ThinkTank Theatre Young Artists’ Ensemble Company Apprentice Program
Info to Know!!!
Who we are: ThinkTank Theatre is Tampa Bay’s professional theatre company dedicated to creating high-quality theatrical productions and programs for our target audience – Tampa Bay’s Young adults and families!
What is the YAE: Our Young Artists’ Ensemble (YAE) is a group of high school students from around the Tampa Bay Area who work with ThinkTank in an apprenticeship capacity. We are specifically looking for talented young performance and production track individuals to serve as members of our YAE Company for the remainder of our 22/23 season and beyond! As a YAE member, you’ll have the opportunity to rehearse, understudy, perform, direct, design, stage manager and so much more alongside those theatre professionals employed in ThinkTank’s Main Stage Productions. There are many incredible experiences that come with being part of the YAE Company, but the most significant is gaining a network of theatre professionals available to mentor you as you venture from high school to beyond
Adeline Richardson (L) and Sofia Pickford (R) in our Jan 2023 production of The Wolves
Click Image to meet our current YAE Company
Via Shea (L), Kaylee Tupper Miller (R) and
Annie Sardouk (background) in our Oct 2022 production of The Lightning Thief : The Percy Jackson Musical
Guidelines and other Registration Info for Auditions/Interviews:
- Those auditioning/interviewing must be a current 9th – 12th grader and at least 14 years of age by April 1st, 2023.
- All those participating in the YAE Company Auditions/Interviews should secure an audition/interview time. Walk-up slots are not available.
- Those auditioning/interviewing will need to complete a YAE Company Info Form and a Parental Consent Form. These will be emailed to you after an audition time has been requested.
- If you are unavailable to attend the auditions on April 1st, you may email and request a virtual audition/interview option. You can down the preparation guidelines using the link below for more information.
Layla Kuck (waving) and Sofia Pickford (background) in our Jan 2023 production of The Wolves
Brilee Gold (L) and Jadon Milne (R) in our July 2022 production of Exhibits in the Zoo
Edwin Perez (C) in our Oct 2021
production of The Giver
Offers, Cost, and Performance Opportunities:
- We will begin making offers the week of April 3rd. If offered a spot, the deadline to accept the is by Monday April 10th.
- There is yearly program fee – $300 – that can be paid in two parts: $150 by April 24th and $150 by May 8th. This yearly fee allows us to cover the cost of insurance, help with promotions and assist with budgeting for YAE members cast in our professional shows and other YAE production opportunities! There is no cost to audition. Scholarship Opportunities are available.
- New members are eligible to part of our May Boozy Broadway Series in addition to the remainder of our 22/23 season. We currently have performance dates and opportunities in place from May – August of 2023 and are in the process of planning our 23/24 season. YAE members get the opportunity to be part of each of these productions and projects! (Visit ThinkTankTYA.org for our upcoming performances.)
Reese Paul (R) working backstage in our Jan 2023 production of The Wolves
Carly Kuck (L), Atticus Failes (Back L) and Reese Paul (Back R) setting up backstage in our Oct 2022 production of The Lightning Thief.
Carly Kuck setting up the daily report for
one of our Dec 2022 rehearsals
for The Wolves
Frequently Asked Questions:
- What if I can’t be involved in all of ThinkTank’s productions? That’s the beauty of being a company member. If you can be involved, we will make sure you are part of the production; if you can’t be involved, no worries. You still get the all the benefits of being a YAE member and we’ll see you for the next one! Plus, there are lots of ways to be involved in the show from a producing standpoint, as well. We can always use help with house management, social media, subbing backstage for a show, etc.
- What are rehearsals like? We rehearse like other professional companies here in Tampa. For our Main Stage Productions, the commitment is usually 5 to 6 weeks. There are 3 weeks of rehearsal, week 4 focuses on Tech and Opening Weekend, weeks 5 and 6 are usually the run of the show. Our typical rehearsal schedule through week 3 is Tuesday – Thursday: 6:30 – 10:30pm (YAE are generally released around 10:00pm), and Saturdays and Sundays running 2:00 – 6:00pm. Sometimes Sunday will shift to evening rehearsals, based on location. Tech week is a bit more tedious, but dates are given well in advance, and we help our YAE prepare for that very special week which leads to opening. We also have opportunities for Understudy Performances which require some extra rehearsal time on Saturdays and during week 5 to prepare for those performances! Our Cabaret Series and Playwrights Festival have a slightly modified rehearsal schedule and the time commitment is generally 2 to 3 weeks.
- I’m a senior, can I still audition: Absolutely! There is a discount available for those who are seniors, graduating in 2023, who are interested in auditioning.
- I’m an 8th grader, can I audition: Unfortunately, no. We need all our YAE Company members to be current high school students. That way you know if you have time to be involved in our program around other high school activities that you’ll be involved in.
- I don’t have a lot of theatre experience can I still audition: Yes! We love young people who have an earnest interest in theatre and what it means to work professionally in this field!
- When it says the YAE is an apprenticeship, what does that mean? It means we focus on the professional setting. When you come to rehearsals or perform with ThinkTank, you are working as one of our professionals. This is not a classroom type experience by any means. We expect that you will continue educational growth outside of these rehearsal/performance opportunities with classes you might be taking at your school, through other educational theatre programs, or through private study.
- Can I earn Bright Futures hours through the YAE? Yes, you can! We have guidelines on how to qualify services hours for the time you spend with ThinkTank during a production.
- What if I’m interested in multiple areas? We love when our YAE want to experience multiple production platforms and yes there is opportunity to do so. For your audition/interview you’ll have to select one area – performance or production. During your interview, we can certainly chat about serving in multiple areas and what experiences you might have there.