Olney Theatre Center believes that arts education plays an essential role in our nation’s cultural health. That’s why in addition to our arts integration program, we offer apprenticeships. The apprenticeship program is a year long experience intended to offer emerging theater artists a bridge between university and the profession. For one year, 16 apprentices live and work on OTC’s campus in every facet of the organization. Meet one of our Stage Management apprentices, Theo Adelberg!
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Theo Adelberg
Stage Management Apprentice
Pronouns: they/them/theirs
Hometown: Reisterstown, MD
What is the path that brought you to OTC?
I had a friend who was an apprentice here last year and she told me to apply! She only had amazing things to say about her experiences here as an apprentice, and I was relatively familiar with the theatre because I’m a Maryland local, so I applied. I was also drawn to the theatre because of how inclusive of the theatre was.
What are you working on right now?
We’ve just opened Elf the Musical, which I am one of the Assistant Stage Managers of, so I’m keeping busy on spreading Christmas cheer for all to hear!
What is something you are looking forward to?
Kind of cheesy and odd, but I’m looking forward to spending the Holiday season with the apprentices and with the cast of Elf! There are plans to have an Apprentice Thanksgiving and I’m really excited to get to celebrate Hanukkah here and introduce my friends to my favorite Hanukkah traditions. I feel like the Holidays are a time to bring people together and so there’s something really special about getting to share the season with new people and learn about their traditions.
I’m also eager to work on Oil. One of the reasons I love working in theatre is that I love storytelling, and I can’t wait to be the Assistant Stage Manager on this spectacular new play.
What's special about Olney Theatre Center?
I feel like Olney has really worked hard to make sure that it is an inclusive and diverse organization, and to make its apprentices feel welcome here while also pushing us to better ourselves.
What is one memory you’ve made as an apprentice?
There are so many special moments to choose from—but I think I have two favorites. The first is when a fellow apprentice and I went to a high ropes course together on one of our days off and just had an amazingly fun adventure, laughing and cheering each other on, and just getting to experience something out of my comfort zone with a friend that helped remind me of how much we as people can achieve, as corny as that sounds. The second is from hockey season. I’m a huge hockey fan—particularly a Washington Capitals fan, since I’m local—and getting to watch the Caps win the Stanley Cup with other apprentices on the porch was just a super special moment for me.
