Setting the Stage
Edited by Emily Pritchard
Michael Larson, a Marketing senior with a minor in Entertainment Management, interned with
The Dennison Theatre here on the University of Montana campus. By creating his own
internship, Larson was able to combine his passion for music/live performance with his
academic career. “This has been one of the most interesting and intense experiences I have had
and would recommend it to anyone that is interested in the entertainment field.”
What are some of the things you have done for The Dennison Theater during your internship?
“Interning at The Dennison has given me an interesting look into how an event really happens
during and after a show. So far, I have done everything from helping an act unload all of their
equipment and setup their staging before a show to breaking down and moving it all out after a
show.”
“Stage management was a very interesting thing for me, listening to the tour manager over our
communication system while making sure everything is running smoothly was not an easy task.
Working front of house (making sure all of the paying patrons are taken care of) was a whole
other monster in itself. Making sure that the merchandise personnel is taken care of and
performing honestly and efficiently while making sure that everyone is safe and enjoying the
performance is a very stressful job. That is just a couple of things I have done at the venue so far
and all in all it can be very stressful but also very rewarding.”
Why did you decide to take on this internship?
“I have always had a passion for music and live
performance so being able to follow that passion
with an opportunity to make it a career is very
exciting.”
How did you get connected with this opportunity?
Did someone help you get involved?
“I got this opportunity when I was taking the
Entertainment Management 402 class. I put forth
a TON of work and networked with Thomas
Webster who was teaching the class. Before the
semester ended, I talked to Tom about a possible
internship and he was more than willing to bring
me in.”
Did you need to know a lot of technical skills to do this internship or was it mostly
management? Do you feel the skills you acquired could be applicable in most management
settings?
“The skills I learned or used in this internship would defiantly translate to any other
management position. The nice thing about The Dennison is that the employees are more of a
family and are more than willing to help teach you anything you might want to learn or need to
learn when it comes to the technical aspects of the venue. Our Technical Director and Assistant
Tech Director are always excited to teach me about lighting techniques, rigging, even basic
sound mixes.”
What has been the most rewarding part of this experience? Any challenges?
“The most rewarding experience I have gotten from this internship is defiantly the chance to see
what goes on behind the scenes of a production and getting to experience what it takes to put on
a show.”
“The biggest challenge for me has been not only being a full time student but also continuing
my employment at my other job.”
Has anything exciting or surprising happened?
“This experience I have had at The Dennison has had a major impact on my personal life when
it comes to attending events and live performances. I catch myself at live shows checking the
layout of the venue and checking on any potential safety hazards, wondering what type of
production issues that the staff might run into.”
“There was one instance when we had a couple of major stage lights go out during a concert and
we had to trouble shoot the system without the show getting interrupted and no one noticing.”
Did you manage to get those lights fixed without
anyone noticing?
“Our Technical Director at the time got a serious
workout with that one. I am sure that a few people
did notice but after checking several connections,
cables, processors, and even power supplies, we did
get it fixed and the show went on without any other
major issues.”
What was your favorite show/act during your internship? Did you get to meet anyone famous?
“I had the pleasure of meeting quite a few famous performers; I was most excited about having
Dave Chappelle in the Dennison theatre. Dave was one of my favorite comedians growing up
and being able to be a part of one of his performances was amazing. I was also able to meet BJ
Thomas, Jay Owenhouse, and a handful of others so far.”
Has this experience reaffirmed your career goals or has it changed your mind in any way?
“This experience has definitely changed my mind about my career path, when I first came to
Missoula I thought I wanted to be an artist agent. The longer I have worked in The Dennison
Theater I have come to realize that I have little to no interest in agency work and more than a
lot of interest in venue management and promotion.”
What are your plans after graduation? Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
“At this point I am planning on sticking around the Missoula area for a little while after
graduation to relax and hopefully continue working in the entertainment world with The
Dennison Theatre. Looking ten years ahead, I am hoping to be running my own theatre. I am
currently working on putting together a viable business plan to open my own venue hopefully
in the northwest.”
Do you have advice for other students considering opportunities like this?
“Network like crazy, work your rear end off, and learn as much as you can. Nothing in life is
gained from being stagnant so take advantage of any and all opportunities thrown to you and do
your best to retain it.”