Berkeley Rep. Announces New Interns

Today Berkeley Repertory Theatre announced that 15 young people from across the nation – including three natives of the Bay Area – have been selected for the highly coveted slots in its annual internship program. This program, one of the most prestigious theatre training opportunities in the country, allows college graduates to work alongside renowned artists and experienced professionals. This season's interns will benefit from firsthand exposure to the work of  respected directors such as Delroy Lindo, Sharon Ott, Tony Taccone, Les Waters, and Mary Zimmerman, as well as award-winning playwrights Martin McDonagh, Sarah Ruhl, and Berkeley's own Itamar Moses.

"We look forward to getting to know this season's interns and once again having the opportunity to impart our knowledge to theatre's next generation," said Susan Medak, Berkeley Rep's managing director. "Young people who intern with us regularly move on to prominent positions in American theatre, and we've often been privileged to hire them ourselves. We're proud to watch the progress of our past interns – and to present this year's interns with the challenges we have planned for Berkeley Rep's upcoming season."
 
Berkeley Rep's internship program combines hands-on practical experience with educational seminars that provide insight into the operation and inner workings of a professional regional theatre. The program is one of the nation's most prestigious and most extensive, offering training in more than a dozen different disciplines. Interns work closely with an accomplished company of artists, administrators, directors, and designers. They make an 11-month commitment to the Theatre, generally starting work in August and concluding their residencies in June. Interns receive a stipend for their service, as well as housing. The partnership between Berkeley Rep and the intern is designed to fulfill the intern's career-building goals and provides invaluable professional contacts and experience. A generous three-year grant from the Koret Foundation funds the program, as well as an extensive evaluation system used to track its impact.

The team of interns for the 2008/09 Season includes the following 15 young people:

    * Joan Anderson, a Maryland native and graduate of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, will work with Director of Marketing and Communications Robert Sweibel and the marketing team.
    * Jamie Caplan, a native of Foster City and graduate of Oberlin College, will work with Company Manager Christopher Jenkins in company management.
    * Christopher Chauvet, a native of Tucson and graduate of the University of Arizona, will work with Technical Director Jim Smith in the scene shop.
    * Octavia Driscoll, an Ohio native and graduate of Lawrence University, will work with Production Manager Tom Aberger and the production team.
    * Michael Fink, a Montana native and graduate of the University of North Dakota, will work with Scenic Artist Lisa Lázár.
    * Lauren Fischer, a native of Los Angeles and graduate oF Brown University, will work with Costume Director Maggi Yule in the costume shop.
    * Abigail Hanson, an Ohio native and graduate of Ohio University, will work with Art Director Cheshire Isaacs and the marketing department.
    * Lee Helms, a Tennessee native and graduate of Southern Methodist University, will work with Production Stage Manager Michael Suenkel and the stage management team.
    * Devon LaBelle, a native of Seattle and graduate from the University of Puget Sound, will work with Rachel Fink, director of the Berkeley Rep School of Theatre.
    * Lisa Mei Ling Fong, a native of San Francisco comes to Berkeley Rep after working on off-Broadway shows for the past year. She will work with Properties Manager Ashley Dawn in the props shop.
    * Mina Morita, a native of Berkeley and a graduate of New York University, will serve as the Bret C. Harte Directing Intern under Artistic Director Tony Taccone.
    * Angele Rodgers, a native of Charlotte and graduate of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, will work with Director of Development Lynn Eve Komaromi.
    * Alex Rosenthal, a New York native and graduate oF Brown University, will work with Literary Manager Madeleine Oldham in the literary department.
    * Jocelyn Thompson, a native of Los Angeles and a graduate of Howard University, will work with Sound Engineer Heather Bradley and the Sound Department.
    * Masha Tsimring, a Russian native raised in San Diego who graduated from Emerson College, will work with Master Electrician Fred Geffken and the electrics crew.

In addition, Bethany Rickwald – a native of Michigan and a junior at the University of Michigan – is volunteering as a summer intern in the marketing department under the guidance of Terence Keane, Berkeley Rep's director of public relations. As part of her service, she penned this release.

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