by Krissey Browder, marketing intern 

With the addition of a fifth position and the inclusion of students from across the country, the intern program at Lee Street theatre is looking a little different this year than it has in years past. Lee Street is broadening its connections and the theatre is definitely reaping the benefits.

Up until 2017, Lee Street has drawn solely from the talents of the students involved in the theatre department at Catawba College. With the creation of an academic internship program exclusive to Catawba College students, titled the CataLST Internship, Lee Street felt it time to widen its search. To do so, Lee Street sent two of its employees, technical director Chris Speer and marketing director Caitlin Billings, to the annual Southeastern Theatre Conference in Lexington, Ky. earlier this year in search of their team of four production interns and Lee Street’s first marketing intern. After interviewing nearly 200 students at the conference and via phone, Chris and Caitlin finally found their interns.

The production interns for Lee Street’s two summer productions of “Big Fish The Musical” and “Pride & Prejudice” include Haley Hanks, Shannon Harris, Priscilla Franklin and Emmet Jaeger.

Haley Hanks is a junior at the University of the Ozarks in Clarksville, Ark., where she is pursuing degrees in both theatre and history. She has been participating in local theatres around Texas, her home state, since she was 5 years old, and she hopes to pursue a career performing, directing, and dramaturgy. Hailey is acting as props master for Lee Street’s summer musical “Big Fish: The Musical” and will be assistant stage manager and scenic charge artist for “Pride & Prejudice.”

Shannon Harris is a junior at Catawba College where she is pursuing a B.F.A. in musical theatre with a minor in dance. She has worked with Lee Street theatre as a performer in “Viva Las Vegas: A Music Revue” and “Alice in Wonderland” this past semester. Shannon is acting in the position of master carpenter for “Big Fish: The Musical’ and will take on the title of master electrician for “Pride & Prejudice” in July.

Priscilla Franklin is a junior pursuing a B.F.A in theatre scenic design and a minor in Chinese at Virginia Commonwealth University after previously studying film and architecture at her high school in Miami, Fla. Priscilla is filling the role of scenic charge for “Big Fish: The Musical” before switching to the title of master carpenter for “Pride & Prejudice.”

Emmett Jaeger recently graduated from Davis & Elkins College in Elkins, W.Va. with a B.S. in computer science and a B.A. in design and technical theatre. He hopes to learn much from Lee Street in his internship here this summer as he moves on to B Street Theatre in Sacramento, Ca. with a production managment internship in August. Emmett is acting as stage manager for “Big Fish: The Musical” and will be props master for “Pride & Prejudice.”

Lee Street’s marketing intern for the summer is Krissey Browder. Krissey is a sophomore at Catawba College where she is the 2016 recipient of the Hobgood Theatre Arts Scholarship. She is pursuing a B.F.A. in theatre performance with minors in musical theatre and dance while also diving headfirst into other aspects of theatre of which she is passionate such as directing and playwriting. Krissey is working with marketing for both “Big Fish The Musical” and “Pride & Prejudice” along with other marketing for Lee Street. She is also working with Caitlin as assistant front of house for “Big Fish: The Musical” in June.

While each intern has independant assignments for each production, they are also working together to write, direct, design, and produce Lee Street’s annual children’s show as a part of the Rowan County Public Library’s Summer Reading Program. This year’s production is titled “Build a Better World” and is set to tour at the end of July. In creating the show, the intern team is putting the skills that they are learning to good use while striving for an entertaining production to immerse local kids in the magic of theatre.

Lee Street Theatre and Performing Arts Center at the Tom and Martha Smith Event Center is located at 329 N. Lee St. Visit www.leestreet.org or call 704-310-5507 for tickets and more information.