Summer 2024 Production Intern
Kris Gooding (she/they) is a 2024 Production Intern from Dallas, TX. She is currently in her last year at Oklahoma City University getting her degree in stage management. They have a background in theatrical stage management, but discovered their love of dance stage management three years ago at Oklahoma City Ballet. Outside of work at the Pillow, Kris can be found crocheting, reading, and exploring new places with friends.
As a production intern, my role in the department changes every week. Our internships are organized in a rotation system to allow each intern a thorough production experience. I get to hone skills I already have and get experience in other departments– all of which makes me a more well-rounded stage manager. One week, I’m outside working with audio on the outdoor Henry J. Leir stage, and the next, I’m inside the Ted Shawn Theatre working with wardrobe. Each day varies based on where I’m working and the company that’s performing, providing new challenges and opportunities to learn.
Working at the Henry J. Leir stage means we have a new artist nearly everyday, given that almost all of the performances are one-night-only. We only get to run the show once before the performance in the evening, meaning that we’re working with a tight deadline and turning around the space quickly. My mornings at the Leir always start with preparing the stage and greeting the company on that day. Then, we space the show on the stage itself and do a quick run-through before the evening performance.
Mondays are my day off, so I try to do something off-campus every week! Every Monday, I start my day with brunch with a friend in one of the neighboring towns, at GB Eats in Great Barrington or The Starving Artist Cafe in Lee. We usually walk around and go thrifting or antiquing after, where I can usually find a unique vintage piece of clothing. Some Mondays, I go swimming at a local lake, go on a hike, or explore other towns in the Berkshires. Every Monday night, a couple of the interns gather in the common room of our housing to watch The Bachelorette, a tradition that I’ve started. It’s so refreshing to gather and chat with my friends before our work weeks begin.
Tuesdays are our setup days, preparing the space for the company to come in and do a technical rehearsal (running the show with full sound, lighting, and transitions) in the afternoon. Oftentimes, we are “refocusing” the lights– moving the angle of lights– as the company has requested or hanging more soft goods, like an extra curtain onstage. Tuesday evenings, the company comes in to run the show with all the technical elements like lights and sound. As a Production Intern, I’m assigned to a different position each week with our rotations, so sometimes I run the light board in the booth at the back of the theater; others, I’m backstage putting microphones on artists. I usually end my Tuesday nights with grabbing a snack from the Nook, the staff-only snack shack on campus, and a nice cup of tea.
A typical Wednesday in the Ted Shawn Theatre feels like we’re running two shows in one day because of dress rehearsal, even though there’s only one performance in the evening. We start in the morning going over any notes from the previous night’s technical rehearsal. We work through notes until lunch when we have the weekly Director’s Welcome, where Pillow staff welcomes the visiting companies, artists, and School Artist Faculty who are at the Pillow that week. Director’s Welcome is one of my favorite traditions because I get to see the Pillow team as a whole, getting ready for the week ahead with these amazing artists. After lunch, we run a dress rehearsal of the show in the Ted Shawn Theatre, finalizing any notes before opening night!. Once the show finishes, we shut down the stage and I head over to the Pillow Pub for the opening night toast to hang out with friends.
Most Thursdays, we only have one performance in the evening so I often have the afternoons free to myself. I typically use this time to decompress by going on walks around campus or laying on the Great Lawn, reading a book or completing a sudoku puzzle.
Fridays always start with a meeting with the entire Production department. We meet to discuss the previous week and look ahead at the upcoming week for all production assignments. I love the Production meetings because often I don’t see the entire department, as we work in various spaces at varying times. After this, we have the Friday matinee performance in the Ted Shawn Theatre, my favorite performance of the week. Following the matinee, I love getting off of work and going to see the show on the outdoor Leir Stage, and then spending the evening with other interns either watching a movie in our cabins or going to some of our favorite places around the Berkshires.
On Saturdays, we have two shows in the Ted Shawn Theatre, and it always ends with me falling asleep immediately.
On Sunday, we close the shows and immediately start changeover, the process of loading out the technical equipment and lighting of the previous show to prepare for the upcoming week’s show. And then, we do it all over again!
This Pillow Pick was written by Kris Gooding and published on August 17, 2024.