I am a theatre major with an arts administration focus and a minor in technical theatre. I plan to graduate in December of 2020. I was born and raised in Hilliard, Ohio.

From the end of May until mid-August this past summer, I worked at The Glimmerglass Festival in Cooperstown, New York, as a general administration intern. I was in charge of the daily mail runs, the bank deposits, and checking in at the box office downtown. I also worked as a receptionist in the administration building and was in charge of greeting people and leading them back for meetings and other business. Additionally, I had the opportunity to spend time as a housing and transportation intern, and was responsible for driving the young artists in the program to and from rehearsals.

I refined my skill of being able to go with the flow a lot over the summer. My boss and I never truly knew what would come through the front doors, or who was going to call next. We had to be ready to adapt and problem solve. My favorite part of the internship was being able to see how an opera festival truly operates behind the scenes. My position was very flexible, and I often had the chance to observe many different parts of the opera. Also, The Glimmerglass Festival has almost all women serving as department heads, and it was empowering to be around so many inspiring women all summer.

While working at The Glimmerglass Festival, I had the chance to meet some noteworthy people that certainly made my summer one to remember. To name a few, I met Tony Award-winning composer Jeanine Tesori, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Golden Globe Award-winning actress Sigourney Weaver.

I have grown a lot at Wittenberg overall as a person and more specifically in the sense of becoming more of a go-getter. I learned quickly here that if you want something bad enough, you have every right to set out for it yourself. You can get help along the way on your path, but the journey is your own. My professors at Wittenberg have served as great resources for me throughout my career. Even in my non-theatre classes, I still feel like my professors take a genuine interest in learning about me and truly care about my success.

I came to Wittenberg intent on being a theatre major and knew that I wanted a career in the theatre world, but I wasn’t quite sure how to get there. Luckily, with some guidance from my professors, I was able to see all the potential options for me. Also, the community of artists within the theatre and dance department has been a great resource for me. They pick me up when I’m down and cheer the loudest when I soar. I have found a great group of people and for that, I am lucky and grateful.

Completing this internship at The Glimmerglass Festival proved to me that I am in the right field of work. After graduation, I hope to apply what I learned as a general administration intern in an arts administration role at a theatre or opera company. My time at the Festival also gave me great resources and a network of people that I feel I am going to be able to call upon.

Lena Pirt ’20
Hometown: Hilliard, Ohio
Major: Theatre with an arts administration focus
Minor: technical theatre