In With the Interns: Ilana Toeplitz

Name: Ilana Ransom Toeplitz

From:  Pittsburgh, PA (Go Steelers!!)

School:  Boston Conservatory & University of Massachusetts

Long-Term Goals:  Professional Musical Theatre Director/Choreographer

Favorite Musical: I have a list of top 15 in no particular (including 5 alternates) if you’d like to see. Favorite highlights include: The Producers, Crazy for You, Avenue Q, Sweeney Todd, Scottsboro Boys, Mystery of Edwin Drood, Lucky Stiff, Book of Mormon, The Last 5 Years, and A Chorus Line. 

Favorite Play: Inherit the Wind, Fat Pig & Dr. Faustus

Favorite Movie: The Wizard of Oz & Drop Dead Gorgeous

Internship: Artistic/Casting

Internship Start Date: March 19, 2012

Internship Duties: Whatever anyone needs- there’s no role too large or too small for anyone working in the theatre.  And when if is, that’s when the theatre becomes about you and not about the teamwork and the product (which is sort of a problematic mentality of my generation in my opinion).  However, as a general idea, I manage auditions & callbacks, help out with casting when needed, help out the artistic department when needed, and manage new script submissions. I also House Manage at Signature on the side!

Favorite Things About Signature: It’s a tie between the kind of work Signature produces and the people who produce it. Signature’s seasons are always a great mix of musicals, comedies, and bold, new work that keep you thinking after you leave a theatre.  I love how Signature takes risks.  Also, I honestly haven’t met a single person here I don’t like.  

Favorite Things About D.C.: My sister and my best friend from high school are both in DC!  And it’s such a thriving city for young people working in the theatre; I believe now #2 in the country after New York City. Also, there are a lot of good karaoke spots… I love karaoke.

General Cool Things About You: IKEA was my first word, I have a phobia of flocks of birds, and I used to have my own reality series!

If Hollywood made a movie about your life, whom would you like to see play the lead role as you?: WELL… I would callback Tina Fey, Meryl Streep, Kate Winslet and Zach Galifianakis for the role of Ilana.  Of course, final casting would depend upon performance at the callback.

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