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Young person learning about lighting in theatre

Work Experience 2025

Across two weeks, Northern Stage welcomed 32 young people through its doors to gain hands-on, practical insights into the world of technical theatre led by industry professionals. 

All about Work Experience

Our work experience programme is designed for 14-18 year olds who are interested in gaining an insight into backstage roles within theatre. 

Over one intensive week, participants dived into learning the ropes of the technical and production elements of theatre. Sessions were led by our team of friendly technicians who introduced the young people to light, sound, special effects and stage management. Participants tried out all of these different backstage theatre roles and worked closely as a team to develop a showcase where they could demonstrate these newly learnt skills to an audience.

Participants also engaged in careers-focused sessions with leading theatre educators where they heard about routes into different roles within theatre, such as through apprenticeships, college courses, work experience and universities. This encouraged the group to start thinking about pathways they may like to take. The group even had the opportunity to interview some of the wider Northern Stage team to find out more about roles beyond backstage!

The Showcase – Welcome to Choiceville

A group of teenagers have been pondering their futures. They discover an app that promises to sort it out for them. What could go wrong?

Work Experience Participants working on live showcase

Work Experience Participants working on their live performance showcase of Welcome to Choiceville

Towards the last section of the week, the participants worked towards building a show after establishing the basic skills needed across LX, Sound and Stage Management. They put their newly developed technical theatre skills to practice for an audience to the suitably titled performance of Welcome to Choiceville, where family and friends were invited on an interactive journey of possible futures, where some futures were brighter than others…

From simulating explosions with pyrotechnics and releasing haze to controlling sound, lighting, and operating a kabuki drop which showered the audience with handwritten messages, the showcase was an immersive adventure not to be forgotten. Audience members were invited to roll a dice which dictated where the story progressed, adding to the interactive nature of the installation and the young people tested their ability to respond to a live show environment.

The young people were given a short script written by project lead Susan Mulholland, which explored themes of what it means to be a teenager today, and the futures we could build depending on these choices. The participants split into small groups and focused on bringing their own section of the show to life as a team. 

Choiceville was an app offering a “no risk free trial of our possible futures”, and although some of these futures were bleak, what was evidently clear was how bright the creative futures of these work experience participants are. 

Work experience at Northern Stage is something pretty special, it’s something I would have loved when I was a teenager. The team and I have crafted a week that strikes a fine balance between support and challenge so that the young people we work with feel safe enough to push themselves, try new skills, get things wrong. Every year I’m so impressed by the group’s bravery and creativity. I feel very proud when I see each one of them come out of their shell, which is different for each person. For some it might be meeting new people, for others a fear of heights, whatever it may be, I think we’ve created the conditions for them to flourish. As I said to the audience of parents at the end of the week, whatever these young people go on to do, I think the future is in safe hands. – Susan Mulholland, Work Experience Project Manager and Learning Mentor 

What some of our participants had to say about their experience

We caught up with some of the young people taking part in our work experience to hear about some of their highlights and reflections on their time with us…

Work Experience participant Narissa

Narissa

I was Stage Manager and I was a little bit nervous beforehand, but I got my cues on time. I managed to actually do the work that needed to be done, so I’m really happy about that. I’m really really proud of myself.” – Narissa, 17, on her biggest achievement

 

Read more about Narissa’s experience 

Technical Theatre Work Experience Participant

Libby

Being backstage is a completely different kind of confidence than being on stage. It’s the confidence to be able to communicate in a different way and read a script and just be in the show in a different way and without being on stage, it’s a completely different kind and I’ve never experienced that before and I do have dyslexia and it’s hard to read but Northern Stage has put things in place to make it better for me. – Libby,17, on the positive impact work experience has had on confidence and self-esteem.

Read more about Libby’s experience

Technical theatre Work Experience participant

Nick

It really taught me a lot more confidence and a lot of courage […] I can do anything now. Like, I’ve just set off pyrotechnics. I’ve just done that, you know?– Nick,17, on helpful skills he learned over the programme.

 

 

Read more about Nick’s experience

Interested in getting work experience at Northern Stage? 

Work experience will be taking place again next summer, and you could be learning the ropes of technical theatre! 

Applications for work experience in July 2026 will open in December, you can keep an eye on our website and social media to hear about when applications are opening along with other opportunities to get involved at Northern Stage. You can also sign up to our mailing list, and we will email you when applications are open.

If you have any questions and would like to know more about our work experience programme, you can email workexperience@northernstage.co.uk.

Other opportunities to get involved at Northern Stage

We run a number of projects for young people based in the North East to get a taster of what careers in the arts look like, learn new skills, meet new friends, and ultimately, have fun! Here’s some of the exciting programmes you could get involved with:

Young Directors

Our 10 week introduction to directing live performance course for young people aged 13-17 years old. Unleash your creative ideas through a series of interactive workshops, masterclasses with industry professionals and see shows at Northern Stage. Learn more about Young Directors here

Young Designers

New to our 2025/26 programme, Young Designers is your chance to explore how designers bring theatre to life through weekly masterclasses. Join us over 10 weeks to learn the basics of stage and scenic design, costume designs, hair and make-up, sound design and lighting/AV. Learn more here

Young Technicians

Immerse yourself in the world of technical theatre in this introductory level programme designed for 13 to 17 year olds. You’ll be introduced to light, sound, special effects, and stage management. Learn more here. 

Support our future young creatives

Northern Stage is the region’s only mid-scale producing theatre, producing and co-producing plays; running talent development programmes; and delivering young people’s projects such as work experience.

In the North East, data shows that 170,000 children (31%) were living in poverty across the region in 2023/2024. We know that financial barriers can lead to young people missing out on opportunities to engage in the arts. As a charity, we want to make opportunities to engage with the arts more accessible, and our work experience programme plays an important role in pathing the way for young people to learn more about opportunities in the arts and developing their skills. 

We would like to say a big thank you to our Supporters and individual donors who have helped us to make work experience a memorable one for young people based in the North East. We would like to thank the Hoult Family for their generosity and ongoing support for Northern Stage’s activity so that we can continue to inspire the next generation of theatre makers. 

 

Join us as a Supporter

Our Supporters play an integral role in helping us to make exciting new theatre and deliver creative community and young people’s projects, nurturing the next generation of theatre makers.

Donate to our Pay it Forward Appeal

Proceeds of our Pay It Forward appeal helps us to offer free or heavily subsidised tickets to our shows, workshop places and bursaries to community groups and young people who may otherwise be unable to attend.