Inside an Arizona Acting Internship: Find the Fun in the Work, a Terrible Interview, and Why You Get To

This is the Dearing Acting Studio Podcast, where we discuss the connection between life and acting. Okay, welcome back everybody to the Dearing Acting Studio Podcast. We've got an awesome show for you today. I am Matthew Dearing. I'm here with my man Keegan. What's up, dude? Hi, I'm doing pretty good. Awesome. Thank you for having me. This is really cool. It is. Really fun to have you here.

So Keegan is now working here at the studio. I am, yeah. He came in looking for some part-time work, and we put him through the ringer, and he kind of passed a few of our secret tests. I'm proud, yeah. And so he's here. So welcome, Keegan. Yeah, thank you. So tell me, what did you expect coming in here when you were first thinking about getting a job?

Well, I've had, you know, I had to complete my internship for my school. So I've had a lot of the other students have talked about their internship stuff. And so I was kind of expecting more of just like a, I guess, not normal. No, you can say normal, because we are not normal around here, for sure. I was expecting more of just like a rudimentary, like, all right, sign this, do this, do this.

But I'm really happy that this is more than that. And is, you know, I still do jobs and stuff, but it's like, I actually feel like I'm learning stuff. I'm not just doing the jobs to do the jobs. That's cool. So, so what has, has any, do you think the job then has exceeded your expectation? Definitely, definitely. So in what ways? Well, I thought, one, I, I'm actually, I'm having way more fun than I thought I would.

Like, I thought I would be stuck with like, I don't just like poop duty all day, which I'm not. So that, that's cool in the way that, um, the connections I've already formed with you and Brian and Joey are already have exceeded what I thought was going to happen. So I'm glad that I'm sort of getting to know you guys better and sort of feel more comfortable around here so that I'm having more fun even when I'm doing my work.

Good. So that was, that's a big part of what we want you to learn here. There's, um, this concept that I believe in, which is if you can find the fun in the work, the work becomes fun and you no longer have to work. Yeah. You know, you get to go to play instead of go to work. It's this concept of how do I wrap my mind around the fact that mopping the floors can actually be fun and rewarding and I can better myself doing it.

And once you figure out that little wax on, wax off, Mr. Miyagi concept, um, you realize that these little things are making you better, but there's usually not somebody there to sit next to you and to, and to help you understand the why behind it. So in most companies, you're going to start at, you know, at the ground floor and try to work your way up. And here's no different.

The only, the only, I guess, difference is we are, you know, we are smaller. So we've got, we've got four of us here regularly and so you get sort of an inside track that way. Number one, but, but number two is we're very selective of who comes in here because we understand that whoever we hang out with, we're going to become a little bit. Yeah. And so, um, so yeah, so we're pretty selective and, and then, but then once you're in, you're in and so you're in.

Yeah. Yay. Oh, I'm so, I'm so happy. Like, I don't know. I was really nervous, especially after that first day where I like sat in with the interview and stuff. And you can't talk about that because that's, that's hyper, hyper secret. Yeah. Our interview process is patented and, um, it works, it works though. It's, it's intimidating for sure. For sure. And actually to speak on that, um, you had a choice to show up the next, the next day.

Was it the next day? I, or like two days later or something like that. So the idea was that you had a choice to show up or not show up, you know, and we kind of stuck it to you. As a matter of fact, I think your first lesson from me, which sounds like me, uh, came during your interview. Definitely. What did I, would you remember what I told you?

Uh, I, I remember it was, um, well, one, you tell me more about just like how to do an interview better. So that was, that was the first thing that stuck with me. I think my words, cause, cause I can be really direct. I think my words were just so you know, you, that, that was a terrible interview. Yeah. Something. Yeah. It was a hundred percent like that.

And I was, I was like, Ooh, right. Right. It sank, but I, I felt motivated to come in because I knew I was going to get better. Yeah. And, and that's what I wanted to, you know, I wanted to throw your way. I want to say, Hey, just so you know, if you just want to get pat on the back and have someone tell you a good job all the time, you're in the wrong spot.

