Victoria Fernandes
In this series, we meet and chat with PlayCo’s current cohort of interns! Coming from diverse backgrounds and experiences, our interns provide programmatic and artistic support for almost every department, and learn about what it takes to run a professional off-Broadway company.
VICTORIA FERNANDES is the Marketing Intern for the spring 2018 season. Although primarily an actress, she has a deep love for all things theatre and how it lends itself to multiple ways of connecting with others. She’s currently a senior at Marymount Manhattan College, earning her BFA in Acting.
On PlayCo
(Why PlayCo? What was your first experience with The Play Company? What PlayCo productions have you seen that have influenced your work?)
When applying for internships, my goal was to find somewhere where I’d learn as much as possible and be inspired. PlayCo’s commitment to producing plays both national and international is something that immediately grabbed my attention and made me think: “I want to work there!” As someone who loves to travel and has parents who were born outside of the U.S., international work is something I’ve gained a huge interest in. PlayCo is the perfect balance of New York and international theatre. Just by looking at their website you can get a sense of the magnitude of work they’ve created in the almost 20 years of production. It was kind of a no-brainer that I’d want to intern with people creating such important and impactful work.
On Being a Young Theatre Professional
(What has your experience been like as a young professional in theatre? How does your identity define your voice?)
As a young theatre professional, specifically a young woman of color, being involved in theatre is a multifaceted ride full of ups and downs. Age, gender and race are intersectionalities that propose a unique perspective on countless of ideas that theatre companies and plays are putting forward. The main thing about being a young theatre professional that I find so cool is being able to make sure the art we put into the universe furthers conversations and develops us into a well rounded and socially conscious society.
On Why Theatre?
(…as opposed to anything else you could be doing with your life? What, in your opinion, is the role of the performing arts in our society?)
I’ve been set on a career in theatre ever since I saw Beauty and the Beast on Broadway at age seven. I knew I had to be involved in creating something so vibrant and exciting, and nobody could tell me otherwise. I guess that makes me both extremely passionate and stubborn. At the start, it was all about performing for me. Then, I was thrust into a Stage Manager position in high school and quickly realized my love of theatre didn’t rely on being on stage. Of course, there’s no greater rush than the one I feel as an actress, but there are a variety of roles (pun intended) that are equally as necessary for creating impactful and dynamic theatre. To me, theatre creates an electric connection that opens conversations and exposes people to heartfelt stories of those otherwise less talked about. There’s simply nothing else I would ever consider doing.
On Goals and Dreams
(What would be your dream production or company to work with? What do you hope to see more of in the future?)
One of my favorite playwrights is María Irene Fornés. I would absolutely love to be involved in a production of her work in any capacity in my lifetime. One of my favorites is Fefu and Her Friends, a brilliant work that explores the beauty and complexity of female friendships. The way she is able to implement elements of her identity into her work while still making it universally relatable is incredibly admirable and inspiring. She’s such a tour de force for the Latinx community (and the LGBTQ+ community I’m sure) and her plays reflect that greatly.
As for what I hope to see more of in the future, obviously I would love to see more work from Latinx artists being produced, particularly plays. There are so many Latinx artists creating wonderful theatre that goes un-produced out of fear that there “isn’t a market.” This of course, just isn’t true. Latinx people make up a huge part of our society so to say there isn’t a market is a bit ridiculous to me. Overall, my somewhat idealist hope for the future is that we focus more on content rather than commercial success.
Interview by Annie Wang