July 13, 2023
Current B.F.A. in Acting students Mia Hsiung Nguyen and Dominic Gross are spending the summer months performing in Illinois Shakespeare Festival's 2023 season. As acting interns, Nguyen and Gross have rehearsed and performed alongside their fellow interns and a company of professional actors, including alum Geoffrey Warren Barnes II (M.F.A. 2013).
Nguyen and Gross have both performed onstage in a number of productions as part of Illinois Shakespeare Festival's summer season, including major roles as members of the acting intern company in Toss Me a Tempest, a family-friendly play inspired by Shakespeare's The Tempest. Nguyen portrays "Miranda" and Gross portrays "Prince Ferdinand" in this free production for young audiences, performed outside on the grounds of the Ewing Cultural Center.
In addition, both current B.F.A. in Acting students are among the ensemble in The Comedy of Errors, with Nguyen appearing in the roles of "Acolyte to Abbess" and "Messenger" and Gross appearing in the role of "Dr. Pinch's Apprentice." Gross is also an understudy for "Dromio" and Nguyen an understudy for "Luciana." Beyond Illinois Shakespeare's opening production, Gross makes an appearance as "Isaac Jaggard" and understudies the role of "Ed Night" in The Book of Will. Nguyen can be seen onstage as "Shipmaster" and one of the spirits in The Tempest, in which she also understudies the roles of "Miranda" and "Caliban."
We recently spoke with Nguyen and Gross about their experience working with their fellow interns and professional theatre-makers as part of Illinois Shakespeare Festival's summer season.
What have you learned as an intern at Illinois Shakespeare Festival?
Nguyen: One of the most important lessons I’ve learned here is to have your own voice. When you’re first starting out it is especially hard to speak out in a professional setting or even on just any project. It’s important to know your own boundaries and to say “I think we could move on this line instead of this one,” or say, “I’m having some trouble with this quick change, any way someone could be back here to help me with it?” Watching the older actors work is also really inspiring. Their sense of play is truly wondrous. I’ve been able to learn a lot from them, especially since so many have offered to help me with Shakespearean text, voice work and have given me useful advice about the industry.
Gross: The Illinois Shakespeare Festival has given me an environment where I have no choice but to obsess over the work. Whether it’s knowledge on text or directing, information has been discovered that can’t be found outside of a professional space.
What has been your favorite part about the internship so far?
Nguyen: The people for sure. There’s something really magical about being thrown into a group of people who all share the same passion for theatre and artistry as you. I’ve made life long friends here and have been very blessed to meet such talented people. Some nights we’ll just sit by the fire pit and talk for hours. You rarely get to meet people who click so well as a group.
Gross: Being surrounded by artists 24/7 has given me the opportunity to see this industry through a lot of lenses. Whether it’s the professional equity actors or my awesome roommates who are also acting interns, I have had some of the best conversations about acting and life in general and have made very special connections that will only get stronger with time.
