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Look how happy he is! 

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Our shop dog, Penny Lane, has quite a flare for the dramatics!

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Position: Props Apprentice

Hometown: Tijuana, Mexico

Education: “I studied Pre-Med and Marine Biology at the University of California San Diego. I worked in a lab and did research in algae for about four years. When I was doing lab work, I found theatre [through] taking a beginner set design class, and then [my professor] saw that I had such a passion for set design, and he asked me if I wanted to continue the journey. I said, ‘Absolutely!’ I always had a passion for [art] since I was small. I didn’t know that this could be a career.

After that discovery, Grisele shared that she “worked for La Jolla Playhouse for a year and a half interning and doing overhire work with Deborah Hatch. She encouraged me to do an apprenticeship in props.”

...Thanks, Deborah!

What attracted you to the Olney Theatre Apprentice Training Program?

“...Mostly the commitment they have for apprentices to learn as much as they can, the passion for the theatre, the interest they had in me for how much I wanted to learn.”

What are you working on right now? What are you looking forward to?

“Right now, we are researching images to start building ON THE TOWN. I’m looking at subway straps research—I have to know how they are going to be used too so I know how to build them. I’m looking forward to building the mannequin and doing any sort of crafts and set dressing for the show. I’m also looking forward to keep learning, assisting the scenic designer for National Players, and help bring together the next shows: the Hypocrites and ON THE TOWN. I’ve been talking to Charlie (the scenic designer for National Players) about his point of view for set design which is really interesting!”

What’s something that’s surprised you?

“I was able to meet wonderful designers, like Milagros (who designed our set for IN THE HEIGHTS), who told me to apply for [grad school] for set design. I was second guessing myself, but I just did it. I never thought I could apply until I met her, and she said just ‘do it.’ 

“I always said, ‘I’m okay at this or I’m okay at that,’ but she gave me the confidence to just do it. This lesson helped me learn that you never know. Getting into school was a big surprise, and I’m really happy.”  

Grisele will be attending Penn State University to study Scenic Design this fall, so look out for her work there soon! Congrats, Grisele!

What separates Olney from other theatres?

“Whenever I need help, there’s always someone I can reach – a support system, especially being so far away from home. Being away from home can be very hard, and if I didn’t have the support system, it would be twice as hard to pursue my dreams, and I feel like that’s what Olney has [given me].”

Do you have a favorite place on campus?

“I think everything at Olney. Whether it’s working in the Main or being backstage or in the shop, every space has its memory or precious moment. [If I had to choose], I would say the shop because that’s where I work and have grown. I meet wonderful people there. I was very scared when I first came here—it was a fresh start. Then I went to the shop, and since that’s where I’m working, it’s everything.  Also, the porch. Everyone is there. I don’t know, I would still say everything. Everything! It’s hard because every place has its moment.”

Do you have any advice for the next Props Apprentice?

“I get down on myself when I can’t do something, but I’m learning. If something is complicated or you don’t know how, you have your mentor there to guide you through. Every day is different and you are still learning. Everything is going to be good. Be positive, it can be hard when things get complicated, but just keep going and follow your dreams, never stop!”

On the flipside of that, “If you need to take a break, you should. Take it one step at a time. Sometimes there will be hard days because the props department is only two people, and it’s a lot of work molding, building, sewing, buying. Everything’s going to be okay. If you need to take a break, take a break. That’s something that I’m still learning too.”   

PS: Happy Birthday, Grisele! 

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The 2017-18 Apprentice Class sure loved dogs! Flashback to our furriend Petey from ANNIE!

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JOURNEY TO THE HELEN HAYES AWARDS: An Apprentice Story

2017-18 Class begins their journey to the Helen Hayes with 16 nominations for Olney Theatre Center (Thank you to our former props apprentice, Jason, for the graphic!).

The day of the awards arrives, and it is time to prepare. Did someone say half hour? We might need a little more time than that! SPOILER ALERT: everyone makes it onto the party bus!

Speaking of a party bus -- thanks to the generosity of one of our donors, OTC staff arrived to the awards at the Anthem in style! And I do mean STYLE!

Aren’t we just the picture of early career professionals? After that bus ride down and before the night could begin, we stopped at the Wharf to snap a quick picture! 

But the night doesn’t end there! Not only did we attend the awards dressed to the nines and brimming with excitement (and gratitude to the staff members who provided our tickets), but also we left celebrating because one of the awards we received was for the Roundhouse & Olney Theatre Center production of IN THE HEIGHTS got the Helen Hayes for Outstanding Production of a Musical! Paciencia y fe, y’all! 

