Meet The Alley’s Summer Interns: Part One
Every summer, The Alley welcomes a group of interns dedicated to advancing their careers in professional theatre production, arts administration, or non-profit marketing and management. These internships are educational opportunities that supplement a strong theatre education and act as a bridge for early career professionals; the interns work closely with Alley staff, artists and craftspeople to increase their skill set, sharpen their business acumen, and learn instrumental theatre techniques and gain professional experiences in the theatre industry.
We are delighted to introduce the intern cohort to The Alley community. Get to know Ashley, Madison, Milo, and Taylor!
First up, Ashley – our HR intern. We talked with Ashley about her experience in HR, The Alley, and more!
How did you first hear about The Alley?
Ashley: Iโve always known about The Alley since I grew up in Houston, but I had never attended a show until 2022 when I saw Ken Ludwig’s Lend Me a Soprano.
Do you have any experience in HR? How did you become interested?
Ashley: I held a few recruitment-related officer positions in college, which is what first piqued my interest in HR. Although I donโt have a lot of HR experience, I plan to learn as much as possible through my internship this summer!
What kind of work do you do at The Alley? What does your day-to-day look like?
Ashley: So far, my work at The Alley has been very educational. Iโve been reading about employment law, attending HR virtual seminars, doing research on recruitment inclusivity, and will soon be assisting with a big auditing task.
What have you learned from this internship so far? From The Alley?
Ashley: So far, Iโve gotten a better grasp of the different components that make up HR. Iโve also gained an understanding of how much effort goes into running a successful nonprofit theatre.
Why do you love theatre?
Ashley: I love theatre because it has always given me a wonderful community of people. Although I havenโt been on stage since high school, being adjacent to theatre brings me a lot of joy and I hope to always stay connected to it.
Next, meet Madison, one of our Conservatory interns!
How did you first hear about/interact with The Alley?
Madison: I have always known about the Alley since being a part of the theatre scene in Houston! The first show I remember seeing at the Alley was A Christmas Carol.
Do you have any experience in ECE-related fields? How did you become interested in working with the Conservatory?
Madison: For the past 3 summers I have worked at an arts camp as a theatre counselor, I would help young students write and perform plays over 2 weeks! The conservatory’s support and inspiration for young theatre makers is something I think is extremely important and I wanted to be a part of.
What kind of work do you do at The Alley? What does your day to day look like?
Madison: While working as a Conservatory camp intern, my job relies on organizations and management of the students and materials. We are devising a show in 5 weeks so in the beginning weeks my days are mostly observing and contributing to the devising process. As we move closer to the show, I’ll take on a stage management role in the process!
What have you learned from this internship? From The Alley?
Madison: While working at the Alley it’s been eye opening to see the amount of administration and coordination that goes on to create the shows and programs. I’ve always been aware of the work it takes backstage to put on a show but seeing the other side of backstage has been really interesting. Also, in my internship I’ve been able to learn so much about the devising process and different approaches to create a show.
Why do you love theatre?
Madison: I’ve always loved theatre since I was young. However, since I have started Stage Managing I’ve begun to fall in love with every piece of the process and watching each element come together to create a story. Being able to watch a show grow from a script to the stage is so much fun!
Here’s Milo, an amazing Play Makers intern.
How did you first hear about/interact with The Alley?
Milo: I first heard about the Alley from some of my high school friends when they went and saw a show here (though I do not remember which one it was).
Do you have any experience in ECE-related fields? How did you become interested in working with Play Makers?
Milo: The only jobs I’ve ever worked involved working with children, either through a school program or a summer camp at a local business or theater. Play Makers seemed like a great step up from more casual programs and a great experience working in an amazing, devoted theater-building community with lots of new faces.
What kind of work do you do at The Alley? What does your day to day look like?
Milo: My role is to assist our teaching artists, helping kids learn important life skills and receive support while having theater fun in a safe learning environment. A typical day in Play Makers involves different sessions of acting/storytelling, physical movement, playing games, and building pieces in our Makerspace that contribute to a short play the students perform at the end of the week. Throughout the day, we move through different spaces in the Alley, make friends through different age groups, and warm up and sing together as well.
What have you learned from this internship? From The Alley?
Milo: Working with Play Makers has taught me about effective communication, embracing creativity, celebrating small joys, supporting and uplifting others, and of course, patience. Diverse groups of kids bring lots of perspectives and ideas about theater and the world as a whole, and the skills we work on daily are applicable to adult life as well. Children are hardworking, inspiring, and beautifully unexpected. You’d be surprised how much you can really learn from them!
Why do you love theatre?
Milo: At the heart, I love to create and tell stories. I love working with other people and putting your heart into a work of art that inspires audiences and changes their lives.
Last but not least, it’s our marketing intern Taylor!
How did you first hear about/interact with The Alley?
Taylor: Growing up in Houston, I’ve always been familiar with The Alley. The first show I saw was The Three Musketeers.
Do you have any experience in marketing? How did you become interested?
Taylor: In college I’ve gotten involved with marketing and graphic designing for student theatre on campus, and it’s something I have really grown to enjoy! I love strategizing and coming up with unique ways to bring audiences in.
What kind of work do you do at The Alley? What does your day to day look like?
Taylor: My day to day includes taking pictures/videos, organizing social media posts, and researching marketing strategies! I work in various mediums within the marketing department to spread the word of The Alley and the work that The Alley does. From projects covering Dial M for Murder to Play Makers to our summer interns, I see that every piece of The Alley is showcased in the best way possible.
What have you learned from this internship? From The Alley?
Taylor: The college shows that I market don’t charge for tickets, so I was unfamiliar with one of the most important aspects of marketing until I got here. I’ve really enjoyed learning the ins and outs of marketing for a non-profit theatre specifically. I feel like I’ve gotten a holistic understanding of the marketing world; I’m excited to take this knowledge back to college and beyond.
Why do you love theatre?
Taylor: I absolutely adore coming together with a group of creative-minded people to put on a show.
Our interns have been going above and beyond. Stay tuned to hear from the rest of our interns over the course of the summer!
by Taylor McMullen, Marketing Intern
