April 23, 2024

“You get a stipend and get to work at an Off-Broadway theater,” said Campbell. “The people who had done it had such cool things to say about it. I thought it would be a good opportunity.”

Halfway through the six-week Field Work Term, Campbell and Andy Kongolo ’25, who studies acting and computer science, gave an interview to share how they were doing as Lortel Fellows. 

Working in Theater

Campbell was at the Billie Holiday Theater (BHT) in Brooklyn. Even between shows, as the theater was during their apprenticeship, there is a lot to experience. Campbell has been doing administrative work and helping with gallery openings at the Bedford-Stuyvesant Restoration Plaza, of which the theater is a part. 

“Central Brooklyn is very much populated by Black people, so the mission of the Billie Holiday Theater is to center Black creatives,” they said. “It has been great for me to be there. It has given me a lot of confidence for me to share my experiences and share my work.” 

In addition to seeing how a non-profit theater works and learning about how to get grants to support productions, Campbell has had access to the creative people who work at the theater. 

“I have been talking to the executive director about how plays are chosen and [how to run] auditions,” they said. “I have gotten a lot of good mentorship, and I have made good connections and friendships. I am happy that I was able to participate.” 

They also had the opportunity to work within the Youth Arts Academy at the BHT. 

“It was a real throwback for me, as I used to be in a youth theater troupe,” said Campbell. “Seeing the kids be so excited to participate reminded me of my own childhood love for theater and reminded me why I started to love it in the first place.”

Kongolo didn’t initially want to go to college, but he knew he “had to.” 

“I started looking for acting programs, and Bennington just kept coming up. I have been here ever since. I think I will come out of it a changed person but a person ready for the world,” he said

The Lortel Fellowship is part of the change Kongolo has undergone. He interned in the development department at Harlem Stage. In that capacity, he researched donors and potential donors, wrote proposals, reached out to city officials, and updated documents. He particularly enjoyed researching people, because as an actor, he said, studying people is a primary task. 

“You have to be a curious observer. When I play a character, it’s an iteration of every person who behaves the way my character behaves. So I have to observe a lot of people to capture the essence of what would make my characters special." He continued, “the more I was looking at people, I was learning from them and being inspired by them.”

One of the most important things Kongolo has learned from the fellowship is just how many people are involved in theater making. 

“Actors sometimes think they are the most important people in the world because they are either in front of the camera or on stage,” said Kongolo. “As an actor, being behind the scenes humbles you. You get to see how much work goes into making what you love possible. It takes a lot of people and a lot of dedication and a lot of passion from those people, and you have to be thankful for that.” 

The Next Generation

In addition to the mentorship they receive from theater professionals at their organizations, free tickets to shows, and the experience of living in New York City, participants get mentorship sessions from the artistic director and executive director at the Lortel Theater and Bennington College Drama faculty member Shawtane Bowen. To Bowen, part of the benefit of the fellowship is the inside access it provides. 

“It’s a unique opportunity for students to go to New York and experience what it is like to work in a non-profit Off-Broadway theater, to be exposed to the realities of what it’s like making a theater run,” said Bowen. “It takes money. It takes a lot of effort. Not all of it is sexy. There’s grant writing and filing taxes and accounting. There’s a lot of stuff that happens behind the scenes to make these places function.” 

But it’s also beneficial to the theaters, Bowen said. “It’s amazing to see these students talk about their experiences and to be so young and vibrant and excited and hopeful about the possibilities. The young people are the lifeblood. They are the juice.” 

It’s gratifying for Bowen and other mentors to feel as if they are helping create the next generation of theater makers. “Everything that I do here is just passing on my experience and knowledge and expertise, so they can carry it into their careers and hopefully one day pass it on to somebody else,” said Bowen. 

Encouragement for Others

Just as Campbell heard from those who completed the fellowship before them, they are eagerly spreading the word. 

“I encourage anyone who is thinking of applying for the fellowship, even if you’re not a drama student, to apply, because there are a lot of good things you will learn by doing the fellowship,” they said. 

They especially encourage first-generation, low-income, working-class (FLoW) students and international students to apply because the fellowship makes spending a Field Work Term in New York City possible. 

“Getting a stipend,” said Campbell, “makes things so much easier. Without the fellowship, I would never have been able to take an opportunity like this.” 

Both Campbell and Kongolo feel the fellowship has made a difference for them. 

“Studying and being in the field are two different things,” said Kongolo. “I am grateful for the opportunity to work with Harlem Stage. It’s this time that I can apply what I have learned and, because I have exposure to the professional world, I get to know whether what I am studying is actually what I want to do later. I think it is.”

The fellowship has helped Campbell solidify plans for the future. 

“It is difficult to choose your passion when you come from a low-income background. Especially in theater, when it can feel very abstract and difficult to break into, let alone be successful,” said Campbell. “I've spent a lot of time wondering if what I'm doing right now will be worth it in the long run, but I think actually being 'in it' and seeing the reality of the theater world, good and bad, has affirmed my passion for it. Now, after doing the fellowship, my goals are tangible enough to be realistic about them and have further solidified my plans for the rest of my time at Bennington and beyond. I honestly couldn't be more grateful for that clarity.”

Bowen hopes that encouraging students to get involved with the non-profit theater world in this way will keep theater available and increase its reach. 

“My greatest fear is that theater becomes inaccessible,” said Bowen. “It is competing with phones and social media and streaming platforms. But people get something from theater that they just can't get from a 30-second TikTok or a goofy video on Instagram. It’s storytelling. There will always be something special about people being willing to have an experience together.”