Sara Frey

Theatre Design & Production

The Children's Museum of Indianapolis

Describe your typical day as an intern.  

My day as an intern is anything but typical! During the rehearsal process, I would arrive at 10am and help set up for whatever scene we were doing on that day. I would sit up with the stage manager and take blocking notes, or sometimes even run the entire show! As we began performances, I ran the show myself a couple times, but spent my time mainly as a co-house manager with the stage manager. Near the end of the internship, I began helping more with the paperwork for the next season – compiling binders with scripts, contact sheets, schedules, etc. to prepare for the 2017-2018 season! One of the best things about The Children’s Museum is that they encourage play, no matter your age. Throw in the occasional ride on a carousel, dancing the hustle in the Dance! exhibit, or chiseling away at a fossil in the DinoLab next to the BIGGEST triceratops skull I’ve ever had the privilege of hugging – it was never a typical day but that’s what made it fun!

What surprised you most about your internship? 

What surprised me most about my internship was exactly how much fun I would have outside of my work area. While the theatre itself was a wonderful time, The Museum staff and volunteers opened their arms to us like family. Interns are given exclusive behind-the-scenes tours of the artifacts and collections items that the public never sees. As someone who has a never-ending love for dinosaurs, the DinoSphere staff allowed us into the lab where we talked for an hour with the paleo team. I never thought that I’d be as close to my fellow interns as I am – we had outside of work outings and Game of Thrones watch parties all summer! I never expected to leave this internship with so many new friends!

How did you apply your Liberal Arts-skills to your internship position?

I used my background in the multiple facets of theatre. I was not set in on position as an intern – meaning I wasn’t confined to just stage management. I set props, helped make costumes, did paperwork, gave tours to donors, and helped as an usher. The theatre program at Purdue gave me the tools and knowledge to succeed in these ventures, thanks to the intro design courses that are part of my curriculum. 

How has your internship prepared you for your career?

Working with the Lilly has been a wonderful career building experience! As an unconventional professional theatre, I learned many things about what working out in the real world will be like, as well as working within the necessary restrictions that come along with being part of The Children’s Museum, such as following child-friendly guidelines and the ever-present possibility of having to change one thing or many things at any moment should the higher-ups feel the need to change it.