And today….

Hello Everyone,

Today we have another intern for you all to meet her name is Mary Gietzen. But before we meet her I wanted to put in the plug about Nunset Boulevard. This show is hilarious. I went and saw it on Friday last week and I couldn’t stop laughing. For those of you who don’t know this is the last installment of the Nunsense Series by Dan Goggin. The sister of Hoboken New Jersey travel to LA to play what they think is going to be the Hollywood Bowl, but when they arrive they find out they are playing at the Hollywood-Bowl-A-Rama. A Cabaret lounge and bowling alley! If you have not had a chance to see this show you must come and see it! Tickets are on sale at ticketmaster.com, or you can call the Box Office at 248.377.3300. So back to the task at hand, here is Mary Gietzen.

What is your name? What department are you interning in?

My name is Mary Gietzen and I am the Wardrobe intern.

Are you from the area? If not, where?

I am originally from Warren MI but currently live in Rochester Mi.

Tell us a little bit about yourself. (You don’t have to write a novel)

I recently graduated from Oakland University in Rochester, MI, where I was a Theatre Design and Technology Major. I worked in the theatre’s costume shop for five years, partaking in many of their productions whether in the capacity of design, construction or running shows. In the summer of 2009 I had the chance to work at the West Virginia Public Theatre where I was the Assistant Wardrobe Coordinator. I love working with people and clothing, which the costume area allows me to do both. I love designing, crewing and stitching and hopefully one day I can say that I have done them all professionally.

Where is your favorite place to eat in Michigan? What about it is your favorite?

My favorite place to eat at is Chipotle, simply because it is good food that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg to fill you up.

What are some of your favorite things to do? When not being an intern.

When I am not at Meadowbrook doing my intern duties I enjoy being around my friends and family just hanging out, whether it’s doing karaoke, the movies or even the theatre, just having fun is what makes my time away from the theatre more special.

How did you find out about this internship? What did you do to apply for the job?

I found out about this internship while I attended Oakland University, I had heard about it not only from the friends I had that were interns themselves but from people at Meadow Brook. In order to apply for the job I had to send in my resume and a cover letter, once that was done I waited until I got an interview in which I showed my portfolio.  I knew they were adding the position of Wardrobe intern so I applied for both of the costume positions that were available.

What was the interview like?

The interview was at first a bit scary while I was waiting for my turn, but once I sat down to talk with Sarah Warren it wasn’t so bad. I showed her my portfolio and talked about the work I had done in my undergrad. She asked me a few questions and we talked about what the job was looking for and if I would be a good fit. It was an interesting process and in the end I am glad that I was able to do something that allowed me to receive a position.

What has been your favorite part about his season so far?

I love being able to spend time in my area and concentrating on being the best I can be has allowed me to learn more about it and expand. Being able to be efficient and helpful have always been important to me and learning how to do this on a new level is very satisfying. It is very rewarding to be able to help someone and make them feel like they are in good hands backstage. In addition I like knowing that an actor can concentrate on the show if they know that their costumes are taken care of. Theatre is truly a collaboration and the more you can work together the better each and every show will be, which is why I am truly glad that I have a great supervisor that I can learn from and eventually my experiences here will shape me into being a better supervisor in the future.

What has been the coolest thing you have done since you started your internship?

The coolest thing I have done so far in my internship was make new friends and be apart of memories that will last for a lifetime.

What are some things that you have learned so far? What else would you like to learn?

I have learned more about working with people and about tag teaming to make sure the job gets done. This goes for all areas of theatre because being part of a team makes the job ten times better than having to do it alone. I really want to learn as much as I can about the costume field, whether its about sewing or wardrobe, I just want to be the best I can be through out my costume career.

What is your favorite part about being an intern?

I don’t really have a favorite part simply because I am still learning and growing as a theatre artist and there are things that I haven’t experienced yet. I do enjoy getting to work in the different fields because in the end it will make me a stronger person.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? What do you want to do when your internship is over?

In the next 5 years I see myself either in grad school or working on Broadway. When this internship is over I want to do something that will allow me to get closer to my goals, exactly what that is I am not sure yet.

Thanks Mary! I hope that you continue to follow your dreams! You will go far. Remember never give up on something you can’t go a day without thinking about! Stay tuned…

Casey S. Hibbert© – Guest Blogger