Yeah. That's what I was expecting too. So when I came in and didn't get that, I was, I was surprised too. Like, you know, I may not have been a pleasant surprise at, at first, but now I'm starting to realize that that's way more significant than it would have been. I mean, just like sweeping at child's play or something. Sure. Yeah. All right. So we're going to have, um, uh, more opportunities to be on the podcast with you, but since we have a, a limited time here today, um, why don't we just jump into a couple of things that revolve around you since some people might hear this here.

Um, talk to us about your school really quick and your teacher and who sent you over here. Yeah. So I've been in a drama program at Shadow Mountain for four years. I'm a senior now, so, uh, for our, yeah, for our, um, capstone project class, we have to, uh, kind of get out there in the real world and do an internship. Okay, good. Here's, here's your next lesson for you.

So I, I'm always listening to little tiny things. And so I want you to be aware of your wording here. You said we have to, and I want you to change that till we get to, because here are people, the people who, who make you do things that are hard are the people who love you the most. Remember that you want the friction you want, because that's where the progress lives.

We were speaking about this today. Uh-huh. As soon as you become comfortable, you think you want comfortable, but as soon as you get comfortable, you, you get bored and then you get depressed. Yeah. Yeah. So, so just wrap your mind around this idea of I'm in this program and I get to go out in the world and get real life experience because of this program. Wow. Thank you.

Yeah. So getting to do that is, is like definitely one of the more awesome parts of our, of our programs that we, we get to get the, the higher experience. And I, I thought of here, of interning here almost immediately because, uh, I did plays and stuff with Joey because, you know, we both went to shadow together and what my first like big show was his, was a rock of ages and he was the lead in that.

So it was really cool getting to, getting to know Joey through that. So I knew already coming in that you guys were going to be cool at least a little bit, you know, because I already knew Joey. Because Joey's pretty cool. And it made the whole rigorous stuff a little less scary. And you know, Joey is one of those people who he, he has been completely transformed since he's been here.

Did you see it? Did you notice a difference? I'm curious. I can tell. Yeah. I can. Between high school and now. I can definitely tell just, um, I get, not that he, he was like laser answer. I'm sure he was. Yeah. You can say it. No, he was very lazy. So Joey was super lazy. Hi, Joey. Uh, um, he doesn't care though. That's the funniest thing. No, like, cause it's in the past, you know, right.

I love talking about my own laziness for real. Cause I was lazy. So now I'm going, okay. And, and what I hope Keegan is that five years from now, I look at me now and I go, dude, you thought you had it, but you were so lazy, man. Yeah, I'm definitely, I feel like I'm progressing out of my laziness too, especially, um, due to some of the stuff I'm learning here.

Awesome. So, yeah. All right. So, um, so, so you're from Shadow Mountain and we want to shout out Mr. Flowers. Yeah. Oh yeah. Mr. Flowers. You know, he's, he's great. As a matter of fact, I don't know if you know this about him. I'm sure you do, but he's, he's a really good actor. Oh, definitely. So, I mean, I know he coaches you guys and directs, but, um, we do castings here.

Yeah, he comes in. He comes in and, and I get, I always joke about him, but like when Mr. Flowers comes in, I mean, his name's Joe. So when Joe Flowers comes in, it's automatic. He's in the running. Yeah. Cause he, and I'm telling you, he just, he brings in energy. It's like everything. It's not energy. It's the work, man. He puts in more work. So he thinks through the project better than most actors and he'll take his time and he comes up with choices that are interesting.

It's not like he's bouncing off the walls or anything. It's just like, you can tell that he knows what he's doing when he walks in and that's work ethic right there. All right, Keegan. Well, I know, uh, I have to let you go so you can get to rehearsal and, uh, this was a lot of fun. Awesome. Thank you. Let's see. What does Joey say to end this thing?

Let's, let's see you later. Oh, Joey's right here. Let's let him do it. Have a dearing day, everyone.