As a fun friday activity, members of The Pearl staff and RAC volunteered today at God’s Love We Deliver. GLWD is an amazing New York City organization that brings nutritious meals to people (and their families) living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other serious illnesses in order to alleviate hunger and malnutrition.

As a way to help our community we went and chopped vegetables and wrapped bagels for meals that were to go out. To view pictures of The Pearl working in the kitchen, please visit the God’s Love FlickR page.

by Current Pearl Theatre Intern Veronica Decker

“Hi this is Sarah Wozniak calling from The Pearl Theatre Company and this message is for Veronica Decker. Thank you for speaking with me the other day—you are a great candidate for our Arts Administration internship, and I was wondering if you would like to join our team this summer…”

I stopped dead in my tracks on UPenn’s cobbled Locust Walk. It was a warm April afternoon—the sun was shining and sound wave after sound wave of 90’s nostalgia (oxymoron?) poured forth from frat-house windows. But I, as usual, was stressed beyond belief—2 papers and 4 finals loomed in the distance, followed by a summer of potential unemployment despite countless applications. Yet suddenly, the latter concern was a thing of the past; I had an internship in NY theatre administration—an opportunity that would define my last summer of college, and perhaps, my future.

First day: I take note of all coffee establishments in a 2-block radius—partly for my own obsession but mostly because I figure coffee-runs will constitute a large portion of my job description. I could not be more wrong. “So this is your desk,” Sarah gestures with a flourish, indicating the front desk, replete with phone and voicemail, my own Mac, and a sweet, sweet roll-y chair. “This is our casting filing system,” she continues as she approaches an imposing metal structure. “It’ll be your job to maintain the upkeep of this system, as well as to reorganize the library down the hall.” Add to those tasks Arts-in-Education initiatives, assisting with Scoundrels staged readings, sitting in on auditions, and youth audience outreach, and you’ve got a list of my responsibilities established on the very first day.

To say that working as the Arts Administration Intern at The Pearl has been a learning experience would be the ultimate understatement. As I wrap up my final week with this incredible company (no blackmail was involved here, I swear), I realize that the knowledge and confidence I’ve gained in this field are invaluable. I’ve been entrusted with preserving the integrity of Molière’s verse and Ibsen’s dark wit while editing sides for auditions; I’ve designed a program for the Scoundrels reading of Clean Alternatives, conducted research regarding local college curriculums and activities to build student audiences, and monitored callbacks in which hundreds of actors passed through The Pearl’s doors. And to complete these projects under the guidance of The Pearl staff—a group that works tirelessly yet still appreciates the value of a good discussion on LOST—has been simply amazing.

Despite the mere 9 months that stand between me and my college graduation, I’m still not sure where my English and Theatre Arts degree will take me come May— maybe I’ll audition by day and sing ‘n’ serve at Ellen’s Stardust Diner by night, or venture into Ben Brantley’s world of theatre criticism. But my time at The Pearl has me leaning more and more towards a career in theatre administration—the diversity of tasks and dedication to producing quality art in this field are just so satisfying and appealing. I’m so grateful for my experience here at The Pearl, and cannot wait to see the final products of our 27^th season.

We are THRILLED to welcome and introduce our new Development Manager, Tiffany Baran to The Pearl’s family.

Marketing Director, Aaron Schwartzbord, had a chance to interview Tiffany yesterday to find out more about who she is and to introduce her to our Pearl Audience. The interview was done online over G-Chat. Below is the transcript of that conversation.

5:50 PM Wednesday July 28

Aaron Schwartzbord: Welcome Tiffany Baran.

Tiffany Baran:  Thanks!

Me:  So you’ve been here for a couple weeks now, how do you like working at The Pearl?

Tiffany:  I’m loving it. Everyone is very friendly– and I’m excited to see the upcoming season.

Me:  Wonderful–we love having you here!

What show are you most excited about for this season?

Tiffany:  Now that’s a tough question. I have two– Rosmersholm and The Sneeze.

Me:  Two very different plays!

Tiffany:  Yep– I love drama. It is my favorite, but I’m also a fan of “laughing so hard you embarrass yourself” comedy.  Gotta keep a balance!

Me:  Balance is good. Have you seen any good plays this summer?

Tiffany:  The most recent play I’ve seen was The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Diety. It was amazing!

Me:  Oh really? I heard such great things, but didn’t get to see it. I was upset that i missed it

Tiffany:  I’m sorry you did – it was so worth it. It was just so much fun.

Me:  So…What is your favorite thing to do outside of work?

Tiffany:  Spending time with my husband, John, and my pets. I have two Shih Tzus named Bellatrix and Olivia, and a cat names Porter. Outside of theatre, my next love is animals. And as I have recently finished graduate school, I’ve found time to read again.

Me:  What’s the last book you read?

Tiffany:  Through Black Spruce by Joseph Boyden.

Me:  Was is good?

Tiffany:  Oh yes. It was an absolutely beautiful story about a family’s journey. I hope to be reading more of his work soon.

Me:  I hear those are very cute Shih Tzus! You know maybe we can find some parts for them on stage this season.

Shih Tzu Olivia

Tiffany:  Maybe we can… if they behave themselves. Easier said than done, especially with a Shih Tzu!

Me:  ha ha ha ha…I bet that Olivia is a trouble maker!

Me:  Can you tell me/our readers a little about what you do at The Pearl?

Tiffany:  I’m the new Development Manager it’s my job to raise contributed income for the company. As you know, we rely on both the money we make through things like ticket sales, But that doesn’t cover it all. So the contributions we receive from our donors allow us to continue our mission.

Me:  That’s a big job…I should let you go back to work then!

Thank you for talking to me Tiffany.

Tiffany:  You got it! I’m thrilled to be here and I look forward to seeing our “Pearls” at the theatre this year!

Me:  We will be seeing you at the theatre. Thanks!

Tiffany:  Of course!

Shih Tzu Bellatrix