Beyond the Classroom: Annie Kao (CFA’23)

Theatre

My internship at the Institute for Human Centered Design

In CFA’s Beyond the Classroom Series, music, theatre, and visual arts students at BU share their work experiences. These Terriers express how the resources at BU prepared them for success beyond the classroom.

February 17, 2023
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BU’s MFA in Production Management challenges students to push boundaries and redefine the traditional role of the Production Manager. In their last year, students work on a thesis project that represents the culmination of three years of study.

Annie Kao (CFA’23), a graduate Theatre Production Management student originally from Bangkok, Thailand, chose to do their thesis on the topic of disability justice and its application in the theatre industry.

Through their network and connections at BU, Annie secured an internship with the Institute for Human Centered Design (IHCD). IHCD is an organization that specializes in accessibility across ages, ability, and culture. Annie spoke with CFA about the opportunities that came their way with the internship, such as working with accessibility experts at the new David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center, home to the New York Philharmonic, and developing a podcast series on accessibility in theatre as part of their thesis!

Q&A

WITH ANNIE KAO (CFA’23)

CFA: What’s your role in the internship? What are your responsibilities?

Annie: I worked with IHCD’s user/expert lab that provides assessments for clients on places they can improve accessibility. A primary user/expert is a person who has developed expertise by means of their lived experience in dealing with the challenges of the environment due to a physical, sensory, or brain-based functional limitation. I participated in the assessments and generated reports on accessibility.

CFA: How did you learn about the internship, and what steps did you take to secure the internship?

Annie: I searched for this internship as it was part of my thesis researching disability justice and its application in the theatre industry. It was kind of convoluted, but I started with interviewing staff at Wheelock Family Theatre as they center access for their audience members which led me to Mass Cultural Council that recommended I reach out to IHCD!

CFA: Any notable accomplishments from the internship?

Annie: The two big visits were to Clark Art Institute in Western Mass and the new David Geffen Hall at the Lincoln Center in New York. I worked with multiple users/experts, from a person with Parkinson’s to a guide dog user.

IHCD团队在新大卫·格芬音乐厅，纽约爱乐乐团的主场

安妮的用户专家在大卫·格芬大厅盲人阅读卫生间的标志。

CFA: CFA或BU有什么资源帮助你为实习做准备吗？

安妮：我真的很想向蕾妮·扬西（Renee Yancey）致敬，她是波士顿大学戏剧学院（SOT）的讲师、管理和管理项目负责人，她把我们的生产管理工作室课程转移到了IDEA中心（包容性、多样性、公平性、可及性）。最后的项目是关于新濠影汇线上赌场研究一个主题，我选择探索感官友好的表演。这最终让我找到了我的论文题目，并得到了这个实习机会！

I really want to shout out Renee Yancey, Lecturer, Management and Management Program Head at BU School of Theatre, who shifted our Production Management Studio class to center IDEA (inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility). The final project was about researching a topic where I chose to explore sensory-friendly performances. 这最终让我找到了我的论文题目，并得到了这个实习机会！

-Annie Kao (CFA ' 23) MFA生产管理

CFA: CFA的课程和你的实习有什么联系？

安妮：我认为波士顿大学的生产管理课程是独一无二的，因为你在这个课程中学到的很多软技能都是可以转移的。组织和管理与同事的关系都是你在SOT节目中学习到的伟大技能。

CFA: 你认为这次实习在哪些方面帮助了你为毕业后的工作做准备？

安妮：我将继续与IHCD合作，建设和管理他们新的无障碍数字媒体实验室。目标是不仅为IHCD提供一个记录课程和访谈的空间，而且为个人和组织提供一个记录自己内容的空间。

CFA: 你对自己有什么了解？

安妮：我真的很喜欢在办公室工作！While there are many more steps to go to a workplace instead of working from home, it was nice to have that separation after so many years of being cooped up at home.

CFA: 对即将开始实习的CFA学员有什么建议吗？

Annie: Reach out to your network! 从你的教授到朋友——新的机会无处不在，可能不是你在寻找实习时最初想的那样。

CFA: 你下一步有什么打算，安妮？

Annie: My thesis culminates in a podcast series on accessibility in the theatre! 它将于2023年底出版。除了继续在IHCD工作，我还为草根艺术团体OWLL（继续生活和学习）制作了一部名为《生活的地方》的新剧。这是一部关于波士顿中产阶级化的戏剧，所以我非常兴奋地看到它的发展。I am also continuing to advance my photography business where I focus on taking show photos and portraits.

看看安妮的数字作品集

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