Volunteer
Volunteer Team
Be part of the team that helps bring the SETC Convention to life! SETC is seeking enthusiastic, dependable individuals to support convention operations, assist attendees, and help create a welcoming and successful experience for everyone.
For 2027, SETC offers two volunteer opportunity levels: Stage Managers and Run Crew, allowing participants to choose the level of commitment that best fits their convention experience.
Volunteer Level: Stage Manager
Stage Managers serve as SETC's primary volunteer team and take on a larger role in supporting convention operations. These individuals may assist with registration, workshops, performances, festivals, hospitality, attendee services, and other areas throughout the convention.
Stage Manager Requirements
To be considered, applicants must:
Attend a mandatory 60-minute virtual orientation/training session.
Commit to a minimum of 15 hours of volunteer service during convention week.
Be at least 18 years of age.
Hold a current SETC membership at the time of the convention. Stage Managers are responsible for the $55 membership fee.
Be dependable, professional, and prepared to work in a dynamic convention environment.
Stage Manager Benefits
Complimentary Convention Registration upon fulfillment of volunteer requirements.
Flexible scheduling designed to allow time to participate in convention programming.
Opportunities to network with theatre professionals, students, educators, and fellow volunteers from across the region.
Hands-on event and operations experience that can strengthen your resume.
Opportunities to serve in areas aligned with your interests and experience, including performance, technical theatre, registration, hospitality, and attendee services.
Volunteer Level: Run Crew
Run Crew is a reduced-commitment volunteer opportunity for individuals who want to support the SETC Convention while maintaining more flexibility in their convention schedule.
Run Crew Requirements
Participants must:
Complete six (6) hours of volunteer service during the convention.
Be at least 18 years of age.
Be prepared to assist SETC staff and Stage Managers with assigned convention needs.
Run Crew Benefits
Access to discounted Convention Registration for $280 which includes a $55 Membership Fee.
A shorter volunteer commitment, allowing more time to attend convention programming.
Hands-on experience supporting a large-scale theatre convention.
Opportunities to meet and work alongside theatre professionals and attendees from across the region.
What We're Looking For
Successful Stage Managers and Run Crew members are:
Friendly, welcoming, and comfortable interacting with attendees.
Dependable and able to arrive on time for assigned shifts.
Comfortable working in dynamic, fast-paced environments.
Strong communicators and problem-solvers.
Able to follow directions while also taking initiative when appropriate.
Excited to contribute to the SETC community.
Convention Dates & Volunteer Shifts
Volunteer shifts may take place throughout the convention, including load-in and load-out, and are generally scheduled in 2- to 3-hour blocks.
Volunteer shifts may take place throughout the convention, including load-in and load-out, and are generally scheduled in 2- to 3-hour blocks.
Stage Managers: Minimum of 15 volunteer hours during convention week
Applications Close November 30th
Run Crew: Minimum of 6 volunteer hours during convention week
Applications Close January 20th
Volunteer applicationSETC Dream Team (Operations Team)
Are you interested in gaining hands-on experience in stage management, production, event operations, festival management, hospitality, or arts administration?
The SETC Dream Team (Operations Team) is an immersive educational and professional development opportunity designed to give emerging theatre professionals practical experience working behind the scenes of the SETC Convention.
For 2027, SETC will select 12 Dream Team members to work alongside SETC staff, industry professionals, and fellow emerging artists throughout the convention. Participants will gain firsthand experience in the planning and execution of a large-scale theatre event while developing skills that can be applied to future educational and professional opportunities.
Dream Team members are not simply observing convention operations—they are actively involved in making them happen. Through supervised, hands-on assignments, participants will learn about areas such as stage and production management, registration and attendee services, festival operations, front-of-house management, event logistics, volunteer coordination, and nonprofit arts administration.
The program is designed to provide participants with opportunities to learn by doing, ask questions, build professional relationships, strengthen existing skills, and explore potential career paths within the theatre and live events industries.
All Dream Team members report to the Constituent Services Manager, Rachel Zwerver, and will work closely with additional SETC staff and professionals based on their individual assignments.
Selection for the Dream Team is competitive. Candidates selected to move forward will participate in a virtual interview via Zoom.
What You'll Learn & Experience
Depending on your assignment, Dream Team members will have opportunities to:
Gain practical experience operating a large-scale theatre convention.
Learn how stage managers, production managers, festival managers, and arts administrators collaborate during a major event.
Develop leadership and volunteer-management skills in a supervised environment.
Strengthen professional communication and problem-solving skills.
Learn how registration, attendee services, performances, festivals, workshops, and special events are coordinated.
Practice responding to real-time operational challenges.
Work directly with SETC staff and theatre professionals.
Gain experience with event load-in, set-up, transitions, strike, and load-out.
Develop greater confidence working in fast-paced professional environments.
