A Day in the Life of an Intern

I vividly remember my first show at the Orlando Shakespeare theatre. My school scheduled a field trip during our Shakespeare lesson in fifth grade, and we saw As You Like It. I was mesmerized watching the actors and how serious they were. I was so enthralled I barely remembered to sneak glances at my crush-of-the-day.

The theater was intimate and from my seat I could see every breath and facial movement. The energy and enthusiasm was contagious. The words themselves were a little over my head, but the actors perfectly conveyed the intended messages to my young ears. They could have been speaking Chinese and I think I would have gotten the gist of it. I loved the make up, the set, the costumes, the lights, the excitement, and I wanted it all.

I was inspired, so I chose theater as my elective throughout middle school and high school. I felt at home with my fellow thespians. Theater people seem to “click” naturally. Whether it is a shared passion or a general thirst for life, theater folks remain my favorite.

After high school I migrated to the University of Central Florida and earned a degree in Psychology. As most graduates will attest, post-grad life is very scary and stressful. I had no idea what I was doing and had zero job prospects. I immediately enrolled in the University of Florida’s online program to earn a master’s degree in Communications. I needed an internship for one of my class credits, and looked high and low before my dad heard through the grapevine that Orlando Shakes has amazing internships.

By some miracle the timing was perfect and I was asked to joining the staff as their Fall Marketing Intern! The staff and crew at the Orlando Shakespeare Theater are absolutely amazing; everyone is genuinely kind and helpful. The plethora of tasks for the day is accomplished with a smile and a laugh!

As the Fall Marketing Intern, I gain hands on experiences in the field. I am not just getting coffee and bagels. I worked on promotional materials for the new show, Bakersfield Mist, which is opening next week. I filmed the current musical, Monty Python’s SPAMALOT, and had to hold my hand over my mouth to stifle my giggles so the camera wouldn’t pick them up. I was even able to give back to the community by volunteering to feed those in need at the Daily Bread. I am looking forward to learning more in the coming weeks, as the magic of theater continues to mesmerize me.