Imagine that you are working on a five thousand piece jigsaw puzzle. You haven’t been able to eat at your kitchen table for weeks because it has been covered with these fiddly little bits of cardboard. There have been untold hours of work since you found that first corner piece and slowly built the edge of the puzzle. You enlisted friends and family members to help with the vast swaths of undifferentiated blue sky. Finally, it is about to be completed. You go to grab the final piece to slot into the middle of the puzzle and…

It’s not there.

…

Few things aggravate like a missing puzzle piece. All of your work cannot reach its conclusion. No matter how you look at your puzzle, you see that blank spot where the piece should be. You try to come to terms with it, but you know in your heart that it’s not the same without that final piece.

But then, miraculously, you find the final piece on the floor. You slide that final piece into the puzzle, and the unfinished work transforms into something magical. That final piece has the power to render your puzzle a beautiful success, and without it, the puzzle will always feel unfinished.

Now, by this point you are probably wondering why I am talking about jigsaw puzzles on the McCarter Theatre blog. Well, the first show of McCarter’s season, Ten Cents A Dance, had its first preview two weeks ago. It taught me, once again, that the audience is the final, crucial jigsaw piece. No matter how brilliant the lighting, how famous the actors, or how big the budget, theater is about the interaction of the performer and the audience member. It exists not on stage, but in the space between the stage and the audience. Without the audience, a play is unfinished, just like the jigsaw puzzle. The audience has the power to transform the show into a beautiful success, and I saw that transformation for Ten Cents A Dance. The surprises of where and how they reacted imbued the show with a life it could never have without that final piece of the puzzle.

Posted by Daniel Tobin, Directing/Producing Intern at McCarter Theatre

Last Thursday evening, Ten Cents A Dance director John Doyle met with McCarter friends for wine, cheese, and good conversation. It was a great group of McCarter fans that included Trustees, just after their first Board Meeting of the season, and McCarter supporters on their way to the final preview performance.

Associate Producer Adam Immewahr interviewed John about his directing process and the development of Ten Cents A Dance, which debuted at the U.K.’s Watermill Theatre in 2002 and just opened at McCarter after a run at Williamstown Theater Festival. He spoke to his signature style of using actors as the orchestra, a technique that was born out of financial need during the cash-strapped 80s and 90s. Over the past two decades, John has perfected this unconventional method of staging musicals.

John commended our Princeton audiences for their willingness to “lean forward” and truly engage in the quiet moments that are created on stage. Most of the musical theater we see today has the exact opposite effect, causing theatergoers to lean back in attempt to take it all in, but Doyle takes a different approach. Ten Cents A Dance is a testament to how compelling and theatrical his style can be.

Having an opportunity to sit down and talk was John was a great way to kickoff our 2011-2012 Theater Season. We are incredibly excited by all of the events that will be happening at McCarter this year and we hope to see you here soon! To find out more about future donor events and learn how you can get involved visit us online.

Posted by Melissa Egan, Development Assosicate at McCarter Theatre

Welcome to the first post in our new “McInterns” series! Throughout the season, we will be introducing you to our Artistic and Marketing Interns. Through their personal blog entries we hope to give you a glimpse into their busy, fascinating lives here at McCarter Theatre.

This year you will meet -
David Cannon: Marketing and Special Events Intern
Shannon Cameron: Directing/Producing Intern
Daniel Tobin: Directing/Producing Intern
Kaitlin Stillwell: Literary Intern

We’ve been able to ask them some questions in order to help you get to know them better -

Did you study theater in college?

I went to Washington University in St. Louis where I was a double major in Drama and Anthropology. I also studied for a summer at the Globe Theatre in London. - Daniel

I started off as a Musical Theatre major at Webster University in St. Louis. I loved my studies there, but felt more and more that I wasn’t meant to be an actor. After some time spent studying in London, I decided to apply for theater education programs back in the United States. I landed at Emerson College where I finished my undergraduate degree. I spent several years as an educator and director before moving back to my home state of Nebraska to attend the University of Nebraska, Lincoln to work on an MFA in Directing for Stage and screen. - Shannon

I studied Spanish and Economics at the University of Vanderbilt. So why theater marketing? I acted in musicals from high school through college and got involved in publicity in the last few years. - David

I started in theater as an actor/singer and I have a BFA in Musical Theatre from Ithaca College. After a few years of working professionally, I decided that what I really wanted to be was a dramaturg. So I began seeking out projects, meeting other dramaturgs, and looking into Master’s programs. I ended up doing my MA at Loughborough University in England and I’m just about to hand in my dissertation on the dramaturgy of climate change plays in this past year’s London season! - Kaitlin

What drew you to the internship program here at McCarter?

