"Finale"

Internship: finished. Final feelings: success. Although I had some struggles with my summer, I believe that overall I had a fantastic experience at the Guthrie and am so honored to have been there. I learned a lot about the business world in the art industry, but not only about it but how to do it well. Even though the Guthrie is such a large institution, it is a community of people that care about one another. It does not matter if you are an employee, a director, an actor, a patron, or simply a visitor to the building, you matter and are part of the community at the Guthrie. I think that is one of the most important lessons that I learned: to treat others with kindness, compassion, and a special something that leaves them with a feeling that they are important to you. I also can't forget all the amazing shows I saw this summer: "Circle Mirror Transformation", "Dollhouse", The Guthrie Experience show, "A Streetcar Named Desire", and the oh-so-fabulous "The Scottsboro Boys". I couldn't have asked for a better season of shows and for the compassion that I got from the Guthrie with free tickets for me, my friends, and family members! One more thing that was great to come away with this summer was living in the city of St. Paul/Minneapolis. I really liked the big city feel and the ability to find something to do every night, whether it is go to a show, take a walk around the lake (you can find one anywhere!), hang out with friends, get some tea from The Tea Garden, catch a free rendition of "A Midsummer's Night Dream" in the park, or go to IKEA (went there too much this summer). I'll definitely be putting Minneapolis as one of the places to apply at the end of the year...especially the Guthrie. Thanks to all who helped me along the way and who became such good friends. You really made it mean something great. *Left ear tug!*

"DON'T GIVE UP!"

After today, I have 3 days left of my internship. Today, one of the most influential days I've had here happened. Joe Dowling spoke to a room full of interns eager to hear what he had to say about his professional career as an artist and a manager for theaters all over the world. To give a little background on Joe Dowling, he has been the Director of the Guthrie Theater for the last fifteen years and just signed on last month to be the Director for five more years. Before that, Joe worked and lived in Ireland and multiple theaters as well as in America and Canada. During the last fifteen years, Joe has guided the Guthrie Theater from a one-theater workspace into a nationally recognized public hub containing three different and important theater spaces: a thrust stage, a proscenium, and a studio. As the artistry of the work done at the Guthrie has expanded, the management of the theater has grown as well. The Guthrie is now a nationally recognized, non-profit theater that nurtures budding artists, local artists, as well as national artists.

Since Joe has done all these wonderful things with the help of a fantastic staff, it was fantastic to hear him speak about what he thought made a successful theater and to get some advice from him. A big lesson I got from Joe's discussion was to be successful in the arts you must have a mix of artistic and business mindfulness. People want to see good art, so there must be special attention paid to keeping high standards in the creative process. Yet, there must be attention paid to keeping the sales going strong as well. The question arose as to how to keep selling tickets during a recession. Joe responded that sales have not dropped for the Guthrie and these are some of the reasons: people want to see good theater and that is what the Guthrie provides. Also, the marketing team has been forced to give some discounts out to the patrons, yet keep a balance for income. Joe claimed that arts do better during a recession and that is because when there are hards times economically, socially, etc. society turns to artists to provide insight. This leads into Joe's final message to the eager young people sitting in front of him. Don't give up! There will most definitely be hard times and failures in art, but we must keep going. We must keep going not only for ourselves, but for the reason for the art. Art is of great importance to society whether Americans want to admit it or not. Art changes lives.

