The HFF17 Interns: Melanie Allen

I got interested in being a part of the Fringe after visiting Scotland in the summer of 2016. I was a stage manager for a show in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and I fell in love with the entire process. When it came to this summer, I knew that I wanted to be a part of something similar. I also knew that I wanted to be an intern during the summer, so when I saw that the Hollywood Fringe had a set design internship I was ecstatic! Everything was coming together, and it felt like the puzzle was completed.

I expected to be a part of something big, which isn’t wrong, but I didn’t realize how interconnected everyone is. I recognized people as they walked through the door, and I realized that while I helped create a huge thing that would be seen by hundreds that I was a part of a Fringe family. That blew my mind.

My favorite moment has to be when we finally finished the Fringe Central set. We had been working for nine days straight, and the space had completely transformed. The space started as a gutted and dirty room, but we made a new elegant home within it. You wouldn’t believe that it is the same room as before. All of us were looking around, and we realized that all of the sawdust, sun burns, and sweat were worth it. 

My most memorable moment has to be day one in the space. Here I am a fresh intern, and I am told, “go destroy that wall.” I was handed a hammer and a crowbar, and I went to work. I think I was laughing the entire time. The entire day was destroying things. It is so cool to think that I helped build the space from the ground up.

For next year’s interns, I would have to say work hard. Work hard and relentlessly. Everyone respects a hard worker and it opens up new doors. You will meet a lot of really awesome people who know how to do a lot of really awesome stuff. Listen to them, and make your impact.