Summer Stock Summary

As you might remember, I spent my summer working as the Assistant House Manager, doing summer stock for a huge theatre company—and loving it! But it’s now been officially a month since my contract ended. I haven’t missed it too much, honestly because I’ve already been so busy with college and all the papers I already have due. I’ll admit though, I have my fingers crossed I’ll end up there again next summer!

A few reasons why I’m really happy with my job:

• I’m really proud that my first professional job was theatre-related. Putting that major to use! The look on my parents’ faces was worth it.
• Out of all the companies I applied for, this one was the biggest and I thought for sure my application would get tossed out for lack of experience. Instead, I am one of their youngest employees and in my own, brand-new position!
• I really got a taste for not only independent post-college living, but professional, Equity theatre working. Owning a smartphone is a must, especially nowadays!

Some of the best parts about working weren’t even strictly job-related: I met and worked with so many wonderful, professional people (and help pull off a proposal onstage)! I had a fantastic opportunity to work with writer/actors David Hein and Irene Carl Sankoff, when they brought their (true-life story) production of My Mother’s Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding—not only did we nearly sold out, but our regular audience loved it and we brought new people to see our shows. And aside from our regular performances, we also hosted twenty different musicals in creation to come and do a showing at our own little festival.

I learned a lot this summer, like how to house manage and what the House Manager does and that summer stock and alcohol go together. How to handle a rude audience member (I’ll take the drunken ones over rude any day of the week), that staying calm is a good rule of thumb… But now, a month of unemployment later, I think college might be harder than the “Real World”. I got to sleep in then, no eight o’clock call times and definitely no essays to write for that Theatre Management class.