A final word that I would like to end this blog with is from Joe (who took it from Shakespeare): "Screw your courage to the sticking place, and we'll not fail." Although Lady Macbeth is talking about the courage to murder, the message can still be applied to an artists' life. In other words, don't give up! *Left ear tug!*

"More on The Boys"

Last night, I went to "The Scottsboro Boys" again. It was great to see the show a second time and really grasp some of the themes and messages that I may have glossed over before. After the production, there was an after-play discussion with most of the cast. It was an open forum where the audience could ask questions of the cast. It was great to hear that the cast had put a lot of heart and soul and research into their parts. They wanted to bring the characters back to life and tell the story of the "boys". The question was asked, "How do you feel about using theater as a means of activism." One of the actors responded that theater is always a means of activism for him. Actors, playwrights, directors, etc. are there to tell a story, and a story that means something to each person watching that production. Although there were racial accusations displayed artistically and ironically for the purpose of making the audience squirm in their seats, "The Scottsboro Boys" starts an audience member thinking about history and what we have learned from it, if anything. At the end of the production, the main character, Haywood Patterson, gives a woman his book that he wrote in jail about what really happened--the truth. As she takes the book and is changed by it, I felt an overwhelming sense of this message: learn the truth and use it in your life. We must know our pasts to dictate a better future. The biggest message in the production was truth--knowing it, relaying it to others, standing up for it, and believing in it. Another large theme was knowledge. During the boys time in jail, many of them wanted to learn more. Haywood Patterson learned to write in jail and was able to tell others the truth even while he was incarcerated. I urge all who are able to see this show, especially since it will soon be a hit on Broadway and you will want to claim that you have seen it. It is a show that is disturbingly funny, exciting, and challenging to your thoughts and emotions. As one of the actors described the show, "It is a nightmare, only to wake you up at the end by the last gong and blackout." I urge you all to see this beautiful nightmare. You will not regret it. *Left ear tug!*

"Pre-freaking-miere"

Last Friday I went to the opening night of "The Scottsboro Boys", a show that will soon be on Broadway and is having a try-out in Minneapolis at the Guthrie Theater. It was fantastic! Not only was the audience top-notch and very appreciative, but the actors weren't too bad themselves. That was quite an understatement as they were phenomenal. Set up as a minstrel show, the actors were full of flavor and vaudeville-type spirit. The subject, grim as it may be, was cast in the most entertaining way making the audience laugh while faced with the truths of 1930s southern racial bigomists. One of the best parts of the show was the actor playing the 13-year-old boy who was among the nine black men accused of raping two white women. He could sing, he could dance, he could tap, and he could keep up with all the other actors on stage. I was overwhelmed by his talent and his ability to seem not as a child on the stage. He was truly a professional. That is to say, there was nothing taken away from the other actors and their extreme talent. They were fantastic and right on with their portrayal of a minstrel show and the irony of the story they were folding out. Last, but not least, I want to commend Susan Stroman, a talented and creative director and choreographer. She did such a terrific job with the cast and the direction that they took the play. I was truly amazed and grateful to be part of such an event. This experience has made my passion for the theater even more evident. As someone relayed to me lately, "Don't say 'no' to yourself. Others may do so, but you should never say it to yourself." I think about that as I am about to go into my senior year of college. In less than a year, I will be on my own, looking for a job or an internship that will advance my career...yes, I said it--career. I better make the best of this year to make the best of my future. And no one, including myself, will be standing in my way. Amen! *Left ear tug!*

"Experience the Oil Spill"

Last night my roommate and I went to the made performance that the Guthrie Experience actors and Marcela Lorca put together on the Dowling Studio stage. The subject of the drama was the oil spill down in the gulf, the effect it is having on the people there, the effect it is having on BP, the effect it is having on the wildlife, and the effect these large events have on the rest of the country's views and social opinions. It was a wonderful experience to see this production that was made by these actors and showed their opinion of what has happened along with their extensive research they did about the effects. There were a lot of really beautiful artistic moments like underwater scenes showing the fish being attacked by the black mess. There were also some very funny parts such as all the actors portraying celebritites singing a song to "help" with the cause. The spoofs were great and made the audience laugh, then think about what was really said. There were also dramatic elements such as a woman who had lost her husband in the initial explosion of the oil rig and her suffering that he is still in the ocean. It really got me thinking about the meaning of theater...is it to entertain or to make a statement? I can see that there are some theater productions that are solely put out there for entertainment purposes, but doesn't every human experience get you thinking about yourself and how it effects you? It sounds kind of selfish, but I feel that we spend a lot of time thinking about how things effect ourselves. That is why I believe all theater makes a statement. In this production, I believe the question raised is: what is my part in this oil spill crisis?

