Engaging with Theater Off the Stage
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English major Sarah Wingfield '15 has always loved theater. While growing up in a small village near Cambridge, England, she learned to perform monologues and recite poetry from memory at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. This summer, though, is her first opportunity to explore the writing, planning, and technical sides of theater as a marketing and development intern at the Pig Iron Theater Company in Philadelphia.
Wingfield's internship, which is supported by the John B. Hurford '60 Center for the Arts and Humanities, has been focused on developing a marketing campaign for the company's upcoming production, 99 Breakups. In addition to establishing and maintaining a blog, she has written press releases and kept donors, patrons, and the public up-to-date about the play's development. Due to the level of responsibility and ownership she has with her projects, Wingfield says that she feels her work makes a difference to the organization every day.
Ultimately, working behind the scenes with a team of creative people has provided its own challenges and rewards.“You have to be a self-starter and be prepared to make and rectify mistakes throughout the artistic process,” says Wingfield.
—Sam Fox '14