When you think of the Shakespeare Festival, you probably think of the acting company, and the directors, and maybe the costumers. Maybe you think about the people that work in the box office that sell you a ticket, or the people in charge of the lights and sound during a dramatic scene. What you should be thinking about is the intern company. These young theatre artists are essential to the Festival, expanding our range of talent and energy. We are grateful to every one of them! Below (for your reading pleasure) are mini-interviews with two of this year's acting interns. 
Meet Jacob Perkins: Hometown: Anderson, South Carolina
Roles in RTSF '09: Edward Plantagenet/Murderer 2 - Richard III
How did you get involved with acting?: I did my first production playing John Henry in Carson McCullers' Member of the Wedding and never looked back. I was five years old.
Favorite role/play?: Angels in America by Tony Kushner. Harper Pitt is one of my favorite characters ever written.
Who is your favorite Shakespeare character?: Tie between Juliet, Paulina from The Winter's Tale, and Goneril from King Lear.
Why does performing Shakespeare interest/challenge you?: Shakespeare asks his actors to go to extraordinary and imaginative places. His characters are fully three dimensional and they allow you to pour all of your heart into them.
What should the audience know about Murderer 2?: I'm playing a murderer that kills Clarence. Clarence is played by my real life teacher, Steve Cardamone. Revenge for all of those homework assignments!
Meet Margo Chervony: Hometown: Skokie, ILRoles in RTSF '09: Dorset in Richard IIIHow did you get involved with acting?: I used to act out the movies I watched and scenes from plays that I'd seen even before I was two years old. It's always been a natural part of my life.What was your 1st acting experience?: I played Linus in a children's theatre production of You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown when I was six.Favorite role/play?: My favorite play experience were playing Eurydice in Metamorphoses by Mary Zimmerman and playing Lenny in Crimes of the Heart. I love the plays of Tennessee Williams, Tom Stoppard, and Shakespeare.Who is your favorite Shakespeare character?: The Macbeths, or someone in King Lear. It's hard to pick.Why does performing Shakespeare interest/challenge you?: At the heart of every character is a Shakespearean character that usually gets stiffed. Acting Shakespeare is getting to tap into the wild emotions that everyone has and actually letting them out. It's great fun, a great work-out, and important for every actor to try.
The 2009 Festival Intern Acting Company
According to Rob Cline's review in the Cedar Rapids Gazette, "the entire audience was under enchantment throughout the lovely evening" that he attended A Midsummer Night's Dream. Read more of his review by clicking here.
