Internships: Helping Artists Transition

Read a new article in Examiner.com about A Noise Within Internships, and how they provided a link between college and career for many young aspiring theatre professionals. http://www.examiner.com/theater-reviews-in-los-angeles/a-noise-within-helping-artists-transition-into-a-difficult-vocation

Final Bow

All great shows eventually must hold their last curtain call, and so, here is my final bow (post).

It has been such a spontaneous, thrilling and compelling ride here at ANW. I miss it already.

Keep checking this blog for posts from future acting interns and perhaps the education intern in summer 2011. Thank you for following my journey!

For the last time,

ANWintern.

Tuesday.

Despite the lack of creative title, today was quite a creative day. We're moving forward on the Measure for Measure study guide, getting it all ready for the show which starts rehearsing in the next few weeks. While I work in the education department, I get to see all facets of this theater company in action. I've done my background research on Measure... studying the setting, characters, words, etc. and then I get to see people walk through the door auditioning for specific parts. I am seeing the words on the page literally come to life. While the show isn't cast quite yet, I still get a general idea of the director's vision -- how he perhaps sees specific characters. Is Isabella innocent and young? Or is she older and stronger, though pure in her features? I do not doubt that the show will be beautiful, and I hope that I get to see it when I'm home from school on break.

The amazing thing is that we just had so many events culminate last week (SWS and Groundbreaking, to name a few) and yet we are still pushing forward with the same sense of passion and determination. It's such a lovely community to be a part of.

ANWintern.

A side note

I realize I just posted, but I've got more to say. And I felt like this post wasn't quite tangental, and deserved its own title and section. So here I am. Rambling. But really, I do have more to say. I'm sitting at my desk, slowly devouring a red velvet cupcake and listening to the chatter in the office. That's one thing I love about ANW. There are moments of silence, when all you can hear are fingers working quickly on keyboards. Then the mailman enters and the office fills with lively chatter. Then silence. Then a side conversation about something that happened over the weekend, that somehow, always seems to relate to what is going on in the office. It's a systematic ebb and flow that is completely natural.

The people here want to know about each other, outside of the context of work. No wonder I felt so welcomed right away. Yes, I am an intern. But I don't necessarily feel like my idea of an intern. Sure I run errands. But I also have a voice and opinions that are acknowledged. And the people I work with are so passionate about what they do. The energy (even in silence) is always eager and pushing forward. That's the kind of energy that I think a non-profit craves, because times can get really tough.

Well. There's my redvelvetcupcakeinduced ramble. And scene.

ANWintern.

The beginning of the end.

I can't believe it's already my last Monday. My last week. Time really did just zip by. I realize my posts got a little bit sparse the last few weeks, but I've been running around with campers and away from the computer more than I expected. I've got some great photos from camp and the final performance I should have up in the next few days. This week I'm working on sending out brochures to schools and teachers to increase awareness about ANW's fantastic specials for school groups that want to see live theater.

I'll keep you posted through this week most definitely.

ANWintern.

(P.S. There's a special prize for the person who can count how many times I overused the word week in this post! Muahaha.)

Groundbreaking Update

I just got my hands on some beautiful photos taken by Daniel Reichert.

Check out our new space in Pasadena, and some shots of the Groundbreaking event!

ANWintern.

En garde!

The title of this post is both literal and figurative. On the realist side, I just got finished observing the SWS campers rehearse their combat scene. It is really impressive! At first, I was worried that little kids with swords could only end like King Lear - eyes gouged out. These kids, however, have such tact and dedication. There is not even an ounce of horsing around. They know their parts perfectly and I can't wait for them to show off all of their hard work. Hard to believe what a bunch of 10 to 18 year olds can do in only two and a half weeks... their scenes are (fingers crossed) perfectly memorized, they've got a complicated period dance routine perfected, and a combat scene, among other things. Whereas in my experience, actors sometimes complain about the amount of lines or work they have to deal with in a given amount of time, there is no sense of worry from these kids. I can't wait (though I'm bummed that camp will be over) until Saturday!

Now in a figurative sense, "en garde" is a sign of what is about to come, indicating that a fencer should prepare for battle. Of course I'm not going off to war, but I am really coming in for the closing lap of my internship. Everything is culminating in the next two weeks......I'll keep you posted.

ANWintern.

Sun. Sun. Sun.

Today we celebrated groundbreaking at ANW's new site. It is in such a beautiful location....you can see mountains right when you stand outside. While I was roasting in the sun, I got to hear about how much passion and love has really gone into this company. From government officials to artists to board members, there are so many people who have invested themselves into ANW. I looked very official in my hard hat and name tag, and some guests came over and started talking to me. Honestly, the people around this company are just some of the nicest I've ever met. Oh, and we had yummy pastries. And the actors performed snippets from previous shows. While I can say I had a love for the classics before, I really appreciate them a lot more now. They are timeless and for lack of a better word, pure, with the ability to be continuously built off of. There is perhaps no "right" way when it comes to Shakespeare, so the creative process allows for invention, discoveries, and observations. You know how sometimes you "know" something, but feel totally different once you experience it. Well, this internship is definitely an indication of just that.

ANWintern.