Our heartfelt thanks go out to Erica Pajonas for her support of New Dramatists this summer, as our Bernard B. Jacobs Educational Intern!
Erica Pajonas is a performer, writer, props designer, and future arts administrator, currently pursuing a M.A. in Performing Arts Administration at NYU, Class of 2026. She holds a B.S. in Psychology and a B.A. in Theater Studies from Quinnipiac University. Erica's creative work bridges the fields of psychology and theater, with a particular focus on how these disciplines intersect to promote mental health awareness and empathy.
At Quinnipiac, she wrote The Mind on Stage, a series of six short plays exploring various mental health issues. With the help of her friend and dramaturg Savannah Lawton, the project aimed to invoke empathy in audiences and new understandings of topics they might have been unfamiliar with. Erica's previous theater experience includes prop design, assistant stage management, and acting with Legacy Theatre of CT. She has also worked as an assistant stage manager with the Yale School of Music’s opera program for some productions. She is very excited and grateful to be interning at New Dramatists this Summer.
The Bernard B. Jacobs Academic Internship Program was named in memory of the late President of the Shubert Organization, who discovered and mentored many talented theatre people during his lifetime. This program at New Dramatists offers a unique opportunity for early-career theatre artists and managers to learn about artist-led development and the operations of a non-profit arts service organization in New York City. Interns receive academic credit for their work with us through this program.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR INTERNSHIP PROGRAM