As Fortune Ambassadors they had the opportunity to meet and observe theatre professionals at work. They had the chance to get inside the rehearsal room to see the rehearsal process in action and talk with the actors, director and stage manager, along with interviewing costume, set, sound and lighting designers to develop a good understanding of the process of putting up a professional theatre production and what a career in theatre could look like.

The Ambassadors also got to see the production with complementary tickets to the opening night performance. Fortune School Ambassadors are responsible for sharing their experiences at the theatre with their fellow students and community, writing reviews and promoting theatre.

The Ambassadors sat in on the first rehearsal of the Fortune Theatre's production, when the cast and crew came together for the first time. They saw the set designer’s presentation, heard the very first read through of the play and were asked their opinions as contemporaries of the play’s teenage characters at the table discussion.

The Experience

- Pippi Miller

Being a Fortune Ambassador for Logan Park High School has been a fantastic opportunity to gain a valuable insight into the backstage world of professional theatre.

Without the revival of the programme this year, young acting hopefuls could only imagine what goes on behind the scenes of professional theatre.

Being an ambassador means that those of us who are interested in theatre can find out the potholes and pitfalls as well as the joys of acting the easy way; through watching others.

As ambassadors, Josephine Devereux and I had access to the first read-throughs, rehearsals and opening nights of each of the Fortune’s unique plays which were presented at the theatre during the year. We also got the chance to talk and ask questions of the actors and directors.

It was most interesting watching how each play had been put together. The play, The Caretaker, for example had a very complicated set design. The progression from a watercolour painting to a physical embodiment was a fantastic example showing the creative development of theatre.

Above all the best thing, I think, about being an ambassador was the free tickets (!!) to everything. We were given notifications about voice workshops, or general goings on, and basically inducted, in a small way, to the world of Dunedin’s only professional theatre. It was a great experience, and the people were friendly, engaging, and passionate (as all drama-lovers tend to be) so we felt most welcome.

If you get the chance as a Year 12 or 13 student to have this opportunity, go for it!

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