mad fellowships

SUPPORTING EMERGING THEATER ARTISTS

Starting a career in theater? Want to get paid while also receiving a hand-on learning experience with professional designers? Shotgun Players offers MAD fellowships for early-career and emerging theater artists in theatrical design (lighting, sound, costumes, scenic, props), stage management, and more!

APPLICATIONS FOR 2026 MAD FELLOWSHIPS WILL GO LIVE

OCTOBER 21, 2025!   

Check below for information on 2026 fellowships.

2025 MAD Fellows

Bella Campos Hintzman

BELLA CAMPOS-HINTZMAN

SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE – MAD Directing Observer

Bella Campos Hintzman is a theatre artist and teacher from the Bay Area. Since graduating from Ohio Wesleyan University with BAs in Theatre and History, she has primarily held roles in education, stage management and production management, specializing in new work development. She is currently a producer with BAMN Productions and by day she works as a substitute teacher. Credits include shows with Aurora Theatre, San Francisco Sketchfest and Woodminster Theatre, among others. She is so excited to be a part of the MAD Fellowship program!

BELLA CAMPOS-HINTZMAN

Directing Observer

she/her

Espen Garner

ESPEN GARNER

THE MOTION – MAD Lighting Fellow

Espen is excited to be the MAD lighting design fellow for The Motion. He’s a Bay Area-based lighting designer who graduates from Stanford in June of 2025 with a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering and a minor in Theater and Performance Studies. In the Fall of 2024, Espen interned for Justin Townsend during Death Becomes Her on Broadway. Recent works include Assassins (Stanford University), Omelas (Stanford University), Mary Poppins (Stanford Light Opera Company), and Snow in Midsummer (Stanford University). Espen’s next show is Stanford University’s mainstage production, Spring Rise Up: A Dance Sensorium, in May of 2025. espengarner.com

ESPEN GARNER

Lighting Design

he/him

Kiki Hood

KIKI HOOD

SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE – MAD Scenic Fellow

Kiki Hood is the MAD scenic design fellow for Sunday in the Park with George. She is also the Scenic and Props Design Associate at the American Conservatory Theater. Kiki is a recent graduate from Stanford University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theater and Performance Studies with an emphasis in Theater-Making and English with an emphasis in Creative Writing. She won the Robert M. Golden Medal for Excellence in the Humanities and Creative Arts for her honors thesis scenic design for Snow in Midsummer: A New Adaptation and her accompanying paper entitled The Doing of Set Design. She also won the Theater and Performance Studies department award for Service to Production. Her recent design credits include: Carrie (ACT Young Conservatory), Footloose (Coeur d’Alene Summer Theater), Pride and Prejudice (Coeur d’Alene Summer Theater), and Snow in Midsummer: A New Adaptation (Stanford). She has also assisted on many Bay Area shows including Nobody Loves You (ACT), Curious Incident (SF Playhouse), A Why Not Christmas Carol (ACT), and Private Lives (ACT). Kiki’s next design is ACT’s Young Conservatory’s Hadestown in August 2025. kikihood.com @kiki.hood

KIKI HOOD

Scenic Design

she/her

Avery Jones

AVERY JONES

SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE – MAD Costume Fellow

Avery is thrilled to be making her Shotgun Players debut as a costume fellow on Sunday in the Park with George. With an immense passion of theater and fashion history, she could not have hoped for a better show. She is a junior at UC Berkeley with a Major in Theater and Performance Studies (concentration in costuming) and a French minor. She has spent most of the post-COVID years designing several shows for BareStage Productions and McLaughlin Theater Company. Avery has also interned at Broadway at Music Circus where she got her first professional experience in theater. She hopes to continue this path into a career in costuming theater and/or film. When she is not in class or rehearsal, she can be found watching every movie known to man, cooking, or hosting dinner parties. “It’s not so much do what you like as it is that you like what you do.” – Stephen Sondheim

AVERY JONES

Costume Design

she/her

Justin Kelley-Cahill

Justin Kelley-Cahill

YELLOW FACE – MAD Lighting Fellow

JUSTIN KELLEY-CAHILL is a queer theatrical set and lighting designer based in California. He grew up in Alameda, CA, with his two dads and brother, where he developed a love for art and performance after seeing shows in downtown San Francisco. After graduating high school, he went on to study scenic and lighting design for entertainment at UCLA’s School of Theater, Film, and Television. After graduating, Justin has been able to work in both the LA and Bay Area theater scenes, working with queer artists alike on new, exciting plays that explore and criticize our crazy world. He thanks his friends and family for their support and looks forward to learning all he can from the crew at Shotgun Players!

