Author: epoliti

Experiencing the Tony Awards, from the red carpet to the hottest after party at the Carlyle Hotel, was nothing less than absolutely fantastic! It always seemed like a distant dream to me and there I was, attending the same party as so many of my idols. Even though it was about a month ago, it’s still crazy to think that I was in the same room as celebrities such as Bette Midler, Olivia Wilde, Ben Platt, Sally Field, Anna Kendrick, Kevin Spacey, Darren Criss, Corey Cott, and about four hundred others. By the time I went to bed, I had been awake for over 20 hours but I didn’t even feel tired. I was very grateful for all of the adrenaline I was running on! That following week, the interns were kept very busy as we archived every mention of our shows from the Tony Awards on every news and media outlet, along with preparing for the opening night of “1984,” a new Broadway play based on George Orwell’s book adapted by Robert Icke and Duncan Macmillan. “1984” recently premiered on June 22^nd, so there was very little time after the Tony Awards to get everything together. Much of our time was spent on picking up and preparing tickets and press lists for the following week.

At the beginning of July, I moved into an apartment only four blocks from my office, which has cut my 2 hour commute into 10 minutes! I love being so close to work because I’m not exhausted while there and can really focus on what I’m doing. I’m also able to see many shows on Broadway since I live so close which is how I love to spend my evenings.

Soon we will be preparing for the opening of Michael Moore’s new play, “The Terms of My Surrender.” I feel more prepared having already done work for the opening of “1984” and hope that I will be able to help even more than before. The summer is typically a very slow time for the Broadway world but we are lucky enough to be part of two shows that begin during the summer.

Working with DKC/O&M has solidified my desire to go into Arts Administration after college. Since we don’t offer courses around Arts Administration at Brandeis, I really didn’t know what it was or that it was even an option for me. I am very grateful for my internship because it is very difficult to truly learn what it is a press agent does in an academic setting. So much of the work is hands on and it’s great to be able to get that experience with DKC/O&M. Getting to see how different situations are handled first hand is invaluable. I love the environment I’m in, the people I’m working with, the work I’m doing, and the experiences I am lucky enough to have. If you find yourself interested in working in Arts Administration, my suggestion is that you apply for every internship you can get your hands on. The theater community, especially in New York, is so small and close knit that no matter where you end up, you’ll be connecting and working with people from all different areas of Arts Administration. You’ll make extremely valuable connections and it can’t hurt to try something different than what we’re always studying in school!

I am spending my summer working with DKC/O&M. DKC/O&M are the press representatives for many new Broadway shows, along with many longer running shows. They also represent some off-Broadway shows, theaters, and people. It is difficult to learn about public relations in an academic setting because so much of it is hands on work. Luckily, DKC/O&M is giving me the opportunity to explore the world of public relations on Broadway and allows me to better improve my interpersonal skills in a business setting.

My commute to and from work is just under two hours – if my train is not delayed. However, I spend the train part of my commute studying up on shows my company represents that I do not know very well. Once I arrive at work, I sit down at my desk and immediately start working on the Web Clips I have been sent. This will sometimes include Broadcast Clips and Paper Clips that I compile, format, and save for future reference.

Broadcast Clips are made after there has been any mention of one of their productions on a television network. I am able to anticipate when I’ll have a Broadcast Clip to work on if I know that there is an actor being feature on a talk show. For example, Brendon Urie is joining the cast of Kinky Boots with his first performance on May 26th. He was featured on “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon” the other evening, so when I arrived at work the next morning, I had a Broadcast Clip to prepare. Paper Clips are similar except are created when a show or actor is featured in a newspaper.

Throughout the day I will be assigned tasks from various people in the office which can range from proof reading press releases to picking up tickets at a theatre to working on press blasts. It is awards season on Broadway so the work we are doing at DKC/O&M is even more important and time sensitive, so I have to learn quickly. My notebook is quickly filling up with information on how to do different tasks and anything else I might need to know.

Since it is award season, I have the opportunity to attend the Audience Choice Awards Winners Reception with DKC/O&M this week! I am so excited for this opportunity because I never imagined I would be at one of these types of events! Most people know about the Tony Awards but there are so many other awards given out throughout Broadway’s award season. On Friday we waited anxiously in the office for the announcement of the Drama League Awards and were thrilled when Dear Evan Hansen, Hello, Dolly!, Bette Midler, and Ben Platt (the youngest actor to ever receive the Distinguished Performance Award) were given their awards. I am looking forward to Tony Awards week and I am extremely hopeful for the shows that DKC/O&M represents. O&M has many shows nominated for various Tony awards such as A Doll’s House, Part 2 (8 nominations), Dear Evan Hansen (9 nominations), The Glass Menagerie (1 nomination), Hello, Dolly! (10 nominations), and Present Laughter (3 nominations). I expect many wins for these shows and am so excited for the work I will be doing around the Tony’s weekend.