Someone (Shannon I believe) posted something about Summer Theater Programs (A.K.A. Summer-stock) interviewing. If you are at all serious about pursuing Theatre as a profession (or even if you’re unsure), then I cannot stress highly enough how important I think it is that you do Summer-stock at least once. Some of you may know my story and how I came to theatre late in my collegiate career. I didn’t do my first Summer-stock until after I graduated college (New York Stage and Film on Vassar’s campus in Poughkeepsie, one town over from where Snookie grew-up…). I wish I could have gone back in time and done it every summer I was in college. The contacts I made during my first summer at NYSF lead me to a successful off-Broadway freelance career (which ultimately allowed me to land this job).
Summer-stock is such a unique and intensive experience. For the 4-8 weeks it lasts, all you do is theatre. As such, you’ll learn real fast if this in fact is something you want to continue doing. That said, not all Summer-stocks are the same, some are better than others (and some can be considerably worse…). Many of your professors and fellow classmates have done and continue to do Summer-stock and would be happy to answer any questions you may have about a particular program. If we personally do not know about it, chances are we’ll know someone who does (the theatre community being surprisingly small after all).
George Matthews