I also want to commend the Guthrie Experience actors...they are extremely talented and creative and that was showcased in this production. Thank you for your efforts and for being at the Guthrie Theater for you experience this summer. It was much enjoyed by all of us and I'm sure by you! God bless you in your future ventures!

Well, I'm off to Okoboji for the weekend, but I will make sure to keep updating this blog all the way until August 20th...and possibly some after thoughts as well. *Left ear tug!*

"Treasuring the End"

Hi followers! I've sure been busy this last week or so. As I've been put on some more interesting projects such as entering data about the surveys we took during the Target Arts and Wonder Day. It was a wonderful day and that is much reflected in the surveys! I have been blessed with new feelings of appreciation for this experience. I have never not appreciated this experience, but I felt bogged down and unhappy earlier this summer. Thank the Lord, I have finally come out of my slump and am enjoying my time here. I have only a few weeks left, but there is so much to still do and experience. I saw "A Streetcar Named Desire" last week and it was absolutely wonderful! Ricardo Antonia Chavira was wonderful as Stanley, while Stacia Rice gave a different look to Stella that I had never seen or thought of before. I felt her portrayal of Stella was more real; she was less of a victim. Not to mention, Gretchen Egolf performs wonderfully as Blanche. Watching her, I felt that she gave the audience a look at how a tortured woman was trying to keep it all together the only way she knew how. She was trying to find a solution to the problems in her life and sadly, there was no way out. I will get to see this show again with my dad next week and am excited to watch it again and discover all new things about the production. It also was very interesting how comical John Miller-Stephany(the director) and the cast made this production of a traditionally serious play. The next night, my dad and I will be going to the opening of "Scottsboro Boys", a new musical that is making its way to Broadway in New York, but stopping at the Guthrie first. I am so excited for this musical and have heard AMAZING things about it! It is opening in New York on Halloween and I wish I could be there for that great event! Another update: two nights ago I worked an event held at a donor's home. The event was Joe Dowling, the director of the Guthrie, reading some Irish readings for donors who would like to hear him. He really is a talented artist and captivated his audience. Afterwards, I was able to mingle with some of the donors and was told all of the things I must do before I leave Minneapolis. I don't know if I will get to all of them, but I am surely going to try to! On Sunday, some friends and I will be going to Powderhorn Park to watch a production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" that is staged outside in the park. I'm excited for my first Shakespeare in the park experience! I'm really enjoying Minneapolis and St. Paul and I hope to come back many, many times. There is so much to do and see and the theatre-scene is awesome! I have already learned a lot from my experiences here at the Guthrie and I am looking forward to what I can learn in the coming weeks before I head back to school for my last year. Exciting and terrifying :) *Left ear tug!*

"FOH Inspiration"

