So I have a list of the people in this city I want to assist most. Aaron Posner is at the top of the list (of Directors). Look him up, he's really great.
I met him briefly at New Jerusalem's opening party... where I introduced myself (with prodding from Roy). Introducing yourself may be a better call than having someone else do it sometimes? Maybe? As long as someone you know drops the person a line letting them know you aren't really a crazy stalker.
Anyway, we had a brief conversation about New Jerusalem and about his current (then) project, Vibrator Play at Woolly. I didn't mention anything about wanting to work for or with him.
I looked him up. He was doing the next two shows at Folger Theatre (which by the way pays their ADs - not many places do that).
I sent my resume to Folger, with a short email that stated my interest in the company, their season, and casually mentioned that I had just assisted Jeremy.
They called me in for an interview. I had to bring the boy I nanny because it was during the day. Beth, the Assistant Artistic Producer, talked to me a little bit about my time in DC so far and my resume. I brought my resume even though I had already emailed it to her - good thing. She let the boy I nanny sit on the floor and watch Richard Scary. She was so sweet.
I sent a follow up email thanking her for her time.
I also sent Aaron an email telling him I had interviewed and was very interested in assisting him. He didn't reply.
Don't get discouraged when people don't reply. For all the small successes on this page there were a billion unanswered applications and emails.
Beth sent me a reply a few days later to set up a time for me to interview with Aaron Posner.
I told Jeremy. He said he'd call Aaron as a reference. They're worked together before and are good friends. AKA how networking is awesome.
I met with Aaron on August 10th (sans little boy this time). I really loved chatting with him, but was pretty sure that I wasn't going to get a position because he uses his assistants heavily and I'm young. Some directors treat assistants as more of observers and some use them heavily in the rehearsal room. It mostly depends on the project and the director.
Also - although he had not replied to my email he had noted at the top of his copy of my resume that I had emailed him.
I sent him a follow up email thanking him for his time
I did not hear back.
Monday (September 13 - one month after the interview) the General Manager at Folger offered me a position: Assistant to the Director for Cyrano. I almost died on the phone.
Things Take Time
Bigger theatres rehearse during the day, smaller theatres (where most people have day jobs) rehearse in the evenings. Folger rehearses during the day. That would mean taking an entire month off of nannying. I was scared to ask. That was a ridiculous proposition.
The next day I dropped the bomb in an email so she could process it and told her I'd love to talk to her about it in person the next day when we had already planned a meeting. At then end of our meeting she added "and we'll make April work."
There are so many good people in the world. So many.
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