Build professional connections with theatre practitioners from across the region.
Gain practical experience that can be included on a resume or discussed in future interviews.
Program Expectations
Because the Dream Team is an immersive, hands-on educational experience, participants should be prepared to take an active role in convention operations.
Selected participants must:
Be at least 18 years of age.
Attend a mandatory 60-minute virtual orientation and training session.
Commit to approximately 8–10 hours of scheduled participation per convention day.
Be available within the required schedule windows for their assigned educational track.
Participate in assigned load-in, load-out, and Gala activities.
Arrive prepared to learn, ask questions, receive feedback, and take direction from SETC staff and mentors.
Communicate scheduling conflicts or accommodation needs in advance.
Maintain professional conduct while representing SETC.
Who Should Apply?
The Dream Team is ideal for students, recent graduates, early-career professionals, and individuals interested in expanding their experience within theatre and live events.
Strong candidates are:
Curious and eager to learn.
Dependable and willing to take initiative.
Interested in gaining practical, hands-on experience.
Comfortable asking questions and receiving feedback.
Strong communicators and collaborative team members.
Interested in developing leadership and problem-solving skills.
Adaptable when schedules, assignments, or circumstances change.
Comfortable working in an active, fast-paced environment.
Excited to connect classroom knowledge or previous experience with real-world application.
Applicants do not need to be experts. The Dream Team is an educational opportunity, and we encourage applicants who are ready to learn, grow, and challenge themselves professionally.
Educational Tracks
Each Dream Team member will be assigned to an area of concentration that provides focused, hands-on experience within a specific aspect of convention operations.
Registration & Central Office Operations — 2 Positions
Gain experience in event registration, attendee services, volunteer coordination, and nonprofit arts administrationwhile working alongside SETC's Central Office team.
Participants will learn about attendee check-in procedures, customer service, registration troubleshooting, volunteer management, event communications, and the administrative systems that support a large-scale convention.
Executive Leadership & Arts Administration — 1 Position
Work alongside SETC's Executive Director and gain a behind-the-scenes perspective on executive leadership, nonprofit management, professional communications, scheduling, and organizational operations.
This track is particularly valuable for participants interested in arts administration, nonprofit leadership, producing, or executive-level event management.
Festival Management —4 Positions
Theatre for Youth | Studio Theatre | Fringe Festival
Gain practical experience in festival management, company management, artist relations, scheduling, and event logistics while supporting one of SETC's festival programs.
Participants will learn how multiple productions, artists, venues, schedules, and operational needs are coordinated within a larger convention environment.
Secondary Theatre Festival Stage Management — 2 Positions
Gain hands-on experience in stage management, backstage operations, scheduling, communication, and performance logistics while supporting participating secondary schools.
Participants will develop experience coordinating load-ins, backstage transitions, performance schedules, technical communication, and multiple participating companies.
Secondary Theatre Festival House Management — 1 Position
Gain practical experience in front-of-house management, audience services, accessibility, volunteer coordination, and venue operations.
Participants will learn how front-of-house and backstage teams communicate to maintain performance schedules while providing a welcoming and organized audience experience.
Production Management — 3 Positions
Gain experience in production management, technical theatre, event logistics, venue operations, and troubleshooting across multiple convention spaces.
Participants will work alongside SETC staff and production professionals while learning how technical and logistical needs are coordinated across a multi-venue event.
Program Benefits
Dream Team participants receive:
Complimentary SETC Convention Registration (No Membership Requirements)
Shared hotel accommodations for the duration of the program
$500 stipend
Hands-on educational experience in a large-scale theatre and live-event environment
Direct access to SETC staff and industry professionals
Mentorship and opportunities for professional feedback
Experience applicable to future employment, internships, graduate programs, and other professional opportunities
Professional networking opportunities
Resume-building experience
Exposure to multiple areas of theatre, event management, and arts administration
Tuesday Evening Welcome Dinner
Saturday Evening Shift Dinner
Scheduling & Commitment
Dream Team members should expect approximately 8–12 hours of scheduled program participation each convention day. Depending on the educational track, participants may need to be available within a broader window, generally between 7:00 AM and 11:00 PM.
Schedule windows do not necessarily represent continuous working hours. Breaks will be provided, and final assignments will be communicated in advance whenever possible.
Because the Dream Team is an immersive educational experience, participants should expect their Dream Team responsibilities to be a significant part of their convention experience.
Scheduling Conflicts
We recognize that Dream Team members may also be participating in other SETC opportunities. Applicants should disclose known conflicts (including workshops, or required meetings) within their application.
SETC will make reasonable efforts to accommodate disclosed conflicts while maintaining the educational and operational requirements of the Dream Team program.
Additional conflicts should be communicated to Rachel Zwerver at rachel@setc.org as soon as possible.
12 participants will be selected for the 2027 SETC Dream Team.
Dream Team application
