Big Town, What's Before Me?

For those of you who did not know, I will be extending my internship at the Westport Country Playhouse through December.



I am now the Production Assistant for Of Mice and Men. Today was our first prep. day in The City (NYC). This morning I woke up at 6:30am to get on a 7:52am train into NY. When I arrived at the platform--- after gracefully falling up the stairs--- I was completely out of place. All of the Westport "reverse commuters" were there dressed in their perfectly pressed suits, coffee in one hand, news paper in the other. And then there's me...jeans, t-shirt, a pile of stuff (including a printer) with me.



I bought my On Peak train ticket and boarded an already very crowded train car. I sat next to a young professional who checked his blackberry about every 5 seconds...Man, its 7:52am who is calling you?! Anyway, to my right another man was reviewing some type of business report and ahead of me all I could see was a sea of shiny bald heads and all I heard was the constant rustle of newspapers being read.



My next thought was: "I AM NEVER ALLOWED TO COMPLAIN ABOUT MY JOB EVER AGAIN!" I will never be like them. I will never wear a power suit or be so completely stuck in the monotony of routine or obsessed about today's Wall Street Journal. My job is soooo much cooler. And those people need people like us, "theatre people." We have the power to break their routine, take them away, jolt them awake, make them think about something other than their to-do lists.



I got off the train and walked through Grand Central Station's Main Concourse and out on to the bustling streets of New York City. All I can think is: "I am rehearsing a show in New York City, in a rehearsal studio owned by Roundabout Theatre Company, with Broadway Stage Managers, Mark Lamos and a Tony-Award winning set designer (who by the way is one of the nicest people I've ever met.)

My job is so cool.