My summer marketing internship at Goodman Theatre changed the course of my life. Before last summer, I had only a vague idea of what my career goals were. Ever since my acting debut in my junior high’s production of You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, I have known that I wanted to work in theatre. My passion for the art has always been unwavering. I appreciated theatre’s important function as a mirror to society, and the dynamic relationship between audiences and live performers was infectious and addicting. As I have grown and matured, particularly as a result of my internship, I have been able to focus the energy and excitement that I have for theatre into the worlds of marketing and dramaturgy.
As I am now graduating and must turn those energies into careers, I would like to begin my post-graduate experience by completing a season-long fellowship or apprenticeship at a large LORT theatre. While I gained a wealth of knowledge about marketing at the Goodman, I know there is still much for me to learn. I am looking for an apprenticeship where I can truly bridge the gap between my educational experiences and a life in the professional theatre. After completing an apprenticeship, I would like to be an entry-level marketing assistant at a theatre, ideally in audience development, publications, or e-marketing. If possible, I would like to work as a freelance dramaturg as well. After several years of experience, I will evaluate my position and decide whether to attend graduate school or continue working in the field.
As the first step on that career path, I am applying for the Marketing and Artistic apprenticeships at Steppenwolf. While these two fields may seem rather incongruous, I believe that my experience in dramaturgy enhances my ...
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...zing with activity of all kinds. Last summer, rarely was there a day when I could not find something to do, people to meet, or somewhere to explore. After having lived in the suburban South for my entire life, I am looking forward to moving to a large city like Chicago.
My internship at the Goodman was just the beginning; I am now ready to launch head-first into the world of professional theatre. During my internship at the Goodman, I discussed my future plans with several Goodman employees who had completed the Steppenwolf apprenticeship themselves. They all expressed how much they learned and grew during their time in the program, and I am seeking exactly the kind of experience they described. I believe that I will leave the Steppenwolf program as a better marketer and a better artist, with the skills and confidence necessary to succeed in the professional world.
The theatres in Chicago have a very vast and interesting history. Starting in the 1920’s, it has been around for a long time. Stephen Schwartz once said “I've heard it said that people come into our lives for a reason bringing something we must learn and we are led to those who help us most to grow if we let them and we help them in return”(goodreads.com). Broadway can help teach people morales. Broadway is one of the most exciting parts of downtown Chicago. Broadway in Chicago is undoubtedly less recognized then what it should be due to its talent and national status.
Director Adam Burke was born and raised from Green Bay, Wisconsin. He went on to get his Bachelors of Fine Art from the University and Arizona and his Masters of Fine Arts from Northwestern University in Theater Directing. Adam was the founding artistic director at Chicago Theatre for Young Audiences. In addition, he received a national Theatre Communications Group New Generations Fellowship; with this fellowship he spent two more years as an artistic associate at a local professional theater—Childsplay. Adam Burke had been living in San Antonio for the past five years until his move to Charlotte last June. He worked as an assistant professor in the theater department at St. Mary’s University. Additionally, he is the artistic director of the Scioto Society, which produces the drama “Tecumseh,” in Chillicothe, Ohio. Burke is currently working as the artistic director at the Charlotte Children’s Theater. Recently, our class had the tremendous opportunity to interview Mr. Burke with questions relating to his process in directing.
One of the very first electrified streets in the United States was Broadway. This gave it many opportunities to become a large icon for our nation. As we know now it is one of the most well-known places for great entertainment. However Broadway was not always the iconic entertainment center it is today; it was stolen, had New York City emerge around it, and persevered through many difficult economic and cultural times.
Lazarus, Joan. "On the Verge of Change: New Directions in Secondary Theatre Education." Applied Theatre Research 3.2 (July 2015): 149-161. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1386/atr.3.2.149_1.
There were many factors that contributed to the changes made to the Broadway theaters in the 20th Century. Broadway faced many problems during the time period of 1945-1955, resolved by numerous different solutions. This included impacts of World War II and the Great Depression, the decline in audience interest and the loss of many actors and producers.
