Inside the Transcendence Theater Co. internship program

TTC’s paid summer internship program expanded in 2016.|

Transcendence: it means an experience beyond the norm, something greater than everyday life. In a word, that’s what several youth experienced while interning for Transcendence Theater Company this past summer.

The young theater nonprofit entered the scene in Sonoma five years ago and, since then, they’ve offered a handful of paid internships. This summer’s internship program was different, as Transcendence brought on 13 interns to help with its summer shows.

“Basically, we’ve had just a few for the last four or five years,” said Stephan Stubbins, one of the co-executive directors. He said this summer was about “giving a broader opportunity for local youth and pre-professionals to work hand-in-hand with theater professionals.”

Several of these interns were young, ambitious and talented kids from Sonoma. But while most of them held different positions, they all agreed on the most fulfilling part of their shared experience: cultivating meaningful relationships and learning from passionate, professional artists.

Sonoma Valley High graduate Kaylin Riebli, winner of Sonoma’s 2016 Student Creative Arts Award, worked for Transcendence as a costume and props intern. Lauren Worona, an 11th grader at SVHS, worked as one of two photography and video interns. Ava Castro, a senior this year, had a lot of responsibility as both the merchandise and education intern.

They were surrounded not just by other ambitious youth, including some college interns, but also by professional artists, Broadway veterans and talented performers.

Worona has always had an interest in theater and acting, but when she took video productions at the high school, she grew a passion not only for acting in, but shooting and creating videos and movies. She shot every rehearsal and performance, gathering large amounts of footage for Transcendence.

Worona said she and her fellow interns grew close during their internships, cultivating what she said were probably lifelong friendships. But, beyond that, all the adults and professionals treated her and her colleagues with the respect their positions demanded. “They felt more like mentors than my bosses,” she said. “It was definitely the best internship.”

Riebli, already well-known in Sonoma for her costume and set designs at the high school and her winning designs at the Trashion Fashion Show, worked backstage at every Transcendence show this summer.

As the costume and props intern, she not only helped create and design some costumes worn in the play, she also had to make sure every prop and costume change was in place and ready to go for the performers.

“It was my first time ever working in a professional setting,” she said. “I’m so grateful that my first experience was with them because they have such good values and they really care about you as a person and care about your well-being.”

The best part of her stint with Transcendence, she said, was definitely “the amazing relationships (she) built with these professionals and these artists.” These, she said, were things she couldn’t learn or experience just in high school.

A few years ago, Castro attended Transcendence’s summer kid’s camp; this year, as the education intern, she helped lead and teach kids from 8- to 10-years-old at the same camp. Her main role, however, was the merchandising intern, helping stock and sell merchandise at all their events.

While she’s always loved the theater arts, she said working in merchandise helped her gain an even deeper love and appreciation for it.

“I gained an appreciation for that part of theater, and grew an appreciation for all the people who work in it,” she said.”

For her, the whole experience was about these people. “Each artist teaches you a different thing,” she said. “You get a one-on-one experience with each artist, and they all offer great words of advice.”

Stubbins said the program was a huge success for the company. He said by “pairing interns with mentors, we gave them the opportunity to contribute in a way they couldn’t do in many other internships. We gave them an opportunity to really grow.”

Footage shot and edited by Lauren Worona was shown at Transcendence events. Kaylin Riebli’s costume designs were in live performances. Ava Castro taught several kids, and managed the sales and stock of company merchandise.

Every intern had great responsibilities and showed what Stubbins said was professional work. These opportunities in a professional theater community, Stubbins added, are also not something readily-available in the area.

Riebli is off to college in just a few days, attending UCLA’s School of Theater, Film and Television as a theater arts major. Worona continues her high school career as a junior taking several advanced placement classes and the advanced video class. Castro’s senior project this year includes directing a play with help from Transcendence.

Stubbins said they’d like to continue and grow the internship program in future years, and they plan on finding the funds for it.

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