Something Refreshing

I had no idea what to expect when I got off the plane at Lynchburg. I decided to keep an open mind considering my previous experiences in the theatre have been so unpredictable. The town seemed nice enough, however, it was hard to see anything past the rain. During a dry patch in the weather I was fortunate enough to get a quick tour of the campus. The campus was like a dream. It felt like I got dropped off in a Jane Austin novel. Right away I was impressed by the kindness of the Endstation staff. Everyone was so welcoming and they made sure I was comfortable and settled in. By the end of my first day I felt extremely blessed to have this opportunity to do what I love in such a beautiful place with such wonderful people.

This is my first stage management gig outside of school. I’ve never actually SMed or ASMed any productions that would be considered “normal” or “traditional”, so I knew this production of Hamlet was going to be right up my alley. I absolutely love working in an environment where I constantly need to adapt or adjust and this production thus far has given me more than enough opportunities to do so. One of the things I appreciate most about this theatre company is that everyone seems to have a generally laid back and optimistic way of going about their jobs. It is this attitude which allows me to do my job to the best of my ability. I have never once worked with a group of people like Endstation who have been so on top of their games and I can’t imagine a better place for me to start developing my professional career outside of school.

It almost feels like a dream. People are trusting me now to be the responsible leader. I’m an adult now and I’m starting to feel like people are seeing me as one. I could get used to this. Before, I have always kind of been the shy one who always wanted to stay under the radar, but these people here make me want to talk. There are so many stories to hear. Everyone is like a fascinating book waiting to be read. It just amazes me that all these people who have traveled to so many different places ended up here with me for this period of time. I love it. We’re all here for such a small amount of time and some of us may never see each other again, but I wouldn’t trade the experiences I’ve had or will have with these people for anything in the world. I believe I am a better person because I ended up here and for being given this opportunity, I will always be grateful. I can’t wait to see what the rest of my time here is going to be like.

Christiana Cabrera
Festival Intern (Stage Management)