Broadway: The American Musical is a film documentary, highlighting the evolution of musical theater, and how it has related and impacted modern day American life. Starting from the very beginning, the series documents the unfolding of this present day, entertainment medium- Broadway. We Americans, have taken musical theater, ran with it, ultimately creating what we know today as the Great White Way.
Civil rights was and still is an ever changing picture. In the 1950’s, civil rights went from being a generally southern issue, to being a national concern. The issues of the day began to be spilled out over a new medium called television. During the 1950’s, television had become popular and spread throughout the United States. The racial issues of the south were now being seen in living rooms across the nation. The 1950’s laid the groundwork for what would become the massive civil rights movement of the 60’s. The laying of this foundation was not without failure and not without it’s share of problems. The issues of the day were not only reflected on the television screen, but on the theatrical stages of New York City. I will discuss the major issues and some of the ways that race was reflected in the plays of the time.
The Mundelein High School auditorium has staged more than 100 plays, musicals, and concerts. It just so happens to be that the school’s auditorium is my happy place. Mundelein High School’s theatre is where I feel content because: its history is rich, I’ve accomplished many things there, and those accomplishments have changed my life in extraordinary ways.
After six years of Classical Dance, Musical Theatre, Dramatic Theatre, Choreography, and Fight Choreography it is my belief that I can handle the workload and stress this program has the potential to inflict upon me. At one point when I was thirteen, I was in five productions at once, giving me the emotional depth, preparation, and time management
With a strong community engagement due to amateur productions and new pop music theatre works, relevant subject matter and effective dissemination techniques and finally, endorsements from the media and music industry that promote its financial success, it can be construed that the American musical theatre industry will continue to flourish. Given these factors from aspects of the ‘ecosystem of music’ (Schippers, 2009), musical theatre in America has a long lasting future ahead of
“The theatre was created to tell people the truth about life and the social situation,” says Stella Adler. Theater is unique and intriguing because it blends literary and visual arts to tell a story. Throughout the course, I have learned that understanding aesthetics and sociopolitical history is essential for appreciating and applying theater in the real world. Brechtian and musical theatre styles, such as applying musical theatre in RENT, are effective methods to convey crucial historical and social messages, utilizing theater as a platform outside of the arts and for a greater purpose of positive social change.
A mere mention of the term theatre acts as a relief to many people. It is in this place that a m...
I’ve learned to appreciate the beauty of how theater is more than a mere performance, but rather an artform with nuance and depth. My knowledge on theatrical styles has expanded and some of my favorites we have studied in class are Brechtian and Chinese theatre styles. I grew up participating in musical theatre, but never had the opportunity to truly learn the history and details of the craft. After studying RENT, I am inspired by the various possibilities for theater beyond acting, singing, and dancing. Theater can be used for activism or as a form of commemoration. Theater is relevant by communicating issues to the world. Theater is so much more than a dramatic presentation. The theater that I have come to appreciate the most are the performances that relay a greater purposeful message about society amidst the theatricals on
Wilson, E., & Goldfarb, A. (2008). Theater: the lively art (6th ed.). Boston: McGraw Hill.
Applied Theatre work includes Theatre-in-Education, Community and Team-building, Conflict Resolution, and Political theatre, to name just a few of its uses. However, Christopher Balme states that “Grotowski define acting as a communicative process with spectators and not just as a production problem of the actor” (Balme, 2008: 25). Applied Theatre practices may adopt the following “theatrical transactions that involve participants in different participative relationships” such as Theatre for a community, Theatre with a community and Theatre by a community Prentki & Preston (2009: 10). Whereas, applied theatre one of its most major powers is that it gives voice to the voiceless and it is a theatre for, by, and with the people. However, Applied Theatre practitioners are devising educational and entertaining performances bringing personal stories to life and build