Last Day

November 18, 2016

I have not been looking forward to this day.  It is my last day as an intern here at Tuacahn.  I am very very sad and so everyone else.  I found a second home with these people and I call them family.  I have had some amazing experiences here that I will never forget.  I have learned so much!  Everything that I have learned I can take and use in my daily life and in my future career.

This isn't good-bye this is see you later.......



I will return beause I was offered a job here and will continue working here starting in late March when the spring concert series start.  To say I'm excited is an understatement!

Culture Club

November 12, 2016

What a way to finish off a concert series!  I was very very nervous for today.  Culture Club is the first high profile band I have worked with and I was honestly scared about how this day would go.  I arrived super early because I wanted to make a good impression to their crew to start the day off right to hopefully make the rest of day go as smooth.  There were so many challenges with this day with things not going the way it was supposed to.  Nothing seemed to be going our way when we started the day off but remembering "Nothing is a Crisis" we got through every curveball.  For a nervous as I was it turned out to be a great day.  Their tour manager Obrenka is such an amazing person to work with.  I think she could see the fear and determination in my eyes to make sure this day went according to plan.  It was such a new experience and the level of professionalism was incredible.  They had three sound boards!  They didn't want to use any of our equipment  they had everything set up super quick it was quite amazing to just sit back and watch.  Then Culture Club arrived and they were great.  They loved how things were ready and Boy George is awesome!  I was able to bring his catering to his room and he was like "Thank you love!"  It was great!  The show went on without a hitch and the crowd loved it!  I have loved working concerts and I look forward to working on more.

CSN Songs

November 11, 2016

Happy Veteran's Day!  Happy Concert Day! Today we had CSN Songs which is a Crosby, Stills, and Nash tribute band.  They were very different from David Archeleta but they were still great to work with.  Their rider was very basic and the didn't want much which made our job easy.  Their load in/load out was more rigorous than David's because there were more people and more instruments.  Again I was in charge of helping with catering and just making them feel at home.  I love hosting artists because I learn so much from them hearing about their experiences.  The audience loved the show they were very good.  Tomorrow we have Culture Club coming so Weston and I was going over their contract and rider with a fine tooth comb because wow it was intense!  CSN Songs were so funny because they were impressed with Culture Club's rider and how long it was and they wanted some advice to how to make their rider better.  CSN Songs was a new experience and a good one because each concert brings its own style, atmosphere, and challenge.  I learn something new at each one.

David Archuleta Night 3

November 5, 2016

The last night and probably the easiest night of the weekend.  Again his crew didn't show up until later but today while they were sound checking they actually were rehearsing new songs for the show that night.  This was also a special night because Jamesthemormon stopped by and they ended up singing the song that they wrote together.  David also surprised his opener Gracie Schram by walking out on stage and singing the song that they wrote together.  It really was a magic moment because Gracie had no idea what was happening so the audience was immediately intrigued.  That was something that I notice that David and his crew did each night.  They added a song or changed a song on the set list to keep the show fresh because yes it was the same show but it was a different audience each night.  I am so grateful for this opportunity I was able to learn a lot and connect with new people who can help me in the future.

David Archuleta Night 2

November 4, 2016

Night two.  A little bit easier then night one because it was our second time doing the same routine.  I again spoke with Matt but this time it was about the specifics about what he did for David.  He showed me all of his equipment and told me why each piece was important.  I also spoke more with Keri and what she did as a tour manager.  Her job is intense!  As the venue manager she told me that if we have everything ready to go for them then it makes her job easier and she is more likely to be nice to all of us.  I found this intriguing because Mindy basically said the same thing in class.  Tonight I was in charge of taking the Meet & Greet photos which was also stressful because you have to hurry people along but David is so sweet and wants to talk to everyone.  Keri was a big help with this one and I learned how strong you have to be and sometimes be the bad guy in order to help the artist.

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

November 4, 2017

Today was quite the day!  There was a lot going on there was a special luncheon before the ribbon cutting, the ribbon cutting ceremony, open house, and
David Archuleta!  The luncheon had its problems but as the great Mindy Benson says, "Nothing is a Crisis."  Between Weston, Joseph, and I we handled every problem that occurred and we learned a lot from the luncheon that needs to change if there is an event right after it.  The ribbon cutting ceremony was a much smoother event besides starting very late due to the luncheon.  There was confetti and fireworks which shouldn't be a surprise because it is Tuacahn's signature style.  David Archuleta's crew didn't arrive until later in the afternoon because everything was already set up and ready to go.

David Archuleta

November 3, 2016

Today was a crazy busy day and a big day of learning.  David Archuleta and Gracie Schram have arrived for three shows this weekend.  I was in charge of getting all of the dressing rooms ready, helping catering, and being an extra set of hands for Keri, his tour manager.  The day started early with setting up food and tables and making sure everything that was on their rider was correct.  Most people don't know that a rider is a contract and if you don't abide by everything that is on the rider you can be held in breach of contract.  It was very interesting to read over his contract especially since we had just gone over how to do contracts in class.  I was able to see things that I would have changed and what I would have done differently.

