Reports
Arts & Education
Leoni Reilly @ Kosmos Theater Spring 24
Background
I have a theatre background, but that background consists of only the high school and university theatre scenes. My main goal in attending the study abroad program in Austria was to intern at a theatre and gain some real, professional workplace experience. This was especially interesting to me because I missed some important theatre courses at the University of Illinois in order to study abroad. So, I was absolutely thrilled when Frau Blasbichler was able to utilize her connection to Kosmos Theater to get me an interview with my now mentor, Anna Laner.
Internship
Kosmos Theater is a feminist off theatre, meaning it receives less federal funding and runs a bit more independently than larger theatre houses. In my role as a dramaturgical intern, I learned many new skills including: program design, parsing through research, graphic design, communicating in a team, learning the process of production meetings and much more.
Takeaways
Before starting my internship at Kosmos Theater, I had little to no idea on how to start my own research on a script. By reading a script using an outsider's, unknowledgeable perspective I learned to see which aspects of a show might need to be researched and explained to audiences in a dramaturgical note. Paying close attention to details in a script that might be iffy in today's context was also very important to learn. Learning these skills will lead me to become a much more attentive writer and director because of how closely I now know how to work with a script and communicate in a team effectively.
Advice for future Vienna Plus students
They should take the time to focus on their internships, but make sure to say if anything becomes overwhelming, especially when adjusting to a new university system and city environment.
Anna Selleck @ Station Wien Fall 22
Background
I am completing a certificate in teaching English as a foreign language and would like to teach English abroad. I also have an interest in linguistics and languages, so this internship was a great opportunity for me to begin developing my teaching skills first-hand. I also discovered that this is indeed something I am very passionate about, as every week I looked forward to my internship.
Internship
Right from the start, I immediately felt welcome at my mentor. Station Wien is a non-for-profit organization that focuses on providing various community services to people with a history of flight or migration. My roles were at the Sprachencafe project under the mentorship of Ms. Anna Schwendinger. I hosted an English language table, helping adults practice their language skills and ask questions in a relaxed and non-classroom environment.
Takeaways
I have developed real-life practical teaching skills. This experience has given me a chance to try different methods of explanation and teaching which can benefit me in a future career and has given me great experience. Also, I have developed a sense of confidence in the unknown and new situations. My time at Station Wien also allowed me to immerse myself in an intercultural environment. Even though trying to make sure everyone was comfortable and respectful to each other’s views and cultural beliefs was challenging sometimes, it allowed me to develop mediation skills and assertiveness.