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By spencer, January 23, 2012 3:59 pm

My name is Spencer and I am the Arts Management Intern at Eagle Hill School in rural Hardwick, Massachusetts. My hobbies are being a Disc Jockey and musical theater. I was recently Nathan Detroit in Eagle Hills’ production of Guys and Dolls.

I am here to talk to you all about the incredible and eye-opening experience called APAP. APAP stands for Association of Performing Arts Presenters. We went to look for new performances for next years schedule at The Cultural Center. APAP is a huge event in New York where a bunch of performers and their agents get together to showcase their acts to venues. Venues can get information on the acts and who to contact to reserve them for their programming. My teacher Ms. Donovan and I drove up there on a Friday afternoon with minimal traffic and a nice view to accompany us. The drive took us 5 hours approximately and as soon as we entered New York, my jaw dropped. I had not been there since I was little, and that was with my father for the opening day of the Lion King, which he marketed, on Broadway. It is a beautiful city with shimmering lights and buildings as far as the eye stretches. I wanted to wake up from my lucid dream but I was pleasantly surprised to find out I was not dreaming. As our car pulled up to the hotel, it was as if I was entering the home of the Wizard of Oz. The lobby was futuristic, with interactive touch panels on the walls and a Starbucks, in the hotel! Ms. Donovan and I were quite tired and hungry, so we quickly went to our “room palace” and then had an exquisite and sophisticated meal at McDonalds. I then headed off to bed and could not wait for what would happen the next day, and the action did not even start yet!

The next day I woke up at 7 and was told to meet Ms. Donovan, the technical director of the Cultural Center and Mr. Hunley, the director of the Cultural Center, at the main lobby. We had a beautiful breakfast buffet at the Hilton and then we were off to our workshops. The workshop Ms. Donovan and I attended was about leadership and how to be a leader in your community. They discussed aspects such as getting the community involved in your shows and also unique ways to generate income. One of the most interesting aspects covered was the use of technology and social media to promote your theater. The idea that really stood out was, before a show, when the director is making his welcoming speech, he would tell everyone to take a picture of the person sitting next to them, and tweet that picture. This would help advertise the theater and get all the friends of the audience on twitter to see the social and joyous aspects of going to the venue. That was an interesting idea that I would love to take place at our performances. I added some input in this workshop as well. I talked about how having free performances and free workshops are important because it lets people know about the other performances and shows, that the venue is upbeat and caters to the public. Ms. Donovan talked about The Cultural Center Facebook page and how it helps people keep in touch with the venue. Overall, it was a great workshop where I, personally, learned a lot.

Ms. Donovan and I met with Mr. Hunley shortly to talk about the workshops we went to and then Mr. Hunley parted from us once again. Ms. Donovan and I were off to Leo, a show that requires a long explanation. On the stage, there is a large projector on the left. On the right of the stage there is a box with three walls, like a room. A guy comes out and he lies on the ground with his feet touching one of the walls. On the projector, though, we see him standing up straight. The whole show is based on this gravity idea. I thought the idea was very interesting, but the show got boring very quickly. There just was not enough going on with the idea to be interesting.  

After the show, we walked back to the hotel to rest and get some lunch before our next show, Snow White. No, not the, “happy dwarves”, Snow White, the Grimm, “I poisoned her 50 times”, Snow White. However, we did not see the whole show. You see, what happened is that Ms. Donovan and I realized that we have absolutely no idea how to read the Subway system in New York. So, I downloaded a Subway system application for my Iphone. This was hard to read and the map on it was so confusing I thought it was some sort of Egyptian. So, we got to the Subway station, and ended up taking the train the wrong way for about 15 miles. We then got on the right train to the right direction, and we were already 30 minutes late. When we got off, we had to walk about two miles, so by the time we FINALLY got there, the intermission already was about to happen. But let me tell you, this show was absolutely positively fantastic! The show was a mixture of everything from opera, dance, story telling, and acrobatics. It is my top pick for the show I would say would be a must-be for the Cultural Center. It would be so beautiful in our theater, with the amazing lighting design, the elaborate costumes, and the intricate set pieces. I actually told Mr. Hunley that I would help pay for it to be here! I was serious!