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Yaritza joined the OTC family in late March for just a couple short months! In honor of her last day this week, here are some fast facts about Yaritza, her time here, and where she’s off to next!

Position: Sound Apprentice

Hometown: Springfield, VA

Education: Attended Radford University where she achieved two degrees, one in Theatre and one in Studio Art (specifically photography) 

Experience at Olney: “Previously I was a painter, like scenic art, so the biggest thing I learned was how to interact with performers because it’s a different vocabulary. I went to school with Ian Gammarino, who posted a lot about Olney on social media, so when the job was posted, I thought, ‘I’ve heard of that place and it sounds cool,’ so I applied. I wanted professional sound experience, and the interim position fit perfectly into my schedule.”

Favorite Place on Campus: “My bedroom - I value alone time, so I like to hideout in my room, and I have an awesome roommate. We have a dope layout with a little couch and I brought my TV so we have a little oasis.”

Any advice for the next Sound Apprentice? - “I personally enjoy labeling a lot. It makes troubleshooting and strike a lot easier. If I could go around to every theatre and label and color code, I would.

“My all-time favorite advice is,” she added, “Don’t be afraid to speak your mind. Just because you are an apprentice, doesn’t mean you aren’t a human being.”

After Olney: Yaritza will be immediately taking a cross-country road trip to Santa Maria, CA to work at Pacific Conservatory Theatre (PCPA) as their Playback Operator. 

Thank you, and cheers to you Ritza! 

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Position: Scenic Apprentice

Hometown: Suffield, CT

Education:

“My first introduction to live theatre was in middle school. From there, I participated in the tech through high school. Right now, I have two degrees – I have an Associate’s Degree in General Studies and Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Design and Production. While I was working on my Associate’s, there was no access to any theatre programs, and that influenced my shift to a Bachelor’s program.”

What attracted you to the Olney Theatre Apprentice Training Program?

“To be honest, the program kind of found me. I was looking online, and it popped up on one of the groups I follow on Facebook— USITT Women in Theatre -- and it said [Olney was] looking to hire a scenic apprentice. I did the tiniest bit of research, and I decided to go for it! I had resigned myself to not finding work right away because I had graduated in December, so I was super excited when I came onboard in February.”

Can you tell me about your experience here so far? What was it like to join the program midyear?

“My experience so far as been interesting – it’s the first proscenium I’ve worked on since high school. I’ve always wanted to come back to a proscenium setting from a black box. Joining mid-year was different, and in a lot of ways in was helpful. Since everyone was already settled, I could ask their advice for groceries and things. On the flip-side, it was tricky to make connections right away, but now that we’ve had a couple more new people since me, I’m starting to feel like a veteran – I still use my GPS to get everywhere, though!”

When she reflected on her experience so far, Audra shared, “This was my first experience sharing a bedroom with anyone. Adjusting to the dorm lifestyle has been a new experience – there have been plenty of positive moments and of course, the challenges of wanting my own space too. So if anyone else is coming in with that same experience, they are going to learn about [themselves] and hopefully grow as a person.”

What’s something that you’ve learned so far? Something that’s surprised you?

“[I’m] learning a lot about rigging – most of my college experience was in a very small black box so our scenery couldn’t be built above fifteen feet. Flying and automation have been real-life experience, rather than simulated like my course in college.

“I was very surprised to come here and find out how far on the map DC is to the [national] theatre community. I learned that DC was the second largest theatre community – which I always thought was Chicago, but DC has edged that out!”

What separates Olney from other theatres?

“...The decided way [OTC] wants to grow for the future and how much of that has already been achieved. In my experience, it is atypical for a company to have so many spaces, and [Olney] wants to use that as a distinct advantage to build a literal community.  I think a lot of theatres strive to create a community feeling, but we are creating a literal community here with the resources we have.”

Do you have a favorite place on campus?

“The third floor has a little reading nook at the top of the stairs right under the window. That’s a nice space for alone time. I go and hang out right there under the window when the porch and kitchen are full.”

Do you have any advice for the next Scenic Apprentice?

“My advice to any incoming apprentice is going to be to first: listen. Everyone is going to tell you their best advice, with the best intentions at heart.  That advice can save you a lot of headache and be highly practical. My next advice is to keep in mind that those experiences have been and are going to be different than yours.  To keep sane, keep it in the back of your head that that advice is not set in stone, and you can still create your own path.”

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Like mentor, like mentee. 

