Summer is in full swing here at Encore, which means we’ve been having tons of fun at our various summer camps! Today we’re pumped to share this interview with our second Education Intern, Brigid!
Encore: Please introduce yourself. Where do you go to school and what do you study?
BW: My name is Brigid Wallace, and I am a rising sophomore at The Catholic University of America majoring in Musical Theatre.
Encore: How are you involved with Encore?
BW: I am the It’s Elementary Education Intern.
Encore: Have you ever worked with Encore as a participant? What other theatre experiences do you have, if any?
BW: I have never worked with Encore as a participant, but I have been involved in similar camps as a student and later as a teacher. For the most part, my theatre experience has focused on performing; however, as I mentioned, I have experience as a teacher/director and practice in costuming and stage management. In addition to training in performance, I hope to gain more technical theatre skills because it is amazing what a difference it can make in fully bringing a story to life.
Encore: What are some of the things you’re working on for Encore this summer?
BW: So far, I have been responsible for assisting teachers, teaching and playing games with the kids, and helping with organization for current and future sessions.
Encore: Is there something you’re most excited for about this internship?
BW: I am probably most excited about getting to work with the kids and teach them some of the things about theatre that I learned when I was their age that inspired so much love for the performing arts. I love playing theatre games with the kids and working with them on their performances because I see how they are exercising skills and learning techniques while having fun and being at camp.
Encore: Could you describe what theatre means to you and/or why you think theatre is important?
BW: Theatre to me is like a language I grew up hearing, and one that I want to speak fluently. It is an amazing craft and very important because it combines several different art forms that work together to express their message. It speaks to many kinds of people because it provides entertainment as well as being a source of commentary on humanity. As with any form of art, one must be careful with how the audience will interpret it, so it requires different kinds of creativity in collaboration to execute a production well. It brings perspectives together in an open-minded, peaceful way that I do not think happens often enough. Basically, I think theatre is a very influential part of society that I hold dear, and I hope, through any work I have done and will do in it, that I inspire people to open their minds to their fellow human beings and learn more about our common goals and fears so we can come together as a larger community.
Thank you so much for sharing with us Brigid! Want to get in on the fun and join some of Brigid’s awesome theatre games? Join us for the remaining sessions of Encore’s summer camps! To learn more and check camp availability, check out our Summer Camps page or call us at (703) 548-1154.
Photos by: Shannon McCarthy, and Larry McClemons, Headshot provided by Brigid Wallace
Blog contributor: Shannon McCarthy, 2016-17 Arts Apprentice