Riiiiiiiiing Riiiiiiiing
“Hello! Teatro del Pueblo, this is Ellie.”
Every time I use that phone greeting, I am surprised.
How did I – a born Minnesotan and staunch English speaker – become affiliated with the premier Latino theatre company in the Midwest?
I blame Al.
I had heard that Teatro del Pueblo was committed to social justice theatre before I applied for a summer internship position. As a self-designed “Theater for Social Justice” major, I thought it would look great on a resume.
When preparing for the interview, I tried to think of clever answers to the questions that my parents and professors had told me to expect:
FACELESS INTERVIEWER: Do you have any past administrative experience?
ANXIOUS ME: A little.
FACELESS INTERVIEWER: Do you know how to use a Mac?
ANXIOUS ME: Um – sorta.
FACELESS INTERVIEWER: Can you readily adapt to changes in your work environment?
ANXIOUS ME: What? … Sure.
FACELESS INTERVIEWER: Are you reliable?
ANXIOUS ME: Sometimes.
Oh, yeah. I was getting hired for sure.
But actually, the interview didn’t go that way at all. I sat down with Al, Teatro del Pueblo’s Artistic Director, and listened to him explain Teatro’s mission and programming. It was clear that he was very passionate about the company, and I grew worried that I wouldn’t be able to answer his questions with equal fervor.
But then he asked:
“So Ellie – what is your passion?”
I was stunned. Even though I was vying for a position in an arts organization, I didn’t expect for my passions to be recognized. Certainly not as an intern. Certainly not this soon.
So I told him. I told him that, more than anything else, I wanted to be a playwright. And he listened. And he considered.
“You know, I think that Teatro could help you out with that. We have a lot of projects that involve new play development.”
And so my summer internship with Teatro del Pueblo began.
The experience has been so much more than a resume-builder for me. Al has been true to his word about presenting me with opportunities to grow as a playwright. This summer, I have overseen the submissions for our annual Political Theatre Festival, reviewed scripts for Teatro del Pueblo’s educational programming, aided in the development of a community-based musical, and even written my own puppet show for the company’s 2010-2011 season.
Also, Teatro del Pueblo has supported me in my own theatrical endeavors. This summer, I wrote and produced a one-act play about marriage in my garage. Not only did Al attend the event, but he also offered to sponsor four hours of dramaturgical consultation at the Playwright Center.
All of this has been in addition to learning other valuable skills such as office management, grant writing, publicity and networking. I was even able to serve as stage manager and actress in Teatro del Pueblo’s 2009 MN Fringe Festival show.
Now that the summer is drawing to a close, I am looking for ways to continue my relationship with Teatro as an artist and friend. I look forward to seeing what new faces –and passions – will enter the company next!
