Sara Frey
Job-Ready Intern
Sara Frey
Theatre Design and ProductionHeartland Actor's Repertory Theatre
Why did you apply to intern at your particular organization?
I applied to this internship on recommendation of a family friend. This was my first summer searching for an internship in theatre and she got me in contact with the director of the HART program, who graciously introduced me to many different options for internships in Indianapolis, in addition to her own. I applied to a few, but was more interested in what HART had to offer in regards to my future career.
Describe your typical day as an intern.
As a stage management intern, I arrived a half-an-hour or so early to all rehearsals to prep for the scenes we were scheduled to rehearse. The other ASM and I reviewed the prop list and set out any props needed for that day’s rehearsal. We then prepped the staging area (outside at a garden house in Butler’s Holcomb Gardens on nice days) by sweeping and putting out the necessary set pieces. During rehearsal, we would follow along in the script and help actors who were off book.
What is the most challenging aspect of your internship?
The most challenging aspect of this internship was the fact that we rehearsed in a public space outside. Being in a public garden on a college campus, people would be constantly coming through or by our rehearsal. Children would come by and be playing loudly but we can’t react or acknowledge. The weather was sometimes a bother as well – our first few outdoor rehearsals were windy and in the low 70’s, and it was hard to manage keeping all my pages in order and hear dialogue over all that.
How has your internship prepared you for your career?
I believe that this internship has taught me to be open to different work enviroments. I had never previously worked on or with a production that rehearsed and performed outside. I’ll say I was a little skeptical having been accustomed to the usual theatre space. Dealing with the elements on a day-to-day basis was an interesting challenge, but it made for a more exciting and fun experience.
What recommendations do you have for other students doing an internship?
Don’t be scared to push yourself! Interning can sometimes be a scary or uneasy experience, especially if you are entering into a situation you aren’t used to. But you never know who you’ll connect with or what you’ll learn, and you may even discover some interesting things about your future career!