Hello all! Yesterday started out as a typical Monday...blah. Yet, it did not end up that way. I had an informational interview with Sue Kotila, Director of Visitor Services. She has a lot under on her plate here at the Guthrie, including being in charge of all the ushers, the parking ramp, the front desk people, Stage Door, etc. She told me that she is in charge of over 500 individuals! I can't even imagine being in charge of that many people! Sue gave me the secrets to how she manages that many people and how she has been successful for over thirty years in this type of a position. She takes everything she can and uses it for positives. Sue grew up in South America and was very poor for most of her life. She promised herself that she would never go without the essentials of life again and came to the U.S. After working very hard at many different jobs, Sue went to school at Hamline University in St. Paul. She told me to never, ever tell myself "no"! Even if others are telling me that I can't do something, I should never tell myself that I can't do something or achieve something. A way that she achieves her goals and has been so successful is that she stands out when she meets people. She may give some chocolates to the guy running the parking ramp across the street and next time the Guthrie has a big event, he'll come in on his day off to check how everything is going. The little things count to make people notice you and to give others the needs that all humans have: to be noticed, acknowledged, validated, valued, etc. Sue really capitalizes on these attributes when she meets anyone. Another area where Sue believes a person's success can come from is networking. She is a big believer in this and pushed this concept on me strongly. One more thing that Sue mentioned to me in her inspiring lesson was that everything people say or do comes from one of two places: love or fear. She tries to relate to others from her place of love. She wants to kill her employees, visitors, and co-workers with kindness. From all of these inspirational ideas, I felt energized to continue on my way in my internship and in my career. I can't be afraid or discouraged, but work at everything I do out of the love place in my soul. Also, as another side note, the Guthrie had their Annual Meeting yesterday evening. I figured it would be a lot of talk about the numbers and projections, etc. I was surprised when after that short section was over, Joe Dowling, the Director for the theater (who has been signed on for five more years as director!) got up and spoke about the vision for the future, the successes and failures of the past, and congratulated the whole organization for how it supports each other and functions as the purpose that the mission lays out: "The Guthrie Theater, founded in 1963, is an American center for theater performance, production, education and professional training. By presenting both classical literature and new work from diverse cultures, the Guthrie illuminates the common humanity connecting Minnesota to the peoples of the world." I ended up enjoying the Annual Meeting quite a bit. All in all, a good day. *Left ear tug!*

"Target Mania"

Hiya friends and family! I have been so busy this past week or so...I was on vacation! :) Last Friday I worked an Opening Night dinner for "A Streetcar Named Desire" and was not really that eventful except that I met a very entertaining volunteer for the Guthrie, Marlene. She shared her whole life with me and even wore a big southern hat to the event because the play is set in Louisiana. After I was done working the intermission lounge part of the event, I was free to go and headed to Storm Lake for the weekend to see some BV peeps and enjoy Schaller's Popcorn Days festivities! I ended up getting to Storm Lake at 1:30 in the morning and had a drink waiting for me at Puff's...a thank you! The weekend was a blast with spending time with friends, making a slip-n-slide covered in baby oil, and enjoying the beer garden. After that, I headed to Sioux City to spend some time with my momma, sister, and niece, Hannah. Fantastic! (Except I got a scope done on my stomach...that was not a fun day!) I headed back to Minneapolis on Thursday and worked tirelessly for a day or two to help set up for the big event that happened yesterday, Saturday, at the Guthrie. This event was the Target Arts and Wonder Family Free Day (quite a mouthful) and was such a great experience and such a tiresome day. The day started at 8:00 AM with set-up of our stations. The stations were the Target Activity table (my station) where kids could come and color canvas messenger bags that had the Target dog driving a school bus on them...I colored mine with flames on the side of my bus...it was pretty BA. There was also face-painting, storytelling, tours of the theater and backstage areas, demonstrations of things such as movement and stage combat, and finally a place to dress up in real costumes and take a picture with your family. The day started at 9:00 in the morning and ended at 5:00 in the afternoon. What a long day! I was outside all day, but in the shade so I did not get burnt. It was so fun to see the little kids get so excited about experiencing the theater and the families that were there together. The messenger bags were a huge hit and even some of the parents wanted to color one. A couple of the Guthrie Experience Actors decided to color a bag for themselves as well. :) All in all, it was a fun day and reminded me of what the theater really means for me. I feel that theater should serve a community and a community can serve the theater as well. This was really expressed by the support of Target for the arts and the support of the Guthrie for the community. The Guthrie is really about education and entertainment. That is really inspiring. I feel even more that I am going down the career path that I love. I miss everyone! *Left ear tug!*

"So much to tell...."

