So I was chatting with someone online, and they were looking for summer study options for lighting and sound design -- but had some serious restrictions. They're college age (just finished second year), but their local college doesn't offer summer classes. They're not near any summer stock troupes, so they can't intern. They are working with their local community theatre, but they've been doing that for the past 4 years -- so they've kind of reached the end of what they can learn in that venue. So--what would you recommend for their own personal training and education this summer?

I recommended downloading some off-line editors for some of the major lighting consoles and a pre-viz package. They could create their own shows, experiment with looks, and learn how to program on the major rigs in use today. I also recommended checking out Steve Shelley's book "A Practical Guide to Stage Lighting, second edition."

What would you guys suggest? How would you train up if your real-world options were limited? Put some suggestions in the comments. I'd love to hear what you have to say.