Has anyone ever done the Looking Glass Theatre acting internship? Or know someone who has? Is it good? And, did anyone audition for it?

I was a looking glass intern two years ago for their spring term. although it wasn't the best of situations i got out of it everything i could. I am proud today to say that i interned there. some of the bad conditions are that the theatre is VERY old and never A LOT of work. it is not the healthiest place to be spending 8+ hours a week there. as an intern the administration expects you to eagerly attack every and anything. which is great and what an intern should do. for example, the theatre is in the basement of a church so you have to walk down a set of stairs to get to it. those steps create a wind tunnel for trash. we would always sweep and clean the area when ever we could. on one occasion the founder of the theatre walked by some trash and commented, "i asked them to pick this up yesterday" (maybe not realizing it was new trash).

the head of the theatre is nice but doesn't (and shouldn't be teaching meisner). taking classes with her was a trade off for the internship. also, taking movement classes, and having a part of the Spring forum at the end of the internship (which was why anyone would do it). i would have left after the first class because of how badly she was teaching meisner or any other technique for acting but i wanted to be part of the forum.

when it comes times for the forum some of the directors are very nice and understand the situation. others are ignorant and obnoxious and proceed to call you "hey intern". two members of my group weren't even given a spot in the forum - which is (if there was one) a breach of contract. also, when rehearsing they still expect you to do your scheduled 8 hours there - which is nearly impossible if you have to go to school or a paying job because their open hours on the weekend is limited.

knowing what i know now i would still do it again because i learned so much.

I agreed to do the internship as well but didn't go through with it. I'm all for learning on the job but cleaning toilets, taking out trash and sweeping the floors wasn't what I wanted to get out of a theatre internship. I honestly believe that you can find a better place to learn and network but that's just my two cents worth.

If you like being a janitor, you'll love it! I did the internship and would only recommend for someone who has just moved to NYC that is looking for a resume credit and a social network. The type of labor you are expected to do, is not worth the "class" and performance.

On the other hand, I would definetly recommend attending their open calls for the Forums. They are a nice company to work for, but not to intern.