I hope everyone had a great 4th of July! I enjoyed spending time with my family and loving on my niece and nephew! :) I thought I should fill you all in on what happened last week. Three big events happened that were very informative and quite entertaining. First, on Tuesday, there was the first Brown Bag discussion held and was hosted by Trish Santini, the External Relations Director at the Guthrie. She told all who gathered to listen about her experiences in dance, theater, and marketing. She has led a pretty interesting life with lots of struggles and career choices that could have made or broken her...but she's at the Guthrie, so I think she made some good choices! Then, on Wednesday, I was asked to help with an event that the Development Department was putting on. It was a meet-and-greet for donors and Guthrie Experience Actors. I did not know much about the Guthrie Experience Actors, but they are all in MFA programs around the country and are invited to the Guthrie for an intensive eight-week workshop where they create their own work by the end. They are extremely talented and this program has produced actors that are well-known around the country and world. One of the greatest things about this event was that it was held at a donor's home that is right next to the Guthrie. It was unbelievable! Their penthouse had the most beautiful view of the Minneapolis downtown and a gorgeous roof-top patio. The evening happened to be just perfect to be out on the patio. After another Development employee and I made sure all of the guests had arrived, we were able to go up to the party and mingle with the donors and GEx (Guthrie Experience) Actors. As an intern, I figured not a lot of the donors and actors would like to mingle with me, so I spoke with another intern taking photos and just enjoyed the beautiful view and amazing food that was provided (I got permission to eat some food...don't worry!). Then, one of the GEx Actors approached me and started to chat. I was ecstatic that anyone even cared I was there! He goes to Julliard and was really interesting to talk to. Extremely nice too! Ya'll know how I love making new friends! Before I left, we exchanged numbers so we could meet up sometime during our downtime (which didn't seem like a lot for the GEx Actors). My next big event was on Thursday morning. I met up with Jeremy Jones, who works in Company Development. Company Development is different from Company Management and the Guthrie is one of the only theaters that has a Company Development Department. Company Management is taking care of the actors in mainstage productions and their needs. Company Development is working on developing those actors with programs such as the Guthrie Experience and BFA program that is teamed up with the University of Minnesota. Jeremy helps Ken Washington run these programs and find the actors that they want to be in the programs. From my informational interview with Jeremy, I learned a lot about these programs and the management of them. It is also was interesting that Joe Dowling wanted these types of programs instituted into the mission of the Guthrie. The Guthrie is concerned not with only providing entertainment and theater education through their productions, but the education and expansion of the artists and employees that work for the Guthrie. I have a couple other informational interviews set up with other members of the staff in different departments that I am looking forward to this week. I will make sure to keep you updated on what I learn. *Left ear tug!*

"Purpose"

Well, today I got something that I've been wanting for awhile. My supervisor gave me a purpose to what I am doing. She told me all the background information for the Development Department...how it works, what processes they use, etc. Although working in the Development Department is not something that exactly interests me for a permanent position, it is important for me to understand how the fundraising works in an arts organization and how best to go about it. I am learning from some of the best. There are so many people that really do great things and I am looking forward to learning from them. I realize that I need to really get into this internship if I am going to take anything away from it for the future. Even though this isn't the most fun thing that I've ever done, someone told me that to get to the great stuff there's gotta be the not so great stuff along the way. So true! Hopefully there will be great things that lie ahead for me, but there's going to be some things along the way that I may not enjoy immensely. It will all be for good. I will still struggle some days with this experience, but I really need to focus on the positives of this experience and my summer in the Twin Cities. The purpose of this internship will help me to discover my pupose in life and how it is displayed throughout my life. Here goes! *Left ear tug!*

"UUUGGGHHHH!!!!"

