Task of the Day: Coffee

I was given the exciting task of getting coffee for the performers and production team for their rehearsal break. The whole day I questioned the other General Intern, Jane, about how to get this important coffee.

When should I get the coffee? Where should I get the coffee? How many people usually get coffee? Do they use their own money or does the company pay for it? How do I carry the coffee? I only have two hands and what if ten people order coffee? What time should I bring the coffee? How long will it take for the coffee people to make the coffee so that I will be on time for the coffee break?

Jane had no idea as she also hadn't done a coffee order. Dam you Jane and your unknowledgeable coffee ways!

All day I planned my coffee quest. I would go down stairs just before the rehearsals started. I would ask if anyone wanted coffee and write down their order. THEN, I would go outside and get the coffee. Finally I would bring the coffee BACK and be the best coffee deliverer EVER!

It was time. I grabbed my pen and note pad. Heart pounding, I slowly went down the stairs. I opened the door and entered the rehearsal space. Everyone was sitting around a table chatting amongst themselves. People started to look up at me with puzzled faces thinking, “Who the hell is she?”

“Does anyone want a coffee?” I squeakily asked.

“No I think wear fine. Ask Ari. Ari do you want any coffee?”  

“Nope. I’m fine.” Said Ari Fliakos.

OMG! It’s Ari Fliakos, one of the main Wooster Group actors.” I thought, almost fainting.

“Yeah, I don’t think we will need any coffee because we are doing such a short rehearsal on Mondays and we don’t really take a break.”Said Emily, the Production Manager.

“Ok, I’m Georgina by the way.” I blurted and then quickly exited the room.

........Coffee mission completed.......

Wooster Fresher

My Role:

My main job is the challenging task of answering the phone. An intern must always be guarding the phone! Other important jobs include buzzing people in the door and collecting the mail from the post office. In the afternoon I observe the rehearsals which I have been thrilled about. Each time I've witnessed the master minds at work I haven't been able to stop smiling (I probably look like a goofball but its the WOOSTER GROUP!). Apart from that, I basically sit around waiting for someone, anyone to give me a task that they don’t actually want to do themselves. I call them pass-off-tasks as they are usually passed off from one person to the next until it falls into my interning lap.

Pass-off-tasks include:

•         Hand-delivering flyers for upcoming shows across New York City.
•     Getting coffee for  the Wooster Group.
•        Updating excel documents.
•        Printing something.

(There are more to come but I have yet to discover them!)

Concluding thoughts:

The tasks might be mundane but I still get to be apart of the Wooster Group process. Hopefully I'll end up being in the right place at the right time and more opportunities will open up for me. I’m only here once a week so I've got to build up my relationships with the company members so they remember who I am! So far I have been re-introducing myself every Monday. Hopefully "Georgina the Australian" will start to sink in soon.

Arrivederci.

Interning with the Wooster Group

After being in New York for 3 weeks I was lucky enough to get an interview with my favourite theatre company the Wooster Group. I had written my honours thesis on the company and studied them intently throughout 2013. During my studies I swooned at the thought of meeting the Wooster Group's director and Co-founder Liz LeCompte as well as Kate Valk, Scott Shepherd and Ari Fliakos who have been performing in the company's productions for many years.

I arrived 10 minutes early to the Performing Garage, where the Wooster Group rehearse and perform their shows. At the end of my interview I was asked if I would like to be a General Intern and come in once a week on Mondays. I humbly said yes, but upon leaving the Performing Garage I was ecstatic.

This blog is to record my Monday interning days and I hope to encourage others to check out the Wooster Group's work either by following this blog, looking at their website or if you are in New York to go and see their work.

Arrivederci.