After we hiked, took the right train, and hiked some more back to the oasis which some call The Hilton, we rested for about a half an hour. After we rested, we got a quick dinner at a café across the street, and were off to our next show. It was beautiful that the next show was a short walk from the hotel. Saying I was excited for this next show would be the understatement of the year. The next show was Rockapella, an outstanding, world renowned, acapella music group that does every kind of genre of music you can imagine.  We thoroughly enjoyed it. Some of the great songs they did were, “you’re a mean one, Mr. Grinch,” with their low bass singer doing an exact replica of the song. They were brutally honest, telling the audience how they sold out and were doing jingles for products such as Almond Joy and Pepsi. They also had an audience participation aspect, where they wooed a young woman and fought for her attention. In the end, it was unbelievably entertaining and I would love to see it at our theater.

After this, we walked down to another theater about 3-4 miles away to see some cirque shows. What was unfortunate, though, is that when we arrived, there were no more performances until an hour, and we were beyond exhausted. So we walked into one of the rooms, and a cirque troupe said that they’d put on a two-act show just for us to see. The show, I had to admit, was very mediocre, but I may be prejudice because I have seen full-scale Cirque shows, like Love in Las Vegas. I was not very impressed; it was like the same thing I have seen over and over again. We went to another one that was not very entertaining at all, and I was very bored and felt awkward for the performers. This was not the highlight of the day at all. We decided to walk back after these and get some shut-eye.

The next morning, I woke up, had the breakfast buffet, and then headed to my meeting with the Front of Office Manager of The Hilton. That is my dream job, and it was such an honor to talk to him. He told me about how his average day is, how he got this position, and what he did for college. The part that interested me is that he mentioned bartending through college to gain more income, and this I would be interested in because I have an outgoing personality and that is needed in that profession. He told me how he used to be the food manager and he was promoted to this position. He has been with Hilton his whole life and enjoys it. Then, he took me on a behind-the-scenes tour of The Hilton. We saw where the maid’s headquarters were, he told me how they do their laundry discreetly, and we even went underground at one point. It was a lot more humongous than I thought! It was a great tour and it was informative for me.

After my meeting, we went down to the performance center where the Cirque’s were, and saw some dancers. All the dances were mediocre, but the one that stood out was Riedel. If you remember, in the middle of this year, we had a huge blackout for several days. Riedel was supposed to perform, but due to the power, we had to cancel this. It was unfortunate because they are extremely talented dancers and the public would have enjoyed it. Riedel’s performance at this center was unique, sophisticated, and yet simple and left you with a feeling of euphoria. I hope we can fit them in our schedule sometime next year.

That was the end of APAP. It was a remarkable experience that I will never forget. I saw many performances that will make next years program outstanding and one of the best ones I’ve seen. Everyone was amiable and looked like they were having a great time.  I wish I could have stayed longer, but I had school to attend! I thank you all for reading my first blog. I hope you enjoyed my in-depth experience of APAP.

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By Lexi, February 15, 2011 11:35 am

By Arts Management Intern Lexi

Every year in New York City, the Association of Performing Arts Presenters (APAP) holds a conference devoted to the growth and support of professional and talented artists and performances all across the globe.  APAP represents nonprofit performing arts centers, agencies, managers, companies, self-represented artists, etc. It is the dominant resource of networking for the development of performing arts. As a senior in high school and an Arts Management intern at the Cultural Center in my school, I was given the opportunity to attend this conference and experience real world networking at its best.

Although my teacher had given me a thorough summary of my schedule for the next couple of days, my anticipation and curiosity increased when I arrived in the Hilton early in the morning for a wonderful breakfast to start my day, where my fellow Arts Managements Intern and our two teachers discussed the schedule. After breakfast, we walked up to an enormous room set up with stations labeled in alphabetical order for people to receive their name tags, brochures and information packets for the APAP conference. Once my company and I got that taken care of, we split into groups of two, each group heading off to an information session we thought would be valuable in relation to the work that takes place at the Cultural Center. The session I attended was called “The Future of Digital Infrastructure for the Creative Economy.” In all honesty, it started off quite slow and less than exiting. However, I began to pay attention in detail to the presenters’ ideas and input. I became interested in what they were talking about, which I established some questions from. I learned more about the business of advertisement and publication and found it an interesting topic to explore.

