and more information about how to do this will follow if you are successfully selected to take part.
Standard fee: £150 (If you have the means to pay for the full value of the course)
Discounted fee: £90 (If you do not have the means to pay for the full value of the course)
Bursary places: FREE*
*Bursary places are limited and bursary applications from young people from a low-socioeconomic background, from the global majority or with a disability will be prioritised, in line with Northern Stage’s strategic priorities. As part of a bursary place, we can also support with the cost of travelling to and from sessions.
How to apply
Applications are now open for Young Technicians starting in January 2027!
To apply, please fill out an application form.
Applications close on Sunday 29th November.
We will email you to let you know if your application has been successful by Friday 4th December.
Hear what previous members of Young Technicians have to say…
I really enjoyed taking part in this experience and it has really benefited me with information and skills on how to use equipment and how to get into the industry. Thank you to all the team behind this club it has been an amazing experience and I feel very lucky that these opportunities are available to people my age!
It’s a really fun thing for young people who want to get into theatre to do
It was really cool, as someone who really really wants to go into theatre as a career and wasn’t sure if my disabilities would stop me from being able to work, I thought it would be more hard and draining than it was in reality and I would totally go again. 10/10
I’ve never really had many friends and now I feel like I’ve got friends for life.
I didn’t realise the scope of what goes into an actual show…there’s way more roles than what I just thought there was going to be. So I’ve definitely had a think of what I want to do and this has very much helped.
“It was just like having a personal mentor on how everything works inside of a theatre. It’s a professional outlook as well, because even though I don’t know how to do any of this stuff, they can teach us and they don’t like judge you for not knowing anything, because they’re the ones to teach you
[The staff] were really cool and I found you guys super understanding and fun and felt like I could ask for help which is something I don’t always feel confident in doing.
I enjoyed getting to meet different [technicians] every week and hear their stories about their
experiences and the different ways in which they got into the industry.
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