First Few Days
After arriving at the Hangar Theatre and getting settled we were introduced to our design fellows. These are the designers we will be assisting on eight shows and who will be mentoring us on our upcoming design projects. Within the first day we, myself and the three other design apprentices, had gone to a number of different meetings for several productions. These meetings could consist of four designers and a director or every person working on the show from every department. As far as we can tell our jobs will consist of going to design and production meetings to take notes and helping to draft the shows. I am hoping to refine my drafting skills and my paint elevation skills.
Due to theatre’s collaborative nature I will be working constantly with people outside of my department. I look forward to making these connections. I am also looking forward to the increasing number of design opportunities being given to me. We, myself and the other apprentices, have been informed that we are not only designing the final musical, Suessical Jr., but we are also designing four cabarets throughout the summer. Our first production meeting as lead designers is in a few hours and I am extremely excited. Along with our work as assistants and our growing work as designers we have been tasked to design and theoretical production in our free time, what little we have. This project was to design a concept for the play A Doll’s House and we were given two days. Our design presentation is due tomorrow. This task was given to us with such short notice and such a quick deadline to teach us, as designers, to think quickly and make decisions without fear of failure. The idea is that if one is put under a seemingly impossible deadline one will remove all inhibitions and produce the rawest work. This work is not always as refined as it should be but it is the truest to that person. I think that meeting my mentors and this theoretical project are my highlights for the week.
I look forward to documenting more of this internship in the weeks to come.
