Meet our lively new Intern, Ivy Francis Moore

I’m delighted to be back in Austin post-grad, not just because it’s my home, but also because it’s host to such a strong, engaging, and progressive creative community that’s educated and

inspired me throughout my life. I began my summer as a Directing Intern with Summerstock Austin, which granted me an in-depth look at the fast-paced educational environment that allows them to produce such dazzling musical productions each year. 

And now, for something completely different! Austin Shakespeare is a tentpole of the Austin theatre community and I’m so excited to begin my work with them. From re-imaginings of classics to the development of new work and community-engaging events, this season offers a range of opportunities for me to contribute to and learn from. My first assignment was our staged reading of our opera development Verdict of Love, which performed at the Austin Opera’s new Butler Performance Center. It was also my first professional experience with opera, and it’s already been eye-opening to see behind-the-scenes of such a unique form. And last weekend I got to shadow Cynthia Florez during Austin Shakespeare’s presentation of World’s Fastest Hamlet in the Rollins Theatre during Long Center Community Day. It was a fast-paced production that drew delighted audiences of all ages and it was fun to bear witness to such a well-oiled machine. It was also wonderful to get to explore backstage at the Long Center, an iconic venue I’ve been visiting my whole life.

I’m a life-long Austinite currently pursuing a career in theatre with a focus in directing and dramaturgy. I just graduated this spring from Sewanee: The University of the South, a small school on a mountain in Tennessee. While there I got my BA in Theatre with a minor in Shakespeare studies and was given multiple opportunities to direct my own productions. Highlights of my college work included an outdoor production of Twelfth Night, Or What You Will that examined themes of social transgression and gender normativity through a “gender-swapped” cast and surreal visual concept and a mainstage production of Jen Silverman’s The Moors for my thesis that dug into the gothic claustrophobia at the heart of the piece. While at Sewanee I also got the chance to assist with the development of new work, which culminated in a studio production of A Puppet Play, a student-written (and student-everything else) production. My central creative interests are radical queer art, absurd comedy, and maximalist aesthetics. And while I understand it can be challenging, I’m also committed to pushing back against the rising reliance on generative AI, Amazon, and single-use materials in the theatrical process.

See you this season!
IFM