You’ve seen her dancing, both on the stage and on the sidewalk. You probably haven’t seen her designing and building sets, but she does that too. In between swigs of chocolate milk, that is.
 

Okay, name please.

Stephanie Shipman.
 

Where are you from, Stephanie?

Kansas City, Kansas.
 

So, I hear you do a lot of extracurriculars.

I do.
 

What do you do on an average day like today?

Well, I woke up and I finished my VIZ for directing class. We had to make a “thing” encompassing our production concept for M Butterfly, the play. And it was really hard not to just do a set design. Anyway, so I had to finish that; I made this huge globe out of metal and suspended things through it. And then I went to class, gave my presentation. I just printed my set designs for Mother Courage. Gave them to my boss, and then I came here.
 

And what are you doing next?

I’m going to the Guthrie.
 

Why are you going to the Guthrie?

Because I’m interviewing for a tech internship there.
 

Is that what you’re doing next year?

Just for the summer. I applied for two internships in Seattle and one in Berkeley, all having to do with tech theater.
 

I was an actor; actors and techies don’t always get along.

I feel like they do. I get along with them.
 

Me too. Say, what is your major?

Theater. Specialize in set design.
 

Is that what you want to do later on?

Yeah. I also dance a lot. I’ve kind of been thinking lately that I want to dance. But, um, I don’t think I can make it.
 

What do you do, ballet?

No, I don’t do ballet at all [laughs at me]. I guess it’s modern. But I’m in hip-hop dance this semester, so come to the hip-hop dance next Friday.
 

I can bodyroll.

I do the worm on stage. There’s lots of bodyrolls in the hip-hop dance. I really like them. I want to take a breakdance class. I can do, like, one freeze.
 

You want to demonstrate it?

No. I have my nice clothes on. That’s the problem.
 

Did you study abroad anywhere?

I did. I went to London.
 

’Ello Govnah!

Yeah. They’re great there. I love Britain. I want to move there.
 

I see on your wrist you have a tattoo. Please tell me about it.

It’s an Art Nouveau design that I found in Paris. I don’t know what it is. Everyone thinks it’s cherries. I don’t think that’s what it is. I think it’s bubbles or something. I’m getting a new tattoo next week.
 

And you’re getting a new tattoo next week—?

I’m not going to tell you what it is.
 

Okay. Do you have any more tattoos?

Yes, I do. On my hip and on my back.
 

No, no, you don’t need to undress to show them to me. What are they?

A goldfish on my hip and lots of crazy curly-Q designs on my back. Do you have any tattoos?
 

I have a lot of scars. Anyway, back to you. You have three tattoos, you’re getting a fourth, you have at least seven ear piercings—

Twelve.
 

You’re a body-modification kind of person. A nose-ring.

Yeah. Tongue. Belly button.
 

So you like to change your appearance, somewhat like a spy?

Yeah. It’s fun. I used to want to be a spy. But I’ve given up on that. I think.
 

Do you ever bring the spy aspect into theater or dancing?

Yeah, when I’m fuckin’ around. Haha, like, uh, yeah, no. Not in the actual dances.
 

What was your favorite dance you’ve ever done?

Well, they’ve all been really different. But I think the coolest one, maybe, to the audience, was Cara Delavallade’s, last fall. It was a really scary dance. We danced to Apocalyptica: it was cellists playing Metallica. We all had makeup running down our faces and it was just, super weird, eerie music, and we were just dead by the end. And everyone really liked watching it.
 

That sounds really cool.

It was really cool. I loved it. But I feel like I love all the dances I’m in.
 

So now back to tech theater…

Well, I did a high school show a month ago and it was, like, the worst set I’ve ever done. Well, I liked the set, but they didn’t do it the way I wanted. I picked this specific green, and they were like, “This is the green we have.” So none of the colors went together and they made buildings that I didn’t draw.
 

But it’s pretty cool you got to do it for a high school.

Yeah, and I got paid. My first gig. But I’m really excited about Mother Courage, which is what I’m doing now, for Mac. It’ll be good. Come see that, too.
 

So…can I ask personal questions?

Yeah.
 

Do you have a significant other?

[laughs for a while] Yes.
 

What do you think about him or her?

I like him.
 

Want to give him a shout-out through the newspaper?

No. [laughs more]
 

That’s a little harsh. I hope he doesn’t read this part.

He won’t mind.
 

So when did you change from wanting to be a spy into wanting to be a dancer or a tech-theater person?

Oh. Well, my high school didn’t have a spy program, per se, so I did theater instead. And band. Big band nerd.
 

Band nerd! Did anything ever happen at band camp?

Yeah, but nothing too traumatic or sexual.
 

What did you play—I mean what instrument?

Alto and tenor sax.
 

Favorite song?

Oh, that’s hard. You ask me hard questions. Um. I was just singing it. “Spain” by Chick Corea.
 

Did you ever march?

Yