So we started a program with Bennington this year to provide fellowships to help and support field work term students while they're in New York. And then we work with Bennington to provide financial aid to the students.
The Lortel Foundation is, of course, one of the most prestigious organizations in New York and nationally, because they fund and support so many of the most vibrant, engaged, cutting edge theaters that are out there.
There are I think 12 or 15 of us from Bennington, and we're mostly upperclassmen, who are working at these various theaters around New York and kind of the Off Broadway scene. What really drew me to the Lortel Grant was the chance to come to the theater capital of the United States, New York, and see theater in context. Throughout our fieldwork term, we've gone with them, they've done sort of like masterclass business meetings with us, where they've talked to us about theater management, and they've let us ask them questions about what it is to run a theater company and different things between commercial theater and non for profit theater. I've seen so many shows, and I'm so thankful for that, because it's been such a highlight of my time here, is not only being able to see how The Flea operates, but being able to see other Off Broadway theaters and being able to see that.
It takes it from being an academic exercise to being an actually integrated artistic, professional exercise.
I think that's my most favorite part about this internship is not the tasks that I do but watching other people do their job, it's so much fun.
