A Summer of Shakes

"I rather would entreat thy company
To see the wonders of the world abroad,

Than, living dully sluggardized at home,
Wear out thy youth with shapeless idleness."

Translation?

Get off your lazy tush, let's go explore the world and do something exciting with life.

This is a quote from the first line in William Shakespeare's The Two Gentlemen of Verona, and it seemed very appropriate.

I'm doing an internship this summer with the American Shakespeare Center in Staunton, Virginia! I'm extremely excited for this opportunity. I've had a fondness for Shakespeare since I first started reading plays for high school English classes, and combined with my love for the theatre, the ASC sounds like it's where I'm meant to be.

From what I understand, I will be working on the ASC's production of Two Gentlemen of Verona as Production Assistant/Dramaturg (meaning I'll work behind the scenes on whatever needs to be done). I will have those responsibilities for the rehearsal period for Two Gents, starting this coming Monday, June 11 until just after their production opens. Two Gents opens at their theatre on July 8, and I'll be working on crew till July 13. Then, I'll be sticking around town for just a few more days, till July 25, because I've been invited to work with their marketing department. When I talked to my internship supervisor on the phone, she said that she'd reviewed my resume, saw that I work as the Publicity Coordinator for the IWU Theatre, and asked if I'd like to spend some time working with the marketing department. Of course, I took her up on it.

I've also been told I'll get to do a little dog handling. Unfortunately I have yet to read Two Gents, but from what I've heard it has a pretty excellent role for a dog, and so I get to help out with the canine stars. Kind of excited about that!

I leave for Virginia early Saturday morning, making the nine and a half hour drive from Marion to Staunton. I'll be staying in college housing at Mary Baldwin College in Staunton, which has a partnership with the ASC, so getting there on Saturday night will give me a day to settle in a bit before starting the internship Monday morning.

I'm so excited for this, and I'm fully prepared to have an excellent adventure.

I'll (hopefully) update this blog (semi-)regularly with all the shenanigans I get into as I begin the transformation into a full-blown Shakespearean.

So, here's to Shakespeare, Two Gents, dog-handling, Virginia, and shenanigans!