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Meet the 2017-18 Apprentices: Elliot Peterson

Position: Electrics Apprentice

Hometown: Arlington, VA

Education/Training:

“[I] graduated Hollins University (a small all-women’s college, with a small theatre class, where I was sort of in charge of electrics) in 2016 with a double major in Theatre and Classical Studies. Then I did a Lighting/Sound Apprenticeship at Orlando Shakespeare Theatre, so this is my second apprenticeship, and [I’ve] been around the block a couple of times.”

What attracted you to the Olney Theatre Apprentice Training Program?

“I was looking to come back into the DC area because that’s where I’m from and that’s where I want to end up. I got a good feeling looking at [Olney’s] website, and I was right.”

What are you working on right now?

When I spoke with Elliot, she shared, “We’re going into tech for THE CRUCIBLE, which I’m not on (finally), and I’m moving into my capstone project which is INVISIBLE HAND. I’m sort of acting as the Master Electrician, so I’m doing all of the paperwork for that and Tyler (OTC’s Master Electrician) is too so he can mentor me, and then I leave right after opening for summer stock at Weston Playhouse as the AME.”

What’s something that you’ve learned or been surprised by through this experience?

“I learned to be more comfortable with my skills as an electrician. I'm coming from that educational state of mind where I was constantly being given direction and learning how to not rely on that. [I’ve gained] more confidence in my skills and being able to just go do something. Confidence is a big key, honestly.

“That also surprised me in a way – coming from Orlando. Here, we’re able to interact with the DC theatre community; I actually get to do overhire on my days off and make contacts in the area!”

What separates OTC from other theatres?

“--A mix of its community and that it doesn’t stop. It is such a family here, and since it does go year-round, it doesn’t have that winding down feeling at the end of the season. There’s no stopping, which completely changes the dynamic of the place. There are people coming and going all the time, and new positions opening up like a merry-go-round, but a fun one.”

Describe your favorite place on campus.

“The tension grid – cause it’s kinda dark, but it’s its own space and it’s kind of bouncy. I’m a really sensory person, and it helps me focus.”

Do you have any advice for the next Electrics Apprentice?

“Find a space to be off campus. You’re living and working with the same sixteen people and actors. You need to be able to get off campus and be by yourself. You need to be able to have time alone with yourself and get away from work. Make friends with everyone, but keep yourself grounded.

“Before you get here, go to the gym. You’re never going to be this tired in your entire life!

“There’s a cat café in DC – you should go.”

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Meet the 2017-18 Apprentices: Chris Pinto

Position: Education Administration Apprentice

Hometown:  Mamaroneck, NY

Education:

“I didn't really do theatre as a kid, but when I was 15 I saw South Pacific at Lincoln Center and thought 'Oh, I want to do that with my life.' So I studied Theatre & English at Boston College, and I spent two summers working at Tufts University Children's Theatre—which was exciting. And then, I spent past the four months [before coming to Olney] working for the Vineyard Theatre and the Bushwick Starr. All of those experiences lead to other ones: I learned about Tufts from a professor at Boston College, the Vineyard from a classmate who had worked there, and I kept happily stumbling from place to place, and that sort of describes how I ended up here.”

What attracted you to the Olney Theatre Apprentice Training Program?

“So first, the position was a perfect combination of the things that I was looking for. I didn’t realize for too long that if I liked education and arts administration, I should look for something that had both.  As I was realizing that, that’s when the opportunity came up.

“On top of that, it’s not what you’re doing. It’s where you’re doing it. Knowing about OTC a bit, and researching more—it seemed like a good opportunity to do a wide range of different things in one place.”

Can you tell me about your experience here so far? What was it like to join the program midyear?             

“So joining in has been a lot of fun. It’s weird to not just meet 40 people, but also 40 people who will say ‘If you need anything, just ask me.’ It’s crazy to think that within two days, I came down here on an Amtrak, met a bunch of great people and was thrown in the deep end a bit.

“I like doing things. I like work. It’s been pleasantly challenging, the environment has been nice, but I really like being thrown into the work.”

What’s something that’s surprised you?

“Probably the environment – how willing everyone is to help. There are a number of projects that involve departments outside of Education, so it’s great to have support and resources from people you didn’t expect to be working with.”

What separates OTC from other theatres?

“Especially being familiar with theatres based out of big cities, there’s immediately something interesting to me about a theatre that’s not built between a hotel and a TGI Friday’s (or the Guy Fieri restaurant, RIP). And then, on top of that, seeing what the theatre is surrounded by—both the figurative and literal community—there aren’t many places that I can walk 60 seconds and find where people eat and live and sleep. It’s a naturally forming community.”

Do you have a favorite place on campus?

