I did something new with my internship that I haven’t done before… I worked during an actual show! I’ve been really excited to write this blog and share all the amazing things that happened. It was truly a great experience and I’m so glad I did it.
Brian Regan performed the night that I was at the Tower. I had never heard about him before, but he was very talented and hilarious! My day started with shadowing Stephanie Johnson, the Director of Events. She handles a lot of work during an actual Tower show. She makes sure the performers and crew are comfortable, she handles the finances of rentals, and she makes sure that everything is in order before the show starts. That morning, she took on the unusual task of driving Brian Regan and a few members of the crew to the Tower. It was too dangerous for their travel bus to drive to Bend as a result of the snow and ice. Luckily, Stephanie was able to save the day! Without her, the Tower would not be able to produce organized and high-quality shows. She has a lot of responsibilities and it was very inspiring to see her work.
For the majority of the time, I shadowed Karin Cavanaugh, the House Manager! Not only was Karin such an efficient hard worker, but she was also so fun to be around. She had such a positive attitude and was ready to take on any tasks that came her way. She is mainly in charge of getting the volunteers set up and making sure that everyone in the audience is comfortable. She set up the registers and ticket scanners (neither one of us likes to work with confusing technology), helped the volunteers get ready, and made sure that everyone had what they needed for the night. The volunteers at the Tower rotate their jobs each night. Some of these jobs include ushers, ticket scanners, membership workers, and more! I got to help hand out membership brochures, which was scary at first, but I got the hang of it. The volunteers at the Tower are essential to the success of the show. They are the first people the audience sees when they enter the building. They always have smiles on their faces and are happy to assist with any inconveniences. I got to chat with all of them one on one and they were so kind and welcoming. I told them about my school, my internship, and what my hobbies are. I loved hearing about their lives and why they love working at the Tower. It reminded me that theatre is so important to everyone, no matter where you come from.
When I’m at the Tower, I am usually performing onstage, or I’m in the office building next door working on projects. I can’t remember the last time that I got to be a true audience member! The process was insane. The show was sold out, so there were so many people cramming to buy snacks and find their seats. I stood in the lobby and took it all in. The smell of popcorn, the excited whispers, the wide eyes of new audience members, all of it. I saw so many old friends that I hadn’t seen in a few years, and it was great to reconnect with them! Coming to the theatre is such a special experience that can’t be replicated. The experience is different every time you go and new memories are always made. It was incredible for me to witness that point of view. It made me love the performing arts even more.
Like I said at the beginning of this entry, Brain Regan was hilarious! Stephanie was so kind that night. She gave me popcorn, skittles, and an awesome seat that was close to the stage. I am so thankful for everything that the Tower has done for me and I can’t wait to see what we do next!
Below are some photos of my night. I hope you enjoyed this entry! Stay tuned for some exciting news coming up.
Photo #1: An Empty Audience
I took this picture when I first got the Tower. Nothing beats a calm theatre before a show. The fancy seat-backs are reserved for Tower members and sponsors.
Photo #2: The Concession Bar
The Tower has very diligent concession workers. They were very kind to everyone, even though they had a lot on their plate. For some reason, buttered popcorn always tastes better at a theatre.
Photo #3: Before the Show
We were not allowed to take photos during Brian Regan's performance, but I did take this one right before the show. Ray Solley is onstage welcoming the audience. It was amazing to see so many passionate audience members!
Photo #4: After the Show
The silence after a night of laughter. That's it for this week! I really hope you enjoyed this post. New entry coming soon!
Tia, this was SO fun to read! I was smiling the whole time. Thank you so much for sharing, we are so lucky to have you at the Tower!