Kicking off the year, I was at St. Mike's as a senior, working on my lighting design thesis (Appetite) and a scenic design for a classmate's thesis show, Notes. I also completed an independent study on Shakespeare, a survey connecting tech elements to his stories, especially Hamlet. I did random overhire work in the Burlington, VT area, including work with the Vermont Stage Company on The Clean House, Shirley Valentine, and As You Like It, and work at the Flynn Theater with the local I.A.T.S.E. 919 (stagehand's union) on a bunch of tours that came through, like Mamma Mia! and the Alvin Ailey dance show and more. I saw some good theater in various places, enjoyed the end of my senior year with my friends, took a trip to Florida with my parents which was awesome, watched my brother Andrew marry the love of his life, and in May, I graduated from Saint Michael's College with a Bachelor of the Arts, Theater Major, Spanish Minor.
I spent the summer at the Hangar theater as a scenic carpenter, which had its good times and its hard times, but overall was one of the best summer stock experiences I've had to date. We produced 5 mainstage shows, 5 children's shows, and a series of experimental shows called the Wedge. It was a crazy time, but I met some amazing people and realized how much I love building stuff.
Come September when the summer season ended, I went home to Vermont and worked a little at the Flynn and the Barre Opera House and Vermont Stage Company some more. It was nice living at home, but there is not enough work in Vermont for a freelancer like me to thrive. I considered joining the stagehand's union, but with no guarantee of liveable earnings, I decided I'd rather take my chances elsewhere.
So I eventually packed up Tiny Tim and drove down to Boston, where, thanks to my awesome contacts, I scooped up some overhire gigs in big scene shops and some side work at other places. I slept on couches and floors for a bit-- my air mattress and I became good friends-- and I want to put out a big shout out to my friends and relatives who let me stay night after night while I was apartment hunting and working all day!
I started at the American Repertory Theater working on the set for Pippin, which was recently announced to be going to Broadway later this year. I also worked electrics at Central Square Theater for The How and the Why and The Mountaintop, and with Moonbox Productions on Of Mice and Men, and finally started at the Huntington Theater in the scene shop in December. I am very excited about those last two companies: Moonbox is up and coming, but already incredibly successful in producing high-quality theater, and I am excited to be working with them in the future as well as for their partnership with non-profit organizations. I have found the Hunt an enjoyable place to work and hope to continue there for the spring and potentially in the fall for next season. So far I have worked on Our Town and Invisible Man with them, and am currently working on the set for Raisin in the Sun.
Other than work, the end of 2012 was jam packed with fun stuff. I was the maid of honor at my best friend's wedding; learned I am going to be an aunt by summer 2013; and found a great apartment in Somerville that I moved into with lots of help from my family! I've made some friends at my various workplaces, been out on a few dates, settling in well. I still go home often-- especially over the holidays at the end of the year there-- and can't imagine traveling as much as I used to want to because of my family ties in Vermont. And that is OK :)
Overall....Wow! What a year! I learned a lot. A lot of bad things happened in the world in 2012, but we're still here, and personally my first year out of school was a good one. Here's to hoping the luck carries on....and spreads to as many other people as possible!
Thanks for reading
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