Introduction

Hello world! This summer I will be participating in a very exciting thing that I've decided to use for my EDGE project as well. I wanted to document my experiences and writing it all down on a blog seemed like the best option. But first, a little about me!

My name is Amber James and I'm heading into my senior year at Southern Utah University, majoring in Theatre Arts and studying in the Classical Acting BFA program. I'm originally from Glendale, Arizona but I'm been living in Cedar City since I started school here. After I graduate, I'll probably move out to the Washington D.C. area and pursue the theatre scene out there for a while.

As I am set to graduate this coming spring, I wanted to spend my summer doing something in the professional world of theatre that would help give me a boost in my post-college acting career. That's when I realized, that's what the EDGE program is for! 

Here is a summary of what my project is and what I'll be doing this summer (SPOILER: it's very exciting!):

As a current student studying acting, the most important thing for me is to gain real-world professional experience even before I graduate college. The Neil Simon Festival is a local professional theatre company and I have been cast this summer in two different plays. My idea for my project is to complete this acting internship, perform with this company, and gain that necessary experience to graduate and become a successful performer and get work in my desired field.

I will start rehearsing towards the beginning of the summer and tour up to Park City with one of the shows I am in, where we will perform for audiences in that area for one weekend. After that, I will return to Cedar City and continue rehearsing for our local opening. Then I will perform four times a week for the entire run, as Catherine in The Foreigner and Laurie in I'm Not Rappaport. On top of that I will get to participate in other company events as assigned by my supervisors. 

Last summer I was a member of the Utah Shakespeare Festival acting company as an SUU intern, so it is extra amazing that I get to keep learning more things about professional companies while still in college! Rehearsals start tomorrow, so from here on out I'm ready for a busy, wonderful summer!