“My favorite place on campus is the porch, mostly because I’ve been really lucky to work with a great group of apprentices. Even if it’s over lunch or during an eight hour movie binge on the weekend, the porch is where we hang out together.”

Do you have any advice for the next Education Administration Apprentice?

“Advice #1 – Be ready for anything. There are days that you make a to-do list, and you can come in and get it done and nothing happens, and there are days when you can come in and have five days of work thrown at you. You need to be ready to handle what comes up.

“Advice #2 – Talk to the people you work with. Pretty much everything you do can be made easier – if you’re needing help or keeping people in the loop: talk to the people you work with.

“Advice #3 – Keep layers in the office. Sometimes the education office is much colder than the rest of the house, but sometimes it’s about fifteen degrees warmer. There is absolutely no reason for this, just be prepared!”

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Meet the 2017-18 Apprentices: Samantha Williams

Position: Production and Company Management Apprentice

Hometown: Fayette, Missouri

Education:

“As far as my theatre education growing up, I did community theatre with my mom with Fayette Area Community Theatre (FACT)—which included doing everything for the show.  My mom made our costumes, and everything was ‘volunteer.’ When I went to college [at Stetson University], I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but I knew I liked acting, so I put down theatre as a major so they wouldn’t put me in introductory bio. Through talking to my advisor and other faculty members I found out theatre was a business as well as a creative outlet, and that I could have a career in theatre without having to be onstage. With that knowledge, I stuck with theatre and finished with my Bachelor of Arts and Science in Theatre Arts with minors in Psychology and Management in an attempt to give myself a degree in arts management at Stetson University. Go Hats!”

Before coming to Olney, Samantha worked as the Company Manager and Assistant Production Manager this past summer at Endstation Theatre Company in Lynchburg, Virginia.

What attracted you to the Olney Theatre Apprentice Training Program?

“I was really attracted to the DC theatre scene, and in my post-grad job search, I googled best theatres to work at in DC and Olney Theatre Center came up. Looking at their program, it combined the two positions that I had been pursuing into one apprenticeship, which I liked a lot, and appeared to be very education-based with a diverse set of plays they were going to produce.”

What are you working on right now? What are you most excited for?

When Samantha and I spoke a couple weeks ago, she shared, “Right now, we are getting EVERY BRILLIANT THING open, which I have had the pleasure of co-production managing with our Director of Production, Dennis Blackledge. So that’s where a lot of my focus is currently. I am excited for our production of THE CRUCIBLE and to work with a female director, which is awesome. I will also be company managing The Hypocrites this summer as my capstone, which is a big project involving a lot of out of town artists, and I’m excited to sink my teeth into everything that comes with that.”

Have there been any surprises?

“Yes,” she sighed. “When you’re looking at [theatre] from a summer stock perspective, it’s a lot about getting the show up and getting people to come see the show, and it doesn’t feel like a passion project or for the community. This is my first time working at a year-round space, and I was pleasantly surprised to see how much this company cares about the impact of the show after it closes. It’s more of a passion project. People are doing this because they have chosen this as a career not as a hobby. At a year-round space, you have to think about everything short term and long term. Time never stops.”

What’s something you’ve learned from your experience here?

“[I’ve learned] how to draw up different kind of contracts, and how you can offer or negotiate different kinds of things that aren’t money with an artist or an out of town artist...So many little things: Understanding how to live “on-call” 24/7 is something I’ve learned to do, but with all different types of people at different stages of their lives and careers. adults and not college students like at summer stocks. It’s learning how to field questions and take care of people who are older than you. Trying to offer solutions without being overbearing or to convince someone to go to the doctor. You want to have their best interests at heart, and sometimes it’s sacrificing personal time to make sure the people on your campus can be artists first.”

How is OTC from other theatres?

“There’s a forced, yet embraced, sense of community, not in a good or bad way, but you live where you work, and a lot of the people who work here have been here a long time. It’s like making theatre with your family. You celebrate the triumphs and deal with the problems together. When things go wrong, this theatre doesn’t blame anyone. Everyone reflects on their part in the process and focuses on how to fix it for the next time.”

Describe your favorite place on campus.

“See I knew you were going to ask this,” Samantha started. “For me, it’s the production office, where I also happen to work. We’ve created a space where people can come and talk about pretty much anything, which sometimes gets us in trouble because we are social folks. In a business like this, you have to have somewhere to talk about the things that are going well and the things that are not going well and things that are outside of work. I love that I get to work all day in a safe space for that.”

Samantha and Dennis were quite the Production Office pair on Halloween!

Do you have any advice for the next Production Management / Company Management Apprentice?

