We’ll Miss You, Summer Interns!
By A Noise Within
September 22, 2016
Rather than baking in the unforgiving Los Angeles sun, or trudging through some overcrowded outdoor music festival, three incisive college students wisely decided to spend their summer interning here at A Noise Within Theatre!
Let’s meet these lovely youths, shall we?
Sophie:
Education Intern
Hometown: Arcadia, CA
UC Berkely c/o 2016
Theatre and Performance Studies Major/Education minor
What drew you the Education Intern position? Specifically, the combination of education and theater?
I have worked at educational and theater camps before, but exclusively in the role of teacher’s assistant. I love working with kids. Every time I work at a summer camp, I think it will be my last, but since I was 16, I have worked at 5 different camps. I learned so much from those experiences and from the teachers I worked with – how to be creative in a classroom setting, and how to engage students with the material and the world around them. However, what attracted me most to this internship was the ability to garner more skills on the administrative side of a working theater. I have been able to work on curriculum and also work in the classroom. I have learned how to work better with parents, teachers, and students. I have been able to observe the extraordinarily talented teacher-artists who are employed here. It has been both eye-opening and inspiring.
Working with kids holds the potential for a lot of interesting stories! Have a favorite/funniest moment?
The kids at this camp just felt so free to be themselves and there was a lot of joy and playfulness that I got to witness daily. There was more laughter than tears (and sometimes there were tears because the kids were laughing so hard).
There were also a lot of mishaps. I once saw a kid run straight into a wall by accident. But, I do that almost daily, so I am not sure that really stands out! There was a group of kids who actively thought I was 35 years old. Which would be fine, except for the fact that I am 22. From the mouths of babes!
My absolute favorite moment, however, was when a student told me that SWS inspired them to become an actor. That was seriously the best!
In keeping with the ‘kid’ theme, what did you want to be growing up?
When I was growing up, I desperately wanted to be an Indiana Jones-esque archaeologist/adventurer. In other words, a bespectacled professor by day and an adventurer by night who gets into the occasional mishap!
And finally, in your “Wildest Dreams,” what do you hope to have accomplished by your 20-year college reunion?
In 20 years’ time, I hope to have achieved my dream of being a steadily working theater actor. That would be in the year 2036, so there’s hope!
Alex:
Marketing Intern
Hometown: Sacramento, CA
Occidental College c/o 2018
English major, Media Arts & Culture/Interdisciplinary Writing Minor
What led you to pursue marketing?
I’ve always been fascinated by the world of marketing. It’s glitzy and mysterious and it seems vaguely like the job field of a hip-HBO-protagonist. Probably played by someone like Zoe Kravitz. Anyway, that’s not the point.
I heard about this particular internship through a couple friends of mine – both of whom served as Marketing Interns here at ANW in past years. I love theatre; I love to write; I figured my tech-heavy millennial upbringing would give me a leg up on social media management. Needless to say, the thought of writing online content to advertise for theatrical productions was very exciting to me.
That being said, I am incredibly grateful to have worked here. This internship was an amazing experience, and I learned more about the world of marketing than I ever thought possible in such a short amount of time. Also, I was right – marketing is glitzy and hip. 10/10 would recommend.
What drew you to A Noise Within, specifically?
Aside from the word-of-mouth friend recommendations, I became interested in the company after researching it online. I loved the idea of working with classical theatre, because I really didn’t know anything about classical theatre. I also found that the company itself has a great reputation in the artistic community, and they produce really amazing work.
What is something about your internship that has surprised you?
I was genuinely surprised by how much community outreach is involved in a marketing job. And by that, I mean I went to a lot of restaurants throughout Pasadena and asked them to Please Cater For Us; or to Please Advertise In Our Playbill; or to Please Let Us Hang Up Our Poster In The Front Window. I was even more surprised by how much I genuinely enjoyed doing all of these things. It was great to get around and explore the area! Most of the restaurant managers were genuinely nice people, and now I know about a lot of new upscale places to go when my mom comes to visit me and pays for my dinner.
What was your favorite part of the job?
I loved writing eNews articles. That was really cool. In fact, I’m writing this eNews article that you’re reading right now. It’s fun; I’m having a great time.
If you could make your “Wildest Dreams” come true, where would you be in 5 years?
Oh, wow. That’s a good question. I’ll only be twenty-four, and I’m not totally sure what that means. I do know that I hope to have a job in a field that combines my love of performing with my love of writing. I hope to know the definition of the phrase ‘tax return.’ Also, I hope to be living in either Los Angeles or New York City with some friends and a French bulldog named Chauncey, or something. That’s the dream.
Ally
Development Intern
School: Muhlenberg College c/o
Major: Theatre & Business
Hometown: Glendale, CA
What drew you to Development Internship at ANW? What has been your favorite part of the internship?
When I was little, I would spend a lot of time at the non-profits that my aunts and grandma worked at. I was witness to countless fundraising events and staff meetings full of people passionate about arts and culture. Then I discovered theatre, which became my main past-time. Given that I am pursuing a B.A. in both Acting and Business – not to mention my early exposure to non-profits – the Development Internship seemed like a perfect fit. I wanted to combine all my interests and explore the many options that arts administration has to offer. Going into this summer, I was mostly focused on arts management, but doing this internship has gotten me interested in other fields such as institutional giving and marketing. My favorite part about this internship has been learning about the internal structure of a nonprofit theatre company – and of course getting to know the lovely staff members!
You are also an actor/performer. How has working on the administrative side of theatre informed your perception of the artistic side of theatre?
Working on the administrative side of theatre has shown me how important team work and positivity are, whether or not you are planning a development event or rehearsing a show. Being in a professional environment has made me realize what I value in a rehearsal process – clear communication, organization, and the quality of the work.
What role would you most like to perform on stage?
Eliza in Hamilton or Julie in Carousel
What does the perfect day look like to you?
A perfect day would include winning the Hamilton lottery.
After you leave this internship, what is the one thing you will miss most about ANW?
The people!
And finally, what is your “Wildest Dream”? Where do you see yourself, say, 5 or 10 years?
The dream is to be acting in New York and owning a Japanese Spitz (the most adorable dog on the planet)!
