Since my freshman year of high school, I knew Barnard was where my career as a theatre artist would truly flourish. The freedom that a liberal arts education would give me — combined with the opportunity to live in New York City — went unmatched anywhere else. Three years into my time at the College, this sentiment remains strong.
This summer, I am working my second professional theatre internship as the artistic direction and production intern at Mabou Mines — an experimental theatre company in NYC that has a historic legacy in the downtown theatre scene.
I knew Barnard was where my career as a theatre artist would truly flourish. The freedom that a liberal arts education would give me — combined with the opportunity live in New York City — went unmatched anywhere else.
Setting the Stage
I started doing theatre in 7th grade with a small part in Oliver Twist. Since then, I have worked toward the goal of creating representation for Asian Americans — especially Filipino people — in the entertainment industry, whether on stage, on screen, or backstage.
This summer, I knew I wanted to take on producing and artistic direction, as I found that these careers have tremendous influence in authentically telling stories. Creating more opportunities for historically marginalized artists calls for a new structure of theatre that strays from the Westernized and traditional approach in which many educational institutions ground their curriculum.
During my first semester at Barnard, I enrolled in Acting I with adjunct lecturer of acting and directing Sharon Fogarty — who is also one of the artistic directors of Mabou Mines. She invited my class to Mabou Mines to see Mud/Drowning, the Obie Award-winning celebration of María Irene Fornés’s work, and I never forgot it.
The show plunged me into the deep end of avant-garde theatre and used familiar theatrical techniques in ways that I had never thought possible. Even within a black box theatre, Mabou Mines was able to create an operatic production that highlighted the work of one of the most influential playwrights of the 20th century.
After seeing Mud/Drowning, I was curious about what it took to create such an original vision of the source material. I was even more compelled to explore a company invested in such a noncommercial show, since theatre is known to be one of the most risky economic investments even when the show attempts to appeal to a large audience. When I learned that Mabou Mines’s mission was to sponsor and nourish experimental performance pieces, I knew I had to help ensure that legacy continues.
Learning the Trade
This professional summer internship at Mabou Mines is my second one supported by Beyond Barnard. Last summer, I worked as a production assistant on Liza Birkenmeier’s Obie Award-winning production Grief Hotel at Clubbed Thumb. During my time there, I developed stage management and production skills and gained exposure to company management — all insights that I carried into my internship with Mabou Mines.
Because Mabou Mines’s theatre space is available for rent to outside companies, I have been fortunate to assist in the rehearsals of Elevator Repair Service’s Ulysses and Melanie Dyer’s Incalculable Likelihood. I had the opportunity to observe their rehearsal techniques for developing and creating new forms of performance that were otherwise constrained by a traditional rehearsal space.
Additionally, I am assisting the in-house producers with restructuring Mabou Mines’s artist development program, SUITE/Space, which is dedicated to giving early-career artists — from backgrounds that are not historically seen in the avante-garde theatre scene — rehearsal space, funding, mentorship, and performance access to their cult audience.
Since beginning the project, I have restructured SUITE/Space to span six months, revitalized and scheduled a complete marketing plan, and scheduled regular cohort mentorship sessions. The program itself has grown structurally and offers artistic guidance from the producers and artistic directors — allowing for a career-changing experience. Through SUITE/Space’s development, I am positively contributing to the careers of artists, and I cannot wait to apply these skills in the future to reach an even broader spectrum of artists.
