Gaining Marketing Experience Through Theater

I have never acted in a play or worked backstage on a theater production, which may seem surprising given that I’m a publicist and blogger for Whitman’s Harper Joy Theatre. I love writing, so it’s only natural that I’m an English major. On campus, I was looking for a job that would allow me to develop my writing and communications skills outside an academic setting. I also wanted a position that was largely independent and that allowed me to express my creativity. I heard about the publicity role from the box office manager and decided to apply. Although I have never been involved in theater, I have always enjoyed the performing arts and was excited to promote this facet of campus life to Whitman students. Not only did this position check all my boxes, it also gave me valuable experience that only benefited me when looking for internships or jobs after Whitman.

As the publicity manager, I send emails to the Whitman community, make social media posts to promote upcoming theater productions and advertise events on digital calendars and newsletters. I learned how to craft emails and social media posts that are attention-grabbing while also conveying necessary information. I also interview guest artists and theater professors about their education, careers, and experiences working on Whitman productions and write blog posts on these interviews for the Harper Joy Theater blog. I also plan to interview students involved in the Theater and Dance program.

I’ve loved learning about these individuals’ experiences and the theater industry as a whole. While I’m not involved in the theater productions themselves, I enjoy writing about all the work that goes into them and gaining insight into the theater world. I developed experience with new styles of writing and communication and found an opportunity to share my writing with a broader audience, which I hadn’t done before. With this new experience, I was drawn to a position as the Summer Grants Intern for the Gesa Power House Theater, a nonprofit theater here in Walla Walla, not far from Whitman.

I found the position on Handshake, a job and internship search website that is geared toward college students. My publicity work for Harper Joy Theatre helped me develop the skills that I’d need in my internship, despite the differing realm of work. As the grants intern, I researched grants and helped write and edit grant applications for the theater. I also assisted in setting up for and assisting with theater events, as well as updating the theater’s patron database.

Through these experiences, I’ve learned that working in the theater industry doesn’t have to mean working as an actor, director, or stagehand. Each industry involves many fields of work and requires people from a wide variety of backgrounds and different kinds of work experience. When looking for jobs, internships, and volunteer opportunities, it can be helpful to explore new areas that don’t necessarily seem related to the career you’re interested in. You never know where it could take you.

Loela Dickey ’25 is an English major from Portland, Oregon.