Student Blog: Working at The Kennedy Center!

On September 14th, 2021 I attended The Kennedy Center's 50th Anniversary Celebration Concert. I got to see performances from incredible talent such as Kelli O'Hara, Abigail Barlow, Emily Bear, Joshua Henry, and Renee Fleming. This was my first time visiting the performing arts center and I was completely awestruck. I had never been to such a beautiful and elegant theater. After the concert concluded, I couldn't help but want to go back as soon as possible. Since then, I have taken advantage of their student tickets which has allowed me to see shows such as Hadestown and Mean Girls for only $20. After spending a good amount of time there during my freshman year of college, I knew I wanted to apply to work at The Kennedy Center as soon as possible. Sadly there were no positions available at the time, but during the summer of 2022, they accepted applications for usher positions so I perfected my resume and submitted an application.

In August of 2022, a week before the start of my sophomore year at George Washington University, I was asked to interview for the usher position. I was hired during the interview and I was overjoyed. I spent most of high school working in restaurants so this was an incredibly exciting change, to say the least. Looking forward to going to work before every single shift is such an incredible feeling that I do not take for granted.

My job allows me to work in various locations at The Kennedy Center. I often work at the new John F. Kennedy exhibit that opened in September or in the grand foyer of the building. Working in both of these locations allows me to interact with many people during every shift, which is one of the reasons why I love my job so much. Nearly everyone I interact with at The Kennedy Center is there because they love and appreciate the arts just as much as I do. It is so much fun talking to people about the performance they're going to see and answering any questions they have about the performing arts center.

I recently began ushering shows as well! I had the opportunity to work Guys and Dolls which felt like a dream come true. The cast included Phillipa Soo and Jessie Mueller, two of my biggest inspirations, so it was incredibly exciting to not only usher the show but see it for free as well! I wasn't familiar with Guys and Dolls before ushering the show which is why I was so eager to work at The Kennedy Center in the first place. Not only do I get to meet and interact with new people at every shift but I also get to watch and familiarize myself with shows I have never seen.

Another aspect of my job that I adore is my coworkers. I have met some of the kindest souls while ushering, all of whom love the arts more than anything else. I have the opportunity to work with people of all ages. Most of my coworkers have different day jobs that vastly differ from the arts and they work at The Kennedy Center part-time as a way to indulge in their love for theatre. My coworkers are from all different walks of life which makes conversing with them highly entertaining and thought-provoking. I learn a lot from them and I am very thankful that I get to work with such good-natured people.

The atmosphere of The Kennedy Center combined with the kindest staff and the endless amount of performances to attend makes me excited to walk into the building every single time. I can't wait to see what new opportunities arise, what shows I am introduced to, and what people I get to meet as I continue to work at The Kennedy Center.

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