Justin Kelley-Cahill

Lighting Design

he/him

LaRae Mays-Hardy

LaRAE J. MAYS-HARDY

THE MAGNOLIA BALLET – MAD Directing Observer

LaRae J. Mays-Hardy is a multidisciplinary artist and equity advocate based in Oakland, California, on unceded Ohlone land. She strongly believes in the transformative power of the arts and its role in promoting meaningful social change. They are passionate about supporting artists at all stages of development, creating equitable systems, and fostering collaborative environments where creativity can thrive. When LaRae isn’t working, you can find them catching up on reality TV or searching for their next pair of quirky animal slippers.

Larae j. mays-hardy

Directing Observer

she/they

Sophie Ruf

SOPHIE RUF

THE MAGNOLIA BALLET – MAD Scenic Fellow

Sophie Ruf is an Oakland-based creative. She works as an architect, loves local theatre, and will gladly decorate your home with handcrafted origami ornaments any day. Prior to being an architect she worked as an installation artist and jewelry designer in Seattle and metro-Detroit, respectively. She also acts and writes poetry.

SOPHIE RUF

Scenic Design

she/her

Chava Suarez

Chava Suarez

THE MOTION – MAD Sound Fellow

Chava Suarez is a growing artist in the Bay Area with big plans of moving to New York in the near future. They love any opportunity they have to create and collaborate with artists and they cannot wait to work with many to come!

CHAVA SUAREZ

Sound Design

he/they

Saman Wright

SAMAN WRIGHT

‘ART’ – MAD Lighting Fellow

Saman is a senior at UC Berkeley studying Theater & Performance Stud- ies. She has a passion for bringing shows to life through lighting design and loves to work with color. This is Saman’s first production outside of the university and she is very excited to continue to learn more about the field as a theater professional.

SAMAN WRIGHT

Lighting Design

she/her

2026 MAD Fellowship INFORMATION

Start a career in theater, and get paid while also receiving hands-on experiences with professional designers. Emerging artists are encouraged to apply for one of seven Make a Difference (MAD) Fellowships in our upcoming 2026 season.

MAD Applications for the 2026 season will go live on October 21, 2025. The priority deadline for applications is Monday, December 22, 2025 at 11:59 p.m.   Applications received by the deadline will receive priority consideration, however, applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until all positions are filled.

who we are

Shotgun Players is a company of artists determined to create bold, relevant, affordable theatre that inspires and challenges audiences and artists alike to re-examine our lives, our community, and the ever-changing world around us. We are committed to a welcoming and inclusive work culture and audience experience where everyone who walks through our doors feels a deep sense of belonging. We center our values in all that we do and hold ourselves accountable with rigorous, comprehensive, and regular reviews of policies, procedures, and staff. Getting it “right” is not a box we can check. It’s a daily practice and we are all here for that journey!


We acknowledge that Shotgun Players is still a predominately white organization that has benefited from systems of white supremacy in its many manifestations. We are driven to use the privilege of our organization not only to be allies to historically oppressed communities, but also to dismantle the hierarchical structures of oppression. We are working hard to make our theatre safe and more inclusive for staff, artists, and audiences. See more about our EDIB commitment here.


Shotgun Players is an equal opportunity employer. Employment opportunities at Shotgun Players are based upon one’s qualifications and capabilities to perform the essential functions of a particular job. All employment opportunities are provided without regard to race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age, military status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, ancestry, medical condition, marital status, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by law.

MAD 2026 Design Fellowship

The design fellow will work alongside a designer mentor to gain hands-on experience in a production environment. Skills will be developed through collaborative discussions with the artistic team, research, and creative problem-solving. This fellowship is up to of 50 hours over about 7 weeks, from the start of the production process until opening night. Available design disciplines: lighting, scenic, sound, costume, props with responsibilities for each distinguished below.

Responsibilities:
– Attend design and prep meetings between director and designer, and pre-production meetings
– Research materials and sources for preliminary design
– Assist in preparing design presentations for first production meeting
– Assist with paperwork and execution of design (ex: scenic drafting, light/speaker/projector plot, costume renderings, dramaturgical research, programming, fabrication and construction, shopping/sourcing, etc.)
– Attend design run-throughs
– Participate in production meetings
– Attend load in and tech rehearsals, problem-solve, maintain quality control/integrity of design, and other issues during tech
– Execute production design notes to achieve final design goals
– Be a critical eye and report any notes to designer

Prerequisites:
– Prior experience in theatrical design and construction on at least one production (either academic or non-academic)
– Strong communication and organization skills, attention to detail, ability to manage multiple projects
– Bonus: proficiency in standard software for your field (ex. Vectorworks, Lightwright, QLab, AutoCAD, Microsoft Excel, Adobe Creative Cloud, Google Suite)
– Comfortable with craftsmanship (ex. sewing and alterations, building, fabrication).

