Dramatic arts students find exciting opportunity in new theatre partnership

RELEASED: August 23, 2007

DANVILLE, KY—For Centre dramatic arts majors, summer is rarely a time for rest and relaxation from schedules of classes, productions and theatrical training. Instead of taking a few months off, they frequently expand their educations with professional theatre companies across the United States. This year, many have taken advantage of a new partnership forged between Centre's dramatic arts program and the Berkshire Theatre Festival in Stockbridge, Mass., one of the nation's leading summer theatres.

The agreement offers guaranteed summer interships in design, production, management, arts administration or acting apprenticeships to promising Centre students. Matthew Hallock, Centre associate professor of dramatic arts and chair of the dramatic arts program, says, "I was approached with the idea by the managing director of the theatre. He brought the offer to us due entirely to the consistent demonstrated quality of Centre drama students placed there in the past."

David Brown '08 of Lexington, Ky., and Kristen Robinson '09 of Loveland, Ohio, both interned at Berkshire this summer.

Brown, currently an acting apprentice, takes classes ranging from the "Suzuki Method of Actor Training" to voice training and appears in the family play Aesop's Network: Broadcasting Theatrical Fables . He also has participated in master classes with prominent actors, casting directors and artistic directors.  

Robinson, who interned with the Berkshire Theatre Festival as a scenery-design artist, brought the company's eight-show main stage season to life working with other artists in painting, carving, texturing scenery and analyzing scenic renderings.

Both students credit Centre's faculty with their early success in the dramatic arts field. Brown says, "As in all things theatre, getting the job is often about who you know, and having this professional relationship with the Berkshire Theatre Festival was a definite advantage. But once you get the job, you have to do it well, which is where I'm incredibly thankful for the education I'm receiving from Centre's dramatic arts professors. Having a strong base in both acting and technical aspects of theatre has truly helped me enjoy all parts of the experience this summer."

For more about Centre's Dramatic Arts Program, click here.

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Founded in 1819, Centre College is ranked among the U.S. News top 50 national liberal arts colleges. Consumers Digest ranks Centre No. 1 in educational value among all U.S. liberal arts colleges. Centre alumni, known for their nation-leading loyalty in annual financial support, include two U.S. vice presidents and two Supreme Court justices. For more, visit http://www.centre.edu/web/elevatorspeech/

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