Ok, so my forever optimist attitude is kind of on the back burner lately. To be completely honest, I am really bored at this internship and I'm wishing there was more to my life. I've been keeping busy running and spending time with the roommates, but I just don't feel like myself. I realized that this feeling has been going on for a long time...about a year. I've been trying to do things to fix it and to get back to the loving life-not caring about what others think-good natured person that I used to be. Well, there's no going back, right? There's only forward motion. I've been trying to get back into the Word and be closer to God, but that's hard when you haven't been that close in awhile. I'm really focusing on that right now and staying positive. Sorry there isn't much to report from the Guthrie....but there's not much to report. I already feel bored by what I'm doing and I really wish I didn't feel that way. So, for all you followers out there, please be praying that I get hit over the head with the "positivity stick." *Left ear tug!*

"Update!"

Well hello again my faithful followers (although there are few of you as my sister pointed out...thanks Laur!) After a rough weekend, I was not ready for a week of entering information into the system at the Guthrie. I'm tired and I do not have much concentration. Yet, today, I decided that I can't let myself get bogged down by sometimes boring work or by situations in life that don't go as planned. I have to be the forever optimist. Not a false optimism, but finding the good in life that I sometimes look over. I have this fantastic internship, I'm living in an area with so much going on (although I've given up a lot of my time that I could have used to explore and now have a yearning to see EVERYTHING), I have fun roommates that are so great to me, I have a family that I talk to almost everyday, and I have friends who support me although I'm far away from them. I need to learn all that I can this summer and really focus on what I'm here for. I can't wait for what will come up this summer...anything is possible! :) *Left ear tug!*

"Running Thoughts"

Heya Followers! So, I haven't blogged for awhile, but that is because not much has been going on at the Guthrie in my department. We had our intern orientation last week and I made a friend, Helen. We eat lunch together every once in awhile. She is very nice and a theater education major. She is working in the education department this summer. My supervisor, Emily, is out of town on vacation for about a week, so I am on my own! Not really...there are quite a few other people that are still helping me out if I need anything. As I went home this past weekend, I gave my tickets to "M. Butterfly" to my roommates, Christy and Linsey. They said it was really good. Tomorrow night, we are all going to "Dollhouse." I may see it again on Tuesday with Mama New! I have been told what events I have been scheduled to work and am excited to get to interact with the people and learn all I can about special events. That part of the development department really is very interesting to me.

There's an update on what has been going on at the Guthrie. Now, I would like to focus this blog on my personal thoughts about what is going to happen in the future. During interim of next year, I will be directing a University Theatre production of "Steel Magnolias." A director's job starts very early and I have just read the play again for about the fortieth time. As I set out for my evening jog (yes, I've started to run...crazy, I know!) I began to imagine all of the things that would go into this production. I think that is the funnest thing about directing...imagining what it will look like, feel like, sound like, etc. and then seeing the end product. I see the actresses who are going to play the parts and I haven't even met them yet. I'm sure they will be completely different from what I am imagining, but that's the fun and creative part. There is so much to do and I can't wait to get started! :) *Left ear tug!*

"Long-Term Goals"

