Russia. Then Pennsylvania. Then Prima.
Veteran NextGen Intern, Brigid Reilly
It’s an honor to invest in young people through Prima’s NextGen Initiative — offering students impactful internships and inside-track access to fresh theatrical experiences.
A recent NextGen intern, Brigid Reilly, has quite a life story.
Below is her incredible background, as well as reflections on her time thus far with Prima.
_____________________________
We all love people's stories, right?! So, tell me yours!
I was born in Kurgan, a small west-central Russia town on the southern edge of the West Siberian Plain. I moved to Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, with my twin sister, where I attended Unionville High School. (Scroll to the bottom for the unabridged version of her miraculous adoption story!) There, I solidified my passion for fine art and was introduced to a vibrant and energetic theatre program. I spent hours and hours dedicated to the theatre.
I started at Millersville University in 2019 thinking I was going to be an elementary school teacher, but at the end of the day, the theatre always calls me home. Through Millersville’s Entertainment Technology program, I have been able to invigorate my talents and build new strengths.
In March of 2020, right as the COVID-19 lockdown was unfolding, I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Multiple Sclerosis is a disease in which the immune system eats away at the protective coating of the nerves. It has given me a plethora of symptoms such as nerve pain, chronic fatigue, impaired vision, muscle weakness, heat intolerance, and the list goes on. MS is considered an invisible illness and that has made a special arrangement of issues in my day-to-day life, physically and mentally. During the first year of my diagnosis, I undermined my physical health, my confidence, and my personal relationships in my life. Since then, I've grown and adapted tremendously, I adopted a "there isn't anything I can't do" mentality, and although every day presents me with new obstacles, I'm more determined than ever to achieve my goals and to continue creating.
Looking forward in my story, I am excited to continue learning about live entertainment, especially in the Lancaster theatre scene, as well as continuing to work with Prima during my last semester and post-graduation.
What skills did you bring with you, and what did you learn/gain at Prima so far?
Before Prima, I had a lot of experience with stage management and scenic design. During my internship, I had the pleasure of helping Diana Nugent with costumes. I had no prior experience with costumes, and I was able to gain a lot of knowledge of what goes into costuming… one of my favorite parts of my internship!
Working with the staff at Prima has been great! The staff created such a welcoming environment while also providing a space where I can learn and take in as much as possible.
Can you give me one of your favorite, specific moments working here at Prima?
During the rehearsal process for Queen+Journey, there was one rehearsal I remember specifically where the energy was electric! It was one of the first times the cast heard each other’s solos. Watching them support each other and give it their all was incredibly inspiring. I left Prima that day with the biggest smile on my face.
______________________________________________________
Your support of Prima makes NextGen internships like Brigid’s thrive.
GOOD NEWS! Brigid is returning to Prima this Fall as the Production Management Apprentice. Further support is needed for this to become an ongoing position.
Interested in sponsoring this opportunity? Contact john@primatheatre.org.
______________________________________________________
Brigid’s adoption story
I had lived with my birth family for a very short period of time but my sister fell really sick and my birth family didn’t have enough money to get her treated so we were thrown into a sick kids orphanage, as a package deal. My birth mother didn’t think it was right to separate us, she wanted my sister to have me forever and she made sure that the orphanage wouldn’t separate us either.
We were hooked up with parents through an Atlantic City adoption agency and my adoptive parents flew over shortly after 9/11. The adoption process was extremely long and drawn out. There were extensive waiting and processing times, dealing with the US Embassy, and the weather on top of everything. My parents had to deal with menacing personalities with which they had no idea how to even communicate with and dealt with unpredictable situations such as being snowed in at an airport. They were even urged to hire Russian bodyguards because we were born in such an impoverished area, the minute the wrong person found out about twins being adopted by Americans, we became at risk for a bad ransom situation.
The craziest part about my adoption story is the amount of traveling I had done in the first part of my life, we were tossed everywhere, from Moscow to Germany. We were sent to all these different places to be more accessible and receive better healthcare. I'm really grateful for my parents and everyone who helped us along the way!
I was born Марина-Юрьевна Мельникова (Marina-Yurievna Melnikova) and my sister was born Ирина Юрьевна Мельникова (Irina-Yurievna Melnikova) and now we are Brigid and Meghan Reilly.
“This was Meghan and I’s first trip to Disney. We both had severe heat exhaustion within the first two days of our vacation because our bodies couldn’t adjust. I still loathe the heat. HaHa!”
