by Isabel Espy
My name is Isa and I am so excited to be joining the Fountain Family for the next ten weeks as an intern in development. I am a rising senior acting major at UCLA’s School of Theatre Film and Television, with a minor in society and genetics. I grew up in Chile, where I spent a lot of my time riding horses and dancing ballet on rickety wooden stages. While my home is more than five thousand miles away, the California summer sun reminds me of that of Chile, and spending my summer immersed within the world of performance reestablishes my conviction that art is universal.
Most of my experience with theatre has been in performance, but I am finding that what goes on behind the scenes at a theatre can be almost as exciting as being on stage! Within my first day here at The Fountain, Stephen and Barbara have introduced me to a throng of new and ongoing projects which promise to be both exciting and challenging. There is so much going on, and I hope to get my bearings quickly so that I can delve right in! I was able to sit in on one of the initial table-reads of The Fountain’s newest project: Citizen: An American Lyric — by Claudia Rankine and adapted for the stage by Stephen Sachs. I had just finished reading the script the night before, and hearing the words brought to life by the voices of an amazing group of actors was really exhilarating. I am happy I will have a chance to watch the piece flourish over the next couple of weeks, and am looking forward to being a small part of the Fountain team.
Our thanks to the LA County Board of Supervisors and the Los Angeles County Arts Commission for the support of their Arts Internship Program.
Wonderful, Isa! It’s a joy to have you at the Fountain!