Time Commitment:  Up to 50 hours total
Compensation:  Berkeley Minimum Wage

Costume design

Costume fellowship responsibilities

– Dramaturgical research
– Shopping and online shopping research
– Create costume renderings
– Measurements and fittings with actors
– Costume construction, fabrication, alterations, etc. 
– Attend tech/production meetings and take notes

apply now
Lighting design

Lighting Design Responsibilities

– Drafting of light plot
– Sourcing rentals, trades etc
– Programming cues on the ETC Ion light board
– Helping with focus and hang coordination
– Attend tech/production meetings and take notes

Apply now
props design

properties fellowship responsibilities

– Shopping, exploring other local prop shops
– Prop construction and fabrication
– Attend tech/production meeting and take notes

apply now
scenic design

scenic design responsibilities

– Research
– Drafting of set design (on CAD, Vectorworks, Sketchup)
– Model building
– Meet with scenic designer and technical direction team to problem solve
– Attend tech/production meeting and take notes
– Hands-on painting, carpentry, and fabrication as needed
– Sourcing items

apply now
Sound Design

sound design responsibilities

– Research/sourcing or creating sound cues
– Programming the design on Qlab
– Engineering speaker and microphone set up
– Attend tech/production meeting and take notes

Apply now

MAD 2026 Directing Observership

The purpose of this experience is to give this person a comprehensive look at the work and responsibilities of a Director for a mid-sized professional theater. 

Responsibilities:
– Attend at a minimum of 2 rehearsals per week, the design runs, and some tech rehearsals and previews. There is no maximum number of rehearsal or production attendance.
– Be prepared to offer feedback and suggestions.

Prerequisites:
– Experience directing one show
– Proficiency with Google Suite (Sheets and Docs in particular)

Time Commitment: TBD
Compensation: $400 stipend

MAD 2026 Stage Management Fellowship

The purpose of this experience is to give the fellow a comprehensive look at the work and responsibilities of a Stage Manager on a production for a mid-sized professional  theater. The fellow will serve as the Assistant Stage Manager on the production.

Responsibilities:
Assist production Stage Manager with running rehearsals (ie. prepping the space for rehearsals; taking line notes; tracking and managing costumes, props, and prop table; supporting cast and creative team with production-related tasks; assisting with cleaning and close-out procedures)
Track backstage logistics
Serve as Assistant Stage Manager or Production Assistant for all performances, planning and managing the backstage components of the production

Prerequisites:
Experience stage or production managing at least one show (either academic or non-academic)
Proficiency with Google Suite (Sheets and Docs in particular)
Enthusiasm for learning how to use new tools and technologies in theater
Ability to lift up to 40 lbs

Time Commitment: Approximately 50-280 hours depending on ASM designation, primarily evening and weekend daytime commitments.
Compensation: Berkeley Minimum Wage

Working onYellow Face has been an incredible experience. Under the guidance of lighting designer Spense Matubang, I assisted in helping bring David Henry Hwang’s comedic yet powerful story to life to the Ashby Stage. Through color, effects, and shadow, we aimed to reflect the show’s message about authenticity and the importance of uplifting Asian voices in American theater and beyond.
Justin Kelley-CahillLighting Design Fellow – Yellow Face (2025)
Working on The Magnolia Ballet as a Directing Observer has been a transformative experience—one that has, just as AeJay envisioned, unleashed something powerful in all of us. Observing the text has opened new ways of seeing love, grief, humor, absurdity, and holiness, while watching the cast and crew at work has unlocked the meaning of joyful collaboration, the layered textures of storytelling, and the deep responsibility of collective creation. It is an honor to take up this call to action and carry its lessons into my artistic journey beyond.
LaRae Mays-HardyDirecting Observer – The Magnolia Ballet (2025)
Working on The Magnolia Ballet as a scenic design MAD fellow has allowed me to learn new skills while exercising existing interests and expertise. The translation of imagined spatial qualities – to representations of those designs – to finally the built, inhabitable scenery is just so juicy and fun! It is endlessly interesting to observe how artistic minds weave together to solve problems and create theater magic!
Sophie RufScenic Design Fellow – The Magnolia Ballet (2025)

Frequently Asked Questions

You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers! For questions about Shotgun’s MAD Fellowships or the application, please contact MAD Program Coordinator, Alejandra Maria Rivas at [email protected].

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