There was one crew member that I took initiative to take care of.  His name is Matt and he was the sound guy for David.  I talked to him for quite awhile about his experiences on being on tour and what the best places to travel to were.  He gave me good advice on how to get in the entertainment business and about life in general.

During the show Weston and I finished making the table gifts for our ribbon cutting and open house of the new arts building that has been quite a process to finish.  Now that it is done there are more classrooms for the high school, two dance studios, a larger gift gallery, and soon a cafe will be going in.

Meet the Team

October 28, 2016

This weekend is Thriller closing weekend and we don't have much to do besides send emails out and start prepping for the fall concert series.  With it being a slower day at work I wanted to introduce my team.  There is Kenten Pope who is the other intern, Stephanie Fink, Marketing Director, Matt Porter, Marketing Manager, Sierra Carrol, Payroll, and Weston Goggins, Marketing Manager/Event Manager, and Jana Stott, Costumes.  This is just a few of the amazing people I work with.  As a team we accomplish a lot.  We all love talking and laughing with each other.  One of our favorite things we do is get Pho on Fridays.  From working at Tuacahn I have been introduced to new foods and most of which I like.  Pho is probably my favorite!

Right: Allison, Kenten, Sierra, Stephanie, Matt. Left: Kenten, Jana, Allison. Botton: Weston, Allison

Thriller

October 21, 2016

It is almost Halloween and to get you in the spirit Tuachan presents Odyssey Dance Theatre's Thriller. Thriller is a night of zombies, mummies, monsters, and even dinosaurs put on by professional dancers.  It is a fun night for the whole family!  In preparation for Thriller we have to take down all of our Broadway marketing and put up new sponsor signs for Thriller.  It is quite the process because our Broadway marketing covers all of campus.  Thriller is a fun show that runs for about a week.  I was able to see the show and bring a few friends it is one of the perks of working at the greatest place on earth.

Closing Weekend

October 14, 2016

It is that time of year where we must say good-bye to our amazing actors.  It's closing weekend here and I am very sad to see these shows go.   I have sent out my last emails and the actors are preparing for their last curtain call.  It is a little bit sad around here this weekend.  Tuacahn is about to get quiet for a least a couple of days before Odyssey Dance Company comes into town.  What an amazing experience it has been working with the actors and seeing them perform.  I was able to see the world a little differently through their eyes.  Their world is so much different than mine and I am very happy that I was able to learn from them and watch them grow while here at Tuacahn.

New Works Festival

October 7, 2016

Tuacahn is more than just a place that puts on Broadway shows.  It holds annual spring and fall concert series.  It also holds Christmas in the Canyon with a live nativity.  It also has started a New Works Festival which is where play-writes get to test their scripts with a live audience in hopes that then their play will be picked up by a theatre.  This was a neat opportunity to see the readings of two shows that were very different from each other.  The way the shows were performed was our actors and a couple of other local professional actors did a reading of the script.  There was no set or costumes the actors relied on their skills and the script to create an entertaining piece.  Our actors are so amazing!  They connected so well with the audience and we received some amazing feedback and plan on doing the festival again next year.  

Intern Life

As an intern you are at the very bottom of the totem pole.  I don't mind it because I am learning a lot!  Everyday I come in and I create and send emails to patrons to let them know what show they have tickets for and information about the show.  These emails are helpful to send because some patrons buy their tickets months in advance and forget when they have them.   I have also been trained to sell tickets which is neat because usually only box office people sell tickets but when there is down time I will answer calls.

Working in the marketing department is amazing.  We do all of the photo shoots, put up posters around campus, and attend all the local and some state parades.  Parade days are the best!  I get to work directly with actors that day.  It is a crazy stressful day but it is the stress that I love.  I like to call it event stress!  Being an intern at Tuacahn is great because I am able to work with all of the departments and help them in anyway I can.

Welcome to Tuacahn

September 30, 2016

Welcome to Tuacahn where you can expect the unforgettable!  The Broadway season is in full swing and is actually almost over.  The Broadway season starts in late May and goes to mid-October.  This year the three shows are Peter Pan, Disney's Tarzan, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame.  The shows are put on by professional actors most of them have been on Broadway before.  There is a lot of work that is put into the shows from, costumes, productions, sets, music, marketing, and of course performing.  I have had a chance to see all three shows and I loved all of them!  Tuacahn is so unique because it is an outdoor amphitheatre surrounded by the beautiful red rocks of Snow Canyon.  Tuacahn is spectacular because in almost every show we can use water effect to flood the stage to show a jungle rainstorm, or create a lake for Captain Hook to sail on.  Every show at one point has fireworks and not just the small fireworks you shoot off on the 4th of July, I mean the big ones.  Tuacahn is amazing and I encourage all of you to at least see one show there once in your lifetime.

Pick Me!

It is almost time to start my internship at Tuacahn Center for the Arts!  There were four applicants for this position and they gave it to me and my good friend.  I am so excited to start and I can't wait to see what is in store for the rest of the Broadway season and fall concerts!  This picture was taken right after our interview and a week later I received the call saying I got the internship!  I can't wait to share all I learn and the experience I will have during this internship!