Following the session, my group met up again and proceeded to an excellent jazz showcase by a handsome young man named Dominick Farinacci. All the artists at the APAP Conference displayed their talents in showcases – performances exhibiting their music, art, etc., in a brief amount of time. Farinacci seemed to incorporate many types of emotions through his music simultaneously. It was relaxing, giving off a stress-free vibe all the while being captivating and passionate. In contrast to a lot of modern day music that seems superficial, his performable was very respectable, as it was obvious he was not performing for the sole purpose of publicizing himself, but because he loves music. It was marvelous to be In New York City five feet away from a talented performer and have the opportunity to network with him.

Lunchtime had approached, and we were all ready to eat. Ally – the other intern and whose house I would be staying at for the visit – took us to a tasty Mexican restaurant right in the middle of Manhattan. Over burritos we happily discussed our opinions and input about the information sessions and the showcase. I analyzed the aspects of the session and how it may or may not have been beneficial in relation to possible strategies we could use at the Cultural Center; I realized that much of the material presented in the session was already recognized and put to use at the Center. Mentioned in the session was the encouragement of using technology as a means of advertisement and publicizing, and it was evident to me that the Center had been practicing these same kinds of strategies for some time now–for example, its organized website that displays upcoming events to patrons efficiently. However, the session was far from a waste of time because much of the information I learned from it I was highly unaware of, and it was satisfying to know that the Cultural Center is ahead of the game.

Soon we were all satisfied and no longer hungry. Ally and I practically wolfed down our chicken burritos in less than five minutes while Ms. Donovan was a little slower, and Mr. Hunley took a good twenty minutes longer than us all – the man knows how to eat. We left the restaurant and went to what was my favorite part of the Conference – the Expo Hall. During this time, I was able to meet with artists and agents and share information with them. I informed them about the Cultural Center and my role as a student intern, while they shared with me their work, music, and talents. Exchanging contact information and conversing with a broad variety of people was an exciting real-world experience in which I saw first hand how networking works.

After the Expo, my company and I attended a few more showcases, some interesting and others wacky and dull. Ally and I called it a night while Ms. Donovan and Mr. Hunley continued to explore the APAP Conference. Ally’s beautiful apartment, right next to the Hilton and overlooking the lively streets of Manhattan was a marvelous place to rest after a busy day.

The next morning, Ally and I made our way to the Hilton to meet Ms. Donovan for some final showcases in order to scope out some good dance performances, while Mr. Hunley was taking part in a different part of the conference. We were presented with many different types of dancers and dancing styles, all very unique and interesting, and found a couple routines that we liked very much. Finally it was time to say good bye to the big city. The APAP Conference taught me useful information and provided me with new ideas and insights. Although, I already knew how well-run the Cultural Center is, the APAP Conference made me realize just how organized and professional it is.

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By Elyssa, March 8, 2010 12:42 pm

Preshow antics, with arts management intern and student volunteer (photo: Stephanie Bolduc)

Glancing around the packed Abby Theatre, I breathe a sigh of relief as I watch the patrons get settled into their seats without ticketing confusion.  As the house lights dim, I turn my attention to the stage, where a man clad in a red plaid spandex fat suit is poking his head through the curtain for the warm-up act.  After laughing hysterically while my physics teacher dances with red plaid suit guy, I turn to my friend and fellow Arts Management intern, Ally.  She is beaming and I know she is thinking the same thing as me – I can’t believe we pulled this off!

Back in September, Mr. Hunley told us that we could pick one event from the season’s schedule and plan the entire thing – every last detail.  While jazz musicians and plays are entertaining, a circus themed event complete with acrobats and aerialists was, of course, the most compelling.  Hunley taught us that when bound by contract, every little thing the artist requests must be done.  So we checked and double checked that there was chilled bottled spring water on stage during rehearsal and room temperature bottled spring water in the green room, protein for lunch, and hand towels in the dressing rooms.

