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Alumni Spotlight -- Amber Blanks
by Jenny Mays, Fiscal and Arts Administration Specialist
jmays@virginia.edu
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 Amber Blanks |
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“Responsible, motivated, funny, opinionated, stubborn and resourceful.”
These are just a few of the adjectives our Technical Director, Steven Warner used to describe recent grad Amber Blanks (Drama ’08). Needless to say, choosing a Drama Alum to spotlight this fall was rather easy. In just four short months, Amber has done what most theatre students only dream of-- she landed not one but two jobs working in the entertainment industry.
This summer, Amber worked as one of two Stage Supervisors for the Santa Fe Opera. In a position rarely offered to first-time employees like herself, Amber managed of a stage crew of 16, supervised daily change-overs and load-ins, oversaw run crew during the shows and managed intermission shifts. “My work in scene shop at U.Va., helping to supervise lab students and serving as TD and ATD for several productions at U.Va. played a large role in my landing the job,” explained Amber.
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 Billy Budd, Sante Fe Opera |
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But what interested Amber most at the Opera was her installation work on their new hydraulic and winch systems. This experience only reaffirmed her interest in automations that began years earlier at U.Va.. Her sights were now set on Cirque du Soleil. Before graduating, she began to apply for positions at Cirque; she rearranged countless flights to extend her stay at various conferences to have an extra day to meet more people; and she e-mailed any and all contacts she had, asking them to pass along her resume and put in a good word for her.
“I knew I wanted to work for Cirque,” said Amber. “I applied for jobs with them for ten months before being hired. You have to be persistent,” said Amber. “When the Head of Automations for Cirque du Soleil’s “O” finally called to interview, I was able to speak about my hydraulic and winch experience at the Opera as well as U.Va.’s Scene Control system.” In the weeks after her interview, she met with Cirque again during a trip to Las Vegas and continued to network with the connections she had made at U.Va., SETC, USITT and during previous Vegas trips. Her efforts paid off; Amber is now a full-time employee of The Bellagio Casino and Hotel working for Cirque du Soleil's "O" as an Automations Operator.
“Working for “O” is fantastic! I left Virginia to work on a show that seats 2,000 for two performances a night and sells out each performance,” said Amber. “I live in the desert but work on show that contains a 25ft deep, 1.5 million gallon swimming pool on stage. I love it.”
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 Amber at the "O" automations board |
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As an Automations Operator, Amber operates the board that controls the show’s seven hydraulic lifts, among other pieces including the “O”’s famous opening curtain. Each lift has a series of safeties known as “toe-bars” and “pull strings.” If an artist or technician slightly bumps a toe bar or pulls on the pull string, the lifts automatically shut off. Amber’s job on the board is to know when these safeties are accidentally triggered and when there is a real emergency.
Though Amber gets to work every day with skilled technicians and performance artists from all over of the world in the city that never sleeps, she hasn’t forgotten her U.Va. roots. While here, Amber spent her time surveying industry contacts and attending conferences to get as much feedback and meet as many people as possible. “My time at U.Va. and Drama helped to broaden my horizons and begin networking with those in the entertainment industry,” said Amber. “I have learned that in theatre it really is about who you know.”
“Working with Amber for the last two years of her time at U.Va. was a great experience. Seeing her gain confidence in managing and become more humble when being managed, Amber had become a great example of what the Drama Department has to offer,” said Steven Warner. “I have no doubt she will make it far with Cirque du Soleil, and they are lucky to have her around.”
When asked if she had any advice for upcoming graduates, Amber reflects, “Go for it! If there is something you want, you have got to be aggressive and enthusiastic. Make companies want to hire you.”
Responsible, motivated, funny, opinionated, stubborn and resourceful indeed.
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