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Before he portrayed Herman Munster on “The Munsters Today” or Chief of Detectives Muldrew on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” Conrad John Schuck Jr. (aka John Schuck) got his start performing in summer stock theater. He’s not alone: Many stars of the stage and screen began on their path to success via the summer stock route. Coming alive just once each year, these productions offer actors the opportunity to collaborate with fellow thespians, perform on a professional stage, and bask in summer camp vibes. If that sounds right up your alley, check out this guide to the sunny world of the most famous summer stock theaters.
Summer stock is a form of theater put on only during the summer months. Staging shows usually take place outdoors to take advantage of the warmer weather and use the resident theater’s stock scenic units, costumes, and props. Acting in a summer stock production provides a low-pressure opportunity to refine your craft, grow in your career, and—perhaps most importantly—have a lot of fun.
While logistics vary for each theater, summer theater auditions generally take place at least 30 days before the start of the season. Program heads usually look for early career actors that are highly collaborative, eager to learn, and available for the entirety of the season. Smaller regional companies may ask for in-person auditions, while larger companies like those listed here often request self-taped auditions.
5 Steps to Having Your Best Summer Stock Experience
These are the most historic, renowned, or otherwise iconic theaters, companies, and festivals that present productions primarily during the summer.
1. American Players Theatre
- Location: Spring Green, Wisconsin
- Description: “APT is a professional theater located just outside Spring Green, Wisconsin. Situated on 110 acres of hilly woods and meadows, APT has two theaters, the newly renovated 1,075-seat outdoor amphitheater and the 201-seat indoor Touchstone Theatre. From June through November, APT produces nine plays in a rotating repertory. With annual attendance of around 100,000 and an annual budget in excess of $10 million, APT ranks as the country’s second largest outdoor theater devoted to the classics.”
- Auditions: Find audition information here.
2. Barn Theatre
- Location: Augusta, Michigan
- Description: “Our theater is active roughly from mid-June to mid-September.
- There are usually seven mainstage shows. Each runs two weeks. Our schedule consists usually of two plays and five to six major musicals—the latest releases from Broadway. Each show runs two weeks unless extended by popular demand.”
- Auditions: Find audition information here.
3. Berkshire Theatre Festival
- Location: Stockbridge, Massachusetts
- Description: “Our campus in Stockbridge, which is home to Berkshire Theatre Festival, presents work at two venues: The Playhouse and the Unicorn Theatre. The Playhouse (314 seats), founded in 1928, is the ultimate ‘summer theater.’ This iconic building, designed by Stanford White, helped establish the Berkshires as a cultural destination. Each summer, the finest in classical theater and world premieres are produced on our historic stage. The Unicorn Theatre (122 seats), a theatrical jewel, is the home for new and emerging artists, and challenging and thoughtful work.”
- Auditions: Find audition information for the Berkshire Theatre Group here.
4. Glimmerglass Festival
- Location: Cooperstown, New York
- Description: “The Glimmerglass Festival is a professional nonprofit summer opera company dedicated to producing new productions each season…. The company continues its tradition of four new fully staged productions, now including three operas and one work of American musical theater, performed with full orchestra, large cast, and no sound amplification. These four productions are supplemented by special performances, cabarets, concerts, lectures, and symposiums throughout the season.”
- Auditions: Find audition information here.
5. Gretna Theatre
- Location: Mount Gretna, Pennsylvania
- Description: “One of south-central Pennsylvania’s few professional theaters, and one of the oldest summer theaters in America, Gretna Theatre is located in the arts/resort community of Mt. Gretna, PA, where theater has been produced at this same location since 1927! The original Playhouse dates back to 1892 when it was built as the centerpiece of the newly created Pennsylvania Chautauqua.”
- Auditions: Find audition information here.
6. Historic Elitch Theatre
- Location: Denver, Colorado
- Description: “The Elitch Theatre has been a vital part of Colorado’s cultural landscape since its inception in 1891. As one of Colorado’s first cultural centers, the Elitch Theatre was home to the oldest summer stock theater in America and hosted the screening of Colorado’s first moving picture in 1891.”
- Though the theater was closed for years for renovations, as of the 2024 season, “the 130-year old Theatre has returned as a hub for culture, arts, and theater.”
- Auditions: There is no audition information currently available, but interested performers can contact the organization using the form found here.
7. Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival
- Location: Becket, Massachusetts
- Description: “Each year thousands of people from across the U.S. and around the globe visit the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts to experience the Festival with more than 50 dance companies and 500 free performances, talks, and events; train at the School at Jacob’s Pillow, one of the most prestigious professional dance training centers in the U.S.; explore the Pillow’s rare and extensive dance archives; and take part in numerous community programs designed to educate and engage dance audiences of all ages.”
- Auditions: Find audition information here.
8. Public Theater’s Free Shakespeare in the Park
- Location: New York, New York
- Description: “The Delacorte Theater in Central Park provides hundreds of thousands of visitors access to extraordinary theater—for free. It provides hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers and visitors with the transformative experience of The Public Theater’s Free Shakespeare in the Park.” (Note: The Delacorte is being renovated throughout the summer of 2024, so the Public Theater is putting on mobile showings across multiple locations).
- Auditions: Find audition information here.
9. Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre
- Location: Grand Lake, Colorado
- Description: “Throughout RMRT’s storied history, there has never been one visionary, one individual responsible for its unparalleled success. The magic that takes place each night onstage is a result of one of the most unique collaborations in professional theater—a family of artists and administrators from around the country, coming together each year in the heart of the Rockies to give Grand Lake a summer to cheer for.”
- Auditions: Find audition information here.
10. Santa Fe Opera
- Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico
- Description: “Every July and August since 1957, opera lovers have been drawn to the magnificent northern New Mexico mountains to enjoy productions by one of the world’s premier summer opera festivals. Here, the Santa Fe Opera’s dramatic adobe theater blends harmoniously with the high desert landscape. It is this fusion of nature and art that leaves such an enduring impression on all who come.”
- Auditions: Find audition information here.
11. Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre
- Location: Winchester, Virginia
- Description: “Founded in 1984, Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre is a professional summer stock theater located in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. We present three full-scale musicals and additional educational programming each season. In doing so, we offer our community the opportunity to experience the unique joy and magic of musical theater, as well as invite them to explore a deeper appreciation for this truly American art form.”
- Auditions: Find audition information here.
12. Tent Theatre
- Location: Springfifeld, Missouri
- Description: “For more than 60 seasons, Missouri State University’s Tent Theatre has captivated generations of fans with stories and songs that reflect our biggest dreams—love, success, and happiness—presented in a one-of-a-kind setting. This unique, shared experience transcends entertainment, touching the hearts and imaginations of performers and audiences alike, and creating a bond through music and laughter.”
- Auditions: Find audition information here.
13. Utah Shakespeare Festival
- Location: Cedar City, Utah
- Description: “The Utah Shakespeare Festival brings the works of Shakespeare and other storytellers to life through the festival experience. We cultivate connections between artists and local, regional, and national communities. With a commitment to artistic and educational excellence, we inspire, we entertain, and we embrace the enduring power of live theatrical experiences.”
- Auditions: Find audition information here.
14. Williamstown Theatre Festival
- Location: Williamstown, Massachusetts
- Description: “For seven decades, the Tony Award–recognized Williamstown Theatre Festival has brought emerging and professional theater artists together in the Berkshires to create a thrilling summer festival of diverse, world premiere plays and musicals, bold new revivals, and a rich array of accompanying cultural events.”
- Auditions: Find audition information here.
For a more comprehensive list of summer stock theaters, including regional and community options, check out EntWork’s summer theater company directory.