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.

Summer with Shakespeare takes off!

Summer with Shakespeare has been so busy! The campers have been doing scene work, combat fencing, movement, dance, voice work, mask making, set design.... the list goes on and on. I love getting to see these kids work Shakespeare. What actually surprised me is that they approach the text the same way that I would. They have the same difficulties with initial comprehension and memorization, but have been doing research and really are enhancing their learning experience. The work they are doing is really impressive and I love watching them in action. Below are some pictures from mask making day. The campers drew out their designs, molded them on their faces, and after they hardened, painted them. They are going to wear the masks in their final performance (open to a live audience!) next Saturday....

A group of campers sketch out their designs.

Here is one of the masks being put on a camper's face. With plaster strips and water, the mask molded easily onto her face.
Here is another image of a camper putting a mask on. The red marker outlined the shape of the mask, to make sure no plaster went into the camper's eyes and so that it would come off easily.

Here are some of the campers with their masks hardening on their faces. After this they were gently removed and set out to dry.

I wish I could have made one for myself. They all really turned out looking fantastic.

And one last thing, all photos are property of A Noise Within. (So don't try to copy them!)

ANWintern.

A Justified Delay

I know it's been a few days - but it's busy season here in the education office. After Arts Summit, we dove right into Summer with Shakespeare and are prepping for the first Scholar's Society (TONIGHT!). So let me back up and give you a few updates.

1) This internship program is fantastic. If you are of college age and are eligible, I would highly recommend applying for a position. It is such a rarity to get a full time paid internship nowadays. And of course, if you are reading this blog and considering a LACAC internship --- well you should absolutely apply to A Noise Within. There are other opportunities available at ANW during the year, but my job is only offered in the summer (hopefully it will be available next year). Of course it's good to have programs on your radar early. At Arts Summit, I got to meet students who work at other arts organizations in the LA area through this program. Everyone I spoke to raved about their jobs. I am proud to be a part of a community of such passionate, interesting people. And especially happy that my home base is ANW!

2) Summer with Shakespeare started off with a bang! We've got a great group of kids who are eager to get up on their feet and spend the day exploring all different aspects of theater arts. Yesterday was the first day and they did acting, combat, movement, and team building activities. Today (the second day) they are learning an Elizabethan period dance piece

(how fitting) and more advanced elements of sword fighting. All of these different aspects are going to come together at the end of the session to create a really impressive final showing. I'm excited to see what part each student will be cast in for their scenes. Oh and I'm going to start taking some pictures of the kids to put up here -- look out for those!

3) Scholar's Society is tonight, and it sounds like such an amazing program. Unfortunately, I won't be able to stay and listen in, but there is an extremely knowledgeable professor coming to speak to the ANW scholars about Measure for Measure -- the first show of our 2010-2011 season!

4) OUR SEASON HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED! Check out our website to get a full list of the plays. I actually had not read any of the plays before, but now I've already gotten through a few of them. Some of the other education interns and I have been doing a lot of work on the study guides for next season. We've been researching settings, words, themes, etc. to create really comprehensive guide for viewers, students, and curious internet browsers. I'm particularly interested in the controversies brought up in Measure for Measure in that Shakespeare - ever so craftily - doesn't provide concrete answers to the questions he brings up about sexual relations, religion, and honesty, to name a few. It's the kind of play that leaves the audience in conversation as they leave the theater. Which, if I do say so myself, isn't a bad quality at all.

ANWintern.