The Internship- 1st week.

(06/13/08)

So this is my first entry as the new intern here at the Actor’s Gang, and I’m pleased to say it’s been one exciting first week. I arrived for my first day on Tuesday to find the theater filled with people working on all sorts of things. I met with my boss, Vanessa, who showed me to my desk upstairs, in one of the funkiest offices I’ve ever seen. I quickly met all the regulars here, including Greg, Mia, and Joel, and knew right away this was gonna be a fun place to work. Later on as I was working on the mailing, advertising 1984 and KLUB I looked over and saw Kristen Chenowith getting made up in one of the dressing room chairs. Whaaaaa? Apparently she was shooting in the theater for some show that’s going to be shown in New York. Pretty good start to a first day. Just as we were finishing up with the mailing I got another job offer:

“So, would you be interested at all in crewing 1984 at the Redcat these next couple we-.”

“-YES.”

Next thing you know I’m heading over to the National Wushu headquarters to be on book for the actors as they rehearse 1984 in this expansive black box-esque space. Oh, and I met the director, Tim Robbins, or Tim, as I like to call him when I’m bragging to my roommate about my new internship. The rest of the week has been about the same: Working the first half of the day at the Actor’s Gang in Culver City, then going to help with rehearsal of 1984 for the second half. I also met Erica, a fellow Nebraskan now currently living in LA, who's stage manager on the show. We reminisced about corn and Husker football. It was great. But what was really great was getting to see a group of actors rehearse for a show they’ve already toured for so long, so that the play has become almost second nature to them.

Next week I'll be helping Mia on Monday as we move the 1984 set into the Redcat theatre, and will be crewing the show for the next three weeks. I'm excited to see what the set looks like and what I'll be doing backstage.

Well, gotta go. I'm heading over to the Wushu headquarters for another rehearsal, then tonight we have an all-company meeting and barbecue. I can't wait to meet some more actors in the company and pig out on Mia's burgers and grilled corn on the cob.

Oh, and I'm sure it will be informative, too. :)

Until next time,

-Alex