Student Blog: New Knowledge About New England and Theatre

I learned so much in the 10 weeks I spent in New Hampshire doing summer stock–from the ubiquitous Dunkin's to how to use certain power tools. Here's some of the highlights!

This industry is really hard.

Working in theatre is full of long hours, manual labor, and collective exhaustion. I worked from roughly 9am until 10pm with one day off every two weeks.

BUT!! This industry is also really incredible. 

Despite the hard work, my new friends rallied around each other, supporting everyone through their highs and lows. They are some of the most incredible people I know. They are determined, passionate, kind, and fun to be around. Each person I worked with inspired me daily to be a better theatre maker and human.

New England has a lot of Dunkins.

And I’m not complaining!!! The tiny town where I lived had two Dunkins… and only one stoplight! My go-to order on a tough day was a butternut donut and a medium iced coffee with oat milk and one pump of donut syrup.

I can learn most new skills quickly if I’m curious and concentrated.

I entered this summer with very basic knowledge of theatrical lighting and scenic carpentry. However, thanks to my incredible mentors, I now feel much more confident in the scene shop. Even skills that seemed impossible became attainable when I focused on the task at hand and treated it with an attitude of curiosity instead of judgment (Ted Lasso reference hehe)!

New Hampshire only has one area code.

As a girl from the south, this astonished me. I think this really encapsulates how tiny of a state New Hampshire is.

Sometimes righty tighty is actually righty loosy. 

When you’re up on a 16ft ladder hanging a 20lb light, all laws of the universe seem to reverse. Of course, nothing actually changes, but when you’re in a weird orientation, turning the bolt to your right isn’t necessarily the bolt’s right. As the summer progressed, I got better at determining which way tightens a bolt, but it will always remain a challenge. My boss always encouraged me to “be the bolt.”

Choosing joy and love is always a good idea.

Instead of choosing to complain and sulk about the difficult conditions, I learned to embrace them as part of the adventure. I can’t control how other people behave, but I can control how I respond to challenges. I’ve found that the more joyful I can be in a situation, the more joyful everyone around me becomes. Additionally, if I treat others with love, they generally feel more capable and valued. You never know what kind of day someone is having, so loving them through frustration is always a good idea. Sometimes people just need to feel loved for a frown to turn upside down! 

I love summer stock!

I’m someone who thrives on a busy schedule, especially when there are clear tasks to be accomplished. I love the thrill of short changeovers, long hours, and challenging tasks. I learned more this summer than I ever could have dreamt, and I am beyond grateful for my internship and each mentor I had along the way. I’m very sad that this summer has come to a close, but I’m looking forward to working in summer stock again in the future!

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