Today wasn't all that exciting. I just did a lot of research and learned more about the program that Guthrie uses to keep all of their information on their donors, Tessitura. I like the organization about this job, but it is not exceptionally compelling. I hope that maybe things will heat up a bit in the Development Department. Truthfully, the thing that I really find intriguing is the special events section of the department. I hope I get to work some more with special events. Well, today is the day for the weekly staff meeting. As soon as I got to work, I headed into the Cowles Board room where we meet and sat down to hear the updates from the Development Department. We talked about many things including special events, budgets, etc. The last item that Dianne brought up to the staff was to go through the long-term plan for the theater that Joe Dowling sat down and wrote five years ago. We were to see if the long-term goals for the theater were being met and how they were being fulfilled. Some of the subjects were education, community outreach, Shakespearean principles, etc. Most of the goals were being fulfilled and the theater was even going farther with some of these long-term goals. It got me thinking about my long-term goals. I've never really thought about them seriously. So, here goes: First of all, I want to get straight A's my senior year. That will be tough with B-Law and MacroEcon on my plate first semester, but I'm really going to work hard to accomplish this goal. It can be done! Second, I want to run a half-marathon next summer (not a full marathon...I am NOT that ambitious). Third, I want to go to grad school for directing. This year I am going to start looking at grad schools all over the country that I could apply to someday. I say someday because as my supervisor at Spencer Comm. Theater, Cara, told me, "No grad school for directing will accept you right out of college without any experience...that is, no good one." So, I am going to try to get as much experience directing as possible. I thought for a long time that I wanted to act, but I've found that, although I love to act, directing is really where my passion lies. I like to be organized around a project, but I also love the crazy creativity and unexpected surprises that come with directing a show and collaborating with other creative individuals. I am planning three years after college to start applying to schools. Now, to go on to my more personal life: I would like to be married and start a family before I am thirty. I realize that this is a lot to accomplish when working so hard toward a career goal, but family is one of the most important things to me, so I will make it a top priority. And, it shouldn't be that big of a problem...my sister already has my wedding all planned out for me (no, seriously, down to how I'm going to wear my hair and everything!) so all I need to do is find the guy. Last, but not least, I want to read the entire Bible. I've planned on doing it so many times, but never really gotten it done. I want to finish it before I graduate college...here goes next year! Now that I've established all my long-term goals (well, I guess if you really think about it, these are short-term, but...) I can go on with my life and I know exactly how its going to be. NOT! Sue New (mi madre) has a magnet on her fridge that says, "Make plans, make God laugh." I have a feeling not all of my long-term goals will come into actualization like they have at the Guthrie, but that's ok...I like making God laugh. All I know is that I can have ideas about what I want to do and live a life that is glorifying and solid. There will be disappointments in life, especially in the theatre world. I'm prepared for that. Well, sorry this got so inspirational and preacher-like, but its what I felt that I should write today. If you see me around, please ask me how I'm doing on my long-term goals...gotta have people to keep you accountable. *Left ear tug!*

"Meet and Greet"

Today was a pretty full day...a really good full day. I got to work around 9:30 and worked until around noon...then got a surprise! The girl that I share an office space with, Jill, reminded me that the first meet and greet that I was able to go to was going to begin soon. The director, artistic team, and cast of "A Streetcar Named Desire" were introduced to the staff before they began their first read-through. A big name that a lot of you might know is Ricardo Antonio Chavira, who will be playing the part of Stanley. He is best known for his role as Carlos in "Desperate Housewives" (the one married to Eva Longoria's character). The director, John Miller-Stephany, explained the process that he and Joe Dowling went through in picking this show as one of the summer shows. They wanted to do a great American classic, and although there were a lot to choose from, this one struck a chord with the artistic team. John was a little timid to take on such a big play with so many "ghosts," as he called them. But he was inspired by some of Tennessee Williams' letters to Arthur Miller (the original director of the 1947 Broadway debut) to take on the show and make it great. From what the scenic and costume designers explained, it should be a fantastic show. After my first great meet and greet, I had lunch out on the Endless Bridge, and then got back to work. When I finished up the day at 3:30, I headed home, picked up my roommate and then headed to IKEA (you can be jealous Nina!). I was set to buy myself a mattress. As much fun as sleeping on the floor has been, I felt the need for a little more cushion. I found a great mattress at a great price and bought it (thank you, Dad, for the transfer of money into my account). Then we came back to our apartment, set up my bed, ate some dinner, hung out with our other roommate, and went to a show! Christy (one of my roommates) and I were able to see "Circle Mirror Transformation" in the Dowling Studio, the black box-type theatre. It was a great show about adults in an acting class finding out about themselves and reaching their limits. It was really funny and hilarious to watch all the silly warm-ups and exercises that we actors do from the outside. We really do make a fool of ourselves...but we volunteer to do so, right? Well, it has been a jam-packed day full of theatre. Good day. Time for me to hit the sack. *Left ear tug*

