Student Profiles

Student profiles

 From adaptation to production on the stage of the Comédie Française
 Modern, Jazz, Ballet and Business
 Studying French vocal training at the Paris opera
 Student musician rocks Paris recording studio
 When social activism and theater meet

(See overview page for important information on profiles and lists.)

From adaptation to production on the stage of the Comédie Française

Name: Brendan P. Undergraduate major field(s): Theater & Literature Goals for his Field Study semester: To pursue his passion in theater and opera, gaining a French perspective on the preparation of productions by both performers and directors Placement: The Comédie Francaise (national French theater company) Responsibilities as intern:  Assisting in the development of a Comédie Francaise “pass” and in the development of youth audiences; working with databases and communicating with universities  Dramaturgical work in both French and English  Monitoring current productions and assisting with future projects (including a traveling production of Cyrano de Bergerac)  Participation in the adaptation of the piece Petit traité de manipulation à l’usage des honnêtes gens Subject of research: Innovation and tradition at the Comédie Francaise And... Brendan later spent a year working in the literary office of a theater in Louisville, KY.

Modern, Jazz, Ballet and Business

Name: Emily R. Undergraduate major field(s): French Studies Goals for her Field Study semester: To become fluent in French while pursuing her passion in dance. To establish a professional network in the international dance world and experience a professional dance company from the inside. Placement: Paris-based international jazz dance center Responsibilities as intern:  Update databases and course schedules of the dance school  Assist students with registration and scheduling  Make trips for the organization to the bank and the regional bureau of cultural affairs  Participate in Jazz, Modern, and Ballet dance classes Subject of Research: Jazz dance: The history of a metamorphosis And... Emily is still dancing, working as a production assistant for a modern dance company in Washington DC.

Studying French vocal training at the Paris opera

Name: Christie G. Undergraduate major field(s): Theater Arts Goals for her Field Study semester: To work for a theater or lyric opera, gaining experience to further goal of working for an opera company Placement: Opéra de Paris Responsibilities as intern:  In the Opera’s school, process application portfolios for singers, organizing component pieces, verifying documents and recording information in the databases  Assist with auditions; greet candidates, organize logistics for their visits  Become a part of a team and learn about the many roles involved in the functioning of a large opera company and school  Assist the theater company in its communications with English opera houses Subject of research: The Paris Conservatory and the Schola Cantorum: Balancing act at the top of French musical training And... Christie went on to a career in theater and music, including using her French in a production of Ravel’s l’Enfant et les Sortilèges, and performing in the world premiere of an opera in the Boston area.

Student musician rocks Paris recording studio

Name: Eliza W. Undergraduate major field(s): French & Music Goals for her Field Study semester: To experience the music and culture of France, listen to French music, and play her own music in new settings, while gaining valuable work experience and expanding her French skills Placement: Major Paris-area recording studio Responsibilities as intern:  Learn how to operate different recording equipment  Learn and operate voice recording and mixing software  Participate in basic set-up and tear down during recording sessions  Assist in daily operations of studio, answering phone, receiving clients etc. Subject of research: Looking for the Voice of Modern French Rock And... While at the studio Eliza got to record some of her own material!

When social activism and theater meet

Name: Maureen W. Undergraduate major field(s): French Studies Goals for her Field Study semester: “To be involved in a French theater. To learn about how theater interacts with the community and is used as a vehicle for social change.” Placement: Théatre de l’Opprimé, an activist theater group Responsibilities as intern:  Work on the theater’s productions in a central organizational role  Assist the director, organizing rehearsals and planning meetings  Act as stage manager, registering changes in the text, rehearsal logistics and assisting actors with their specific needs Subject of research: Actors in Action: An analysis of the social activism of the Théatre de l’Opprimé using Bourdieu’s notion of habitus And... Maureen wrote her senior thesis on comparative practices in activist theater, after studying the movement from a theoretical perspective for her IFE field research. She has recently been accepted to the doctoral program in French Studies at UCLA.