Eastern Michigan University student Caroline Buxton, a junior majoring in Communication, Media, and Theatre Arts with a minor in Critical Disability Studies, recently completed a summer internship focused on accessible theater at The Naples Players (TNP) in Florida.
TNP is a nonprofit community theater known for its commitment to accessibility. The organization offers performances and programs designed to be inclusive for people of all ages and abilities. “Building community through exceptional access to the power of theater” is TNP’s main mission.
During the internship, Buxton managed the front desk as an access concierge on performance nights, assisting patrons with services such as listening assist systems and large print braille programs. They also taught improv and musical theater classes for adults with developmental disabilities and instructed youth summer camps for aspiring young actors.
Buxton noted that opportunities combining their interests in media, acting, and disability studies are rare. After applying for the position, TNP’s internship director recognized Buxton’s specific interests and connected them with the access department. “I want to work in accessibility in theater and media–specifically, audio description,” said Buxton. “Audio description is a service that narrates what’s happening on the screen visually so that if you’re blind or visually impaired, you can listen to what’s happening. Someone has to write that, voice it, record it, and produce it. It is like a puzzle because you have to figure out what’s relevant, what’s a spoiler, and how many details you need. Then, you have to time it so that it doesn’t overlap with dialogue, sound effects, and music. [Audio description] incorporates all the things that I love–media, voiceover, and acting.”
Buxton described how TNP tailored the internship experience: “It was really important to TNP that I get to choose what I was interested in. We set goals and had monthly meetings about where I was going with those, and they really cared a lot about making sure that I got what I needed out of the internship, not just having extra hands on for their projects.”
Housing was provided by TNP three blocks from the theater for Buxton and other interns from out of state. The opportunity was supported by EMU’s Honors College through a donor-funded Founders Award covering travel expenses.
Reflecting on their experience teaching classes at TNP—especially those involving students with disabilities—Buxton said: “Disability is so diverse, and the activities we do in a theater setting are so diverse, so as accessible as you try to make something and as much as you think you know, something isn’t going to work.” They added: “You need to be really good at listening to people, you need to be good at being someone they can trust, and you need to be able to come up with a solution and prioritize the person over your original plan. [The person] is ultimately the judge of what they can and can’t do, and what works for them–I got a lot of practice with that, and it’s been really good for me to have that humility.”
For students searching for internships aligned with their interests or studies rather than settling for unrelated positions or roles perceived as more available or convenient,Buxton advised: “Don’t sell yourself short. Respect your own time,labor,and energy.Find people who care about youand wantto treatyou fairly–because they are out there.”
Eastern Michigan University serves over 12,000 students across undergraduate through doctoral levels according to its official website. The university began in 1849 focusing on teacher preparation but has since grown into an institution offering more than 200 undergraduate majors/minors alongside graduate programs as detailed online. Its campus features both historic architectureand modern facilities supporting student success per university information. EMU has received national recognitionfor program excellenceacross various fields as reported by its website.
For more information about Eastern Michigan University or updates on university news visit its official website.
