Students represent at theatre conference

_{Karina Molina (left), a theatre (film production) senior, and Maximilian Cano, a theatre (performance) major, pose in front of the United States Institute for Theatre Technology sign during the Stage Management Mentorship Program in Seattle. PHOTO COURTESY KARINA MOLINA}

Two UTRGV students attended the Stage Management Mentorship Program at the prestigious United States Institute for Theatre Technology conference, held March 17 to 24 in Seattle.

The program not only provides hands-on opportunities for students to stage manage conferences, but also mentorships, round-table discussions and guest speakers.

Karina Molina, a theatre (film production) senior, and Maximilian Cano, a theatre (performance) major,  submitted a letter of interest, recommendation and resume to be considered for the program. The program accepts 12 undergraduate, graduate and young professional stage managers on board, according to a Nov. 16 post made by Program Coordinator Nykol DeDreu in the Year of the Stage Manager: The Afterglow Facebook page.

Molina said that out of thousands of applicants, five were originally selected but 13 participants attended the program in the end.

Cano said he ran the exposition for events and Molina ran the award show. 

 “We would have production meetings with producers because we were the ones alongside the other mentees running the event at the conference,” he said. “That was kind of the biggest, I think the most fun part of it for us.”

Technicians, designers and entertainment personnel from the theater world gather annually for the conference to conduct workshops and interviews for student internship opportunities for professional jobs, allow students to network and build relationships, as well as gather information about graduate schools.

Some panelists were opera, dance company and Broadway stage managers who gave demonstrations to participants on financial literacy and how to properly “call cues.”

“[It] helps us because we do musicals here so, now, we learned how to properly do that,” Molina said. “We had sessions on emergency steps and how to stop a show as a stage manager.”

She said it was intimidating being at the conference, but they later proved that they deserved to be there. 

“I think we both felt a little intimidated with who we were surrounded by,” Molina said. “It was a lot of students from Ivy League schools or just universities with a much bigger program, or just more experience.”

Molina and Cano were the only students chosen from the same university.

Theatre Professor Brian Warren said both students have the skill to be able to succeed among professionals and supports all that has happened in their favor.

“That’s a huge thing, to have all those people apply and then these two great folks to get accepted,” Warren said. “To me, that’s just really cool.” 

Cano felt confident in having applied to the program, having the passion and the experience for it. 

“Being in Seattle and doing those events, after feeling nervous, scared, defeated, felt like I didn’t belong,” he said. “In the moments of running those events and succeeding, I just felt like I was where I belong. … This is where I am meant to be.”

_{Karina Molina (left), a theatre (film production) senior, and Maximilian Cano, a theatre (performance) major, pose in front of “Rogers: The Musical” costumes during the Stage Management Mentorship Program at the United States Institute for Theatre Technology conference in Seattle. PHOTO COURTESY KARINA MOLINA}