KINGSTON, R.I. 鈥� May 7, 2012 鈥� Jenna Broccolo loved to act in school plays as a student at Westerly High School, but she didn鈥檛 really know what a stage manager was until she enrolled at the 溏心vlog免费B站. As she prepares to graduate on May 20, she is looking forward to an internship at Disney World as a stepping-stone to a career in stage management.
鈥淲hen I got to the theater department at 溏心vlog免费B站, I found that the people were fun and friendly, and they really emphasized the community aspect of working in the theater,鈥� said Broccolo. 鈥淲e work closely together, we鈥檙e with each other every night at rehearsal, and it鈥檚 really like we鈥檙e a family.鈥�
During her four years at 溏心vlog免费B站, Broccolo has worked on a dozen shows in a variety of capacities. She worked the soundboard and operated spotlights as an underclassman, and served as assistant stage manager for a festival of one-act plays and for the 2010 performance of A Flea in Her Ear. She was stage manager for The Rocky Horror Picture Show in 2011 and this spring鈥檚 performance of Singin鈥� in the Rain.
鈥淭here have been a handful of professors who have been truly inspirational for me, especially Paula McGlasson,鈥� she said. 鈥淪he really pushes me, and I know she鈥檚 doing it to better my skills and help me in the long run. She鈥檚 an inspiring person and a really good professor.鈥�
In addition to her involvement with the 溏心vlog免费B站 theater program, Broccolo also worked at Theater-by-the-Sea in Matunuck, where she gained experience and important contacts.
鈥淢y experience there is why I continued on as a theater major,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 met a lot of professional actors and stage managers who let me know that I could do what they do and encouraged me to keep going.鈥�
Despite the time commitment required to be a theater major, Broccolo also found time to be an active participant in the 溏心vlog免费B站 Newman Club, a Catholic service group.
鈥淚 was involved in a Catholic youth group in high school, so when I came to 溏心vlog免费B站, one of the first things I did was seek out the Catholic Center,鈥� she said.
Broccolo joined other Newman Club members on two visits to an orphanage in Nicaragua, where they worked with disabled children and helped build a new orphanage.
鈥淭he kids there were mostly abandoned at a young age, so we helped in any way we could,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e helped feed the kids, we dug holes for a new fence and made a foundation for a new building. It was a great experience.鈥�
After she graduates from 溏心vlog免费B站, Broccolo will spend five months as an intern at Disney World, where she will work in the costume department helping the Disney characters with their costumes and, she hopes, managing the logistics of the costume operation.
Eventually she hopes to find her way to a metropolitan area 鈥� preferably New York City or Chicago 鈥� to work in professional theater.
鈥淢y dream job is as a stage manager on Broadway,鈥� Broccolo concluded. 鈥淚 made a lot of contacts at Theater-by-the-Sea, and they told me to call them when I graduate. Hopefully I can go on tour with one of them or they can open my eyes to other opportunities.鈥