To answer this, Samantha offered a little list:

“Stay organized, and do your best to understand at what point in a task you are at all times so you can give updates to multiple people and departments when you are asked for them.”

“Be a problem solver – living and working in the same space comes with the combined issues of things that happen at home and things that happen at work, and it’s your job to deal with them.”

“Embrace that your job is what it is so that people can be comfortable and check their worries at the door. Embrace their art, and themselves as artists because we all know how it feels to try and create something when you’re worried about where you’re going to eat and who is going to pick you up. Take care of basic needs so that the people around you can be artists.”

“Make an effort to befriend your fellow apprentices. You’re going to need help, and helping out your fellow apprentices will come full circle. They are the people who will be there for you when no one else is on campus. Respect them and befriend them.”

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How do you #snowday? The 2017-18 Apprentices survived the spring snow storm with plenty of movies, a massive order of Chinese food, and an impromptu SNOWBALL fight too!

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Curious about the dress code at OTC? Trendsetters Wes Meekins (Individual Givings Manager) and Timothy Huth (Dramaturgy Apprentice) are here to help. 

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Meet the 2017-18 Apprentices: Daisy Howard

Position: Costume Apprentice

Hometown: Lynchburg, VA

Education:

“I started as a dancer for many years. Then, when I was 16 my appendix ruptured, so I had to sit out from dance while I was healing. The prior year I had auditioned for a play, ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, and I was a lead and that was really exciting (her 1st play). So I decided to go back to theatre and I did basically everything that I could to get involved:  acting, props, set construction, etc. [I] assistant directed and choreographed some shows. I fell into such a rhythm with the theatre scene that I didn’t really crave the dance scene anymore.

“After graduating high school I went to Randolph College, formerly known as, Randolph Macon Women’s College, in Lynchburg VA. I was planning on transferring, but I fell in love with the community, and the people, and the traditions. I started getting into costumes and lighting because that I was what I hadn’t learned in high school, but after a while I developed a heavy focus on costumes. I graduated in May, right before I came here, with a BFA in Theatre and a double emphasis on Costumes and Performance.“

Why the Olney Theatre Center Apprentice Training Program?

“My senior year of college, I went back to SETC. Leading up to it, I was practicing writing cover letters, and I was looking at lots of jobs and I found OTC’s program. I wrote a letter to OTC that was at first a class assignment, but decided to submit it after completing it's final draft. While at SETC, I saw the Olney Theatre Center table, but never got to meet JKJ. We eventually set up to meet over skype and about two hours later, he offered me the job. It was only for the summer at first, and then about three weeks later, he asked me if I would like to extend for the year.”

What are you most looking forward to working on?

“I guess I’m most looking forward to working on THE CRUCIBLE, and that’s crazy because when I first started that was at the end of my apprenticeship, but now it’s coming up. I get to revisit actors that I’ve already worked with--Chris Genebach, Dani Stoller, Paul Morella--and that will be a really good way to round out my experience.”

What’s something that’s surprised you about this experience?

“What surprised me when I first got here was just how much this community felt like a family. It was a really good next step for me coming out of college, especially coming from such a small liberal arts college that also had a family/close-knit community vibe. It was an easier transition to come to a place that worked like this. Everyone knows each other here.  They help you when you need it, and they are genuinely interested in how they can best further your career and get you to the next step.”

What makes the OTC community so special?

“The history here is so important. So many people have walked through this campus, and so many more are going to. We’ve had so many big deal people come through here that I’ve gotten to work with, and I don’t feel set apart from. The way OTC has the housing set up and the kitchen, you get to hear all of their stories and share in their experience, and that’s really neat.”

Favorite place on campus?

“The big circle patio outside of the main and all of the trees that are bordering it. In the summer, and at night sometimes too, I would lay on the pavement and read, or stare at the stars, it’s a really pretty view, and during GATSBY (one of our touring National Players shows), I realized that two of the light posts coming out of the trees look like an eye and I thought that was really neat.”

What advice do you have for the next Costumes Apprentice?

“Learn as much as you can. Try to think about one thing that you’ve learned everyday, whether it’s an actual skill or the way you communicate with others. So much of this experience flies by that it’s important to have that self-reflection.”

Anything else?

“Don’t forget to have fun. You’re doing a great job!”

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(Left to Right) Timothy Huth (playwright and current Dramaturgy Apprentice), Katie Jeanneret (actor and former Education Administration Apprentice), Megh Cooper (director and current Artistic & Casting Apprentice), Audrey Tchoukoua (actor and National Player - Tour 68), and Ian Gammarino (actor and current Scenic Apprentice)