Jacob Litt, '18
Many people on campus know Jacob Litt, ’18, as a performer. In addition to solo performances, he sings with Schola Cantorum and the Richmond Octāves and acts in the theatre department. This summer, however, the senior is branching out to explore a new area of the performing arts world as a theatre administration intern at the Summer Theatre of New Canaan (STONC).
“This concentration appealed to me because it’s another piece of the puzzle for me in understanding the world of professional performing arts,” explains Litt. “I’ve never had experience with this type of behind-the-scenes work, the financial side of things and business side of things.”
To help STONC run smoothly, Litt fields box office calls, drafts social media content, and helps build partnerships between the theater and local businesses and restaurants. Litt will also be working on the junior company’s production of Singin’ in the Rain Jr., which STONC is putting on in conjunction with this summer’s main stage production, Singin’ in the Rain. On days with a show — or sometimes multiple shows — Litt prints tickets, preps the cash box and the house manager binder, and organizes materials for front-of-house duties.
“You’ll find me at the box office table at our tent theater, where I am checking people’s tickets, handing out will call tickets, helping to do last-minute purchases, and fielding any ticket issues,” says Litt, who stays for the performance after his duties are finished.
For Litt, who has been part of productions at the University of Richmond and his high school, as well as at local community theaters, the environment at STONC is a familiar one.
“There is a tight-knit community, and there’s a lot of opportunities for me and my fellow interns to take our own initiatives and make important decisions. It is also great that the leadership team trusts us enough to let us work primarily on our own,” says Litt.
This environment has given Litt a chance to get real experience in the administration side of a performing arts organization and connect his leadership studies and music majors.
“By granting us as interns this level of autonomy, STONC’s management team is participating in transformational leadership, because by providing us with opportunities to make our own decisions and choose our own paths, they are increasing our inspiration and motivation, which ultimately increases our sense of empowerment and community within the theater,” explains Litt.
Litt is still deciding what his next steps after college will be, but he is considering the possibility of a career in the arts.
“This internship is giving me a taste of what that workplace would be like, and what kinds of work such a job would entail,” says Litt. “I love that Jepson is not a career-specific path. Instead, it teaches you the universally-applicable skills of critical thinking, ethical decision-making, and successfully navigating various group dynamics.”