I was interested in McCarter because I noticed over the years that some of my favorite plays had their beginnings here. It was clear to me that the McCarter aesthetic was similar to mine.  But beyond that, I was most interested in the people. I expected everyone here to be brilliant, and after one week I can confirm that expectation met. – Shannon

I was drawn to this program because I have only ever heard amazing things about the work McCarter does. The focus on world premieres creates an exhilarating artistic atmosphere, but they also have the power to produce moving renditions of the classics. Finally, they also treat us, the interns, very well. There is an environment that seeks to nurture us, while also giving us real responsibilities and duties. – Daniel

The field of dramaturgy and literary management encompasses a lot of different types of tasks and in looking for an internship, I was hoping to experience as many as possible. That’s one of the wonderful elements of the Literary Internship at McCarter: I’m learning to contribute in so many different ways, from literary administration to production research to script reading to new play dramaturgy and beyond! I also love that I get the opportunity to really engage across departments and learn what makes a world class regional theater run. But the most extraordinary thing about being a McCarter intern, that I couldn’t have predicted, is how central mentorship is to the culture here. - Kaitlin

What drew me to McCarter? The people, the opportunity, the performing arts center, and the location. My phone interview with Natalie Jankowski (Communications Manager) and Megan Johnston (Director of Group Services) was informative and exciting and not at all intimidating. I felt a positive connection even over the phone. The opportunity is the best in the biz—housing and a stipend can’t be beat for an internship. In addition to producing five shows a year and A Christmas Carol, McCarter hosts numerous arts events from many different genres: jazz, classical, dance, circus, magic, cabaret, etc. This is important because it promises to leave me a well-rounded arts marketer.
- David

How have your first weeks at McCarter been?

I have already had the chance to assist John Doyle [the director] on Ten Cents A Dance and learned a tremendous amount about directing. His warm demeanor creates an amazingly collaborative spirit in the rehearsal hall that allows everyone to flourish. Watching him work has further taught me how a seemingly small note can lead to drastic changes in a performance. – Daniel

My job got really busy really quickly. I started with the daily administrative tasks of writing purchase orders, responding to donation requests, and running the New Neighbors program. But things got really exciting as we were hosting the first annual McCarter Block Party only a few weeks in. This was a great undertaking with vendors, live jazz, and many activities for the kids. I accumulated the grand prizes from vendors. I gathered and helped hang the numerous strands of lights that illuminated the evening. And during the event, I bartended. – David

Well, I just finished yesterday, my first official week. So far, I’ve done several things. I’ve read new scripts, staffed the A Christmas Carol young ensemble auditions and sign ups, attended several detailed meetings orienting me about my various intern duties and even worked a few shifts at the company store!
- Shannon

I’m just finishing my third week at McCarter and my head is still spinning with all the new information! But I’m also starting to find my feet. In addition to learning new things (such as how to format the rehearsal script for Phaedra Backwards or what kinds of pictures are best for a rehearsal image board), I’m also learning the best way to do things to fill the needs of my office. I think I’m getting quicker without losing my conscientiousness, and I think that’s the goal!
- Kaitlin

What are you looking forward to the most during our 2011-2012 season?

I’m most looking forward to starting Phaedra Backwards rehearsals. I’m eager to see what it is like at McCarter to work on a commissioned play and see Emily Mann’s vision come to life. – Shannon

Right now, I’m looking forward to witnessing rehearsals for Phaedra Backwards and watching that thrilling script continue to evolve. - Kaitlin

I’m looking forward to the relationships that I form here, the knowledge I obtain, and the experiences that will shape my time in Princeton. - David

I am most looking forward to working with my three different directors. I have already gotten to work with John Doyle and it has been an eye opening experience. I know I will learn just as much from Emily Mann and Sam Buntrock. - Daniel

Do you have any questions for the McInterns? Leave us a comment!

Posted by Amanda Coe, Digital Media Specialist at McCarter Theatre