After anxiously watching a man balance atop a table complete with several boxes and rolling cylinders, it is intermission.  I immediately jump up from my seat, worried because I didn’t leave sooner to open the doors or help get things set up for the refreshments because I was so absorbed in the show.  I breath a sigh of relief for the second time that day when I find four of my tan shirt clad student volunteers standing outside the theater, doors propped, smiling and standing at attention.  I make my way to the box office, where I retrieve the cash box and merchandise to be sold at intermission.  Ally and I begin quickly laying out t-shirts, hats, and bags for people to purchase.  As everyone files back into the theatre at the sound of the chime, I watched as several people try to bring their wine or cookies into the theatre.  Surabhi, a volunteer, confidently asks each of them to please not bring food or drink into the theatre.  It makes me beam with pride to see the volunteers I trained handling potentially awkward situations with poise.  

When everyone settles into their seats after intermission, the curtain opens to two svelte girls in sparkly red costumes perched atop a trapeze.  One girl clings to the trapeze, the other suspended below her, holding on with just her foot.  Hardly willing to look away from this spectacular act, I sweep my eyes across the audience to find several adult faces in awe, while their children fidget.  After the girls finished their act flawlessly, the red-plaid-fat-suit-wearing guy bounces out from behind the curtain, shaking his padded posterior to the audience.  When I look around again, the adults are pleased to be watching their children grin and giggle.

As people file out of the theatre, still grinning from an amazing closing act, I see a few of our tan shirt clad volunteers thanking patrons for coming and smiling widely, as I taught them.  A mixture of relief and pride wash over me as Ally and I assist the maintenance staff with clean up.

The next morning, Ally and I take our usual route from breakfast in the dining hall upstairs to the box office downstairs for class.  Mr. Hunley sits around the table with us and we do our usual day-after-the-show talk:  what went well and what we could improve on for the next performance.  He gives us a very positive report from the Cirque people – “Every detail was perfect from the moment we walked on campus,” Mia, their stage manager complimented.  I’m not sure why Ally and I were so nervous for this performance.  It wasn’t because it was sold out – we’ve had sold out performances before.  It’s the buildup of anticipation when an event is planned so far in advance – but an artist’s praise, the look of joy on a child’s face, and a standing ovation make it all worth it in the end.

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By Ally, February 4, 2010 10:40 am

Hilton Hotel New York, site of the APAP conference

First hearing of APAP, this huge arts presenters’ conference going on in New York City, my fellow Arts Management Intern and I jokingly brought up that we would be interested in attending. Little did we know, this actually occurred.

Several weeks later, we packed our bags and got on the train arriving in New York. When finally getting there, we hopped in a cab, and went over to where we were going to stay. We tried to go to bed as early as we could, but being so excited about the next day, that was hard to do.

The next morning, after craving some hot coffee, we made our way over to the Hilton Hotel where the conference would be held, meeting Sean Hunley, the director of the Cultural Center at Eagle Hill, and our teacher. We walked into one of the main food venues, got a plate of food, and sat down to talk about what was going to happen that day.

Soon after, we went up to the next floor and registered, receiving not only our name badges, but also maps of where everything would be, which we soon realized we truly needed. Heading down another two floors, we made our way into the first session we were attending, “Arts, Agents, and Presenters: A Collaboration Equation for Success.” There, we had several lectures and discussions about things such as how a venue’s space can make or break a performance.  Many people seemed very interested in The Cultural Center, because they had never heard of a school having a performing arts center that has public shows and more performers than just students from the school.

Afterwards, we threw on our coats, and walked across the street to the New York City Center to watch Buckets and Tap Shoes, two men who switched between tap dancing and using buckets to make noise. After grabbing a cookie and water, we made our way inside the small theatre to enjoy the show.

Leaving the theatre about half an hour later, we discussed what we had seen that day while making our way over to get some lunch. After eating some salad, pasta, and sharing a piece of cake, we went back over to the Hilton, ready to get back to work. Throughout the afternoon, we saw various performers, such as the Annie Moses Band and the Sweet Back Sisters. We even ran into Vance Gilbert, who is coming to perform on March 6th! Seeing these performances helped us look at various performers that we might want to have come to The Cultural Center at Eagle Hill.

Afterwards, we made our way over to the expo hall, which basically consisted of hundreds of different stands, ranging from performers for children’s shows to different ticketing websites.

As cliché as this may sound, it really was a great experience. Not only were we probably the two youngest people there, but we got to experience something not too many people are lucky enough to. Although it was a long day, we learned a lot more than we could have even imagined knowing about business and running The Cultural Center.