"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!*