When thinking about my time at ABT as the Special Events intern, a plethora of extraordinary experiences come to mind, such as staffing the variety of special events held at the Met throughout the season, working the membership table for performances, or the exchange events with The Roundabout Theatre Company and Dance Magazine.
One thing I particularly loved about ABT is the internship program itself. As there were so many of us, 14 in total, I had the ability to bond with wonderful people from across the country, many of whom I now consider good friends. The program itself gave me a sneak peek into the different departments of ABT, such as Institutional Support, Finance, Company Management, and many more. Therefore, even though we spent a majority of time within our respective departments, the program gave us exposure to areas of the company we knew little about and might consequently be interested in. Ultimately, although we might have interned in one department, a presentation may have peaked our interest in another department, which we could pursue later in life.
As mentioned above, the Special Events intern gets unprecedented access to the Met unlike any of the other interns. That being said, I got to know the Met on a deeper level, becoming friends with the ushers and security guards (shout out to Carmela and Miguel!), serving patrons, and watching some events, such as dress rehearsals and seminars with the dancers and artistic staff. Being a theater lover all around, I am convinced I was in heaven! Aside from working at the Met and projects related to the Met events, I worked on various projects for the Fall Gala, a large research project on the Junior Council, and many tasks for the Junior Turnout event in the Fall. These projects gave insight into the timeline of preparing for large scale events, how the little things I do drastically improve events or documents, and gave me an overall appreciation for everything that goes into this successful company.
To wrap up, I had the most incredible summer experience. The relaxed, yet professional, and genuinely kind company culture made me love walking through the door. I was always greeted with a smile from Roseanne, the office receptionist. I was given an in-depth glimpse into what it takes to run a successful arts organization, understood the Met and the process of stage work on a much deeper level, learned a lot about myself and ABT as a whole. I cannot wait to see the Fall season at the Koch Theatre with all of my new found knowledge and experiences!’
Louise Brownell
Special Events Intern
Summer 2017
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