"Meeting the Big Wigs"

Hey ya'll! I was in Iowa this weekend in the grand ole town of Emmetsburg visiting my boyfriend and his family, so I was not able to blog until today. I have some exciting news though! I met Rebecca Gilman, a playwright who's work I am very fond of. Let me set the scene and Tarantino this story. On Wednesday, during our team meeting for the Development Department, I was told that there would be a special event on Friday and I would just be there to see what goes on during this special event. The special event was an Opening Night dinner for the opening night of "Dollhouse." Opening Night dinners are attended by some of the bigger donors for the Guthrie. As I have been doing some preliminary research on these donors, I could put some faces to names. On Thursday afternoon, Erica, the Special Events Coordinator, asked me to fill in for one of the people that was supposed to be helping the guests from the check-in table to the eating area. I agreed readily. Friday afternoon, I was helping some of the other members of the Development Department stuff envelopes and I mentioned that I was a big fan of Rebecca Gilman. They mentioned that she would be there tonight and I was hoping to meet her. Well, 5:30 came up, the time for the guests to arrive. A lot of the guests had been to many Opening Night dinners and knew exactly where to go so there was no need for an escort. After standing around and just watching for about fifteen minutes, Sarah, one of the girls in the Development Department, whispered to me that Rebecca Gilman had arrived. If I wanted a chance to meet her, this was it. As she and her husband checked in, I stepped out to be their escort. As we walked to the eating area, I babbled on about how I was such a big fan of Rebecca's and how I was looking forward to seeing "Dollhouse." Rebecca barely got a word in during our minute walk together. I just got so excited! :) Well, I hope to meet many other great people this summer and to learn some great things. Here goes! *Left ear tug*

"First Rehearsal"

Welp, today was my first day. It was a lot of "how-to" explanations, but it was very interesting. I will be doing primarily research about donors (entirely confidential, of course) and also helping out with special events, which particularly strikes my fancy. We had a development department meeting this morning (as we will every Wednesday morning) and I really enjoyed meeting everyone, but we spent a lot of time discussing possibilities for a special event. It was really fun for me to listen to the brainstorming that occurred with the development department. That was all before lunch! For lunch, my mentor, Emily, took me to a cafe near the Guthrie, Spoon River. It was mostly vegan and organic, but it was really good! After lunch, we headed back to the Guthrie and I got to some work! I did some research and started using a program called Tessatura (sp?). Then, Emily took me on a tour of the theatre...it is a maze in there! Especially all the back hallways that I will have to memorize so I know how to get around. :) The Guthrie is really an amazing building and the architecture is unbelievable! I am so excited to learn and experience all that I can there. This Friday I am going to shadow at a special event for the opening of "Dollhouse" and the author, Rebecca Gilman, will be there! Then on Tuesday, I am going to go see "Circle Mirror Transformation," a new play. It should be really great! Thanks for continuing to follow. *Left ear tug!*

"Pre-Game"

Hello Followers!

On Wednesday I am starting an internship in the Development Department at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, MN. I am super excited to be working at the Guthrie and to be experiencing life at a large regional theater setting. This is going to be a challenging environment, but something that I really hope I will thrive at. In the Development Department I will be helping with special events, doing the computer programming behind donations and ticket orders, and also research associated with donations as the Guthrie is a non-profit organization. I will also get four free tickets to a performance of the shows that the Guthrie is presenting this summer ("Dollhouse", "A Streetcar Named Desire", "The Scottsboro Boys"). Along with that there are lots of other opportunities to learn during this internship including brown bag discussions where the whole theater listens to the directors and designers of each show and hear their visions, possibly being at dress rehearsals, and one-on-one sessions about networking and getting myself out there. I will be documenting all that I learn about theaters and how they work as well as what I learn about myself and where I want to be after college. Keep checking the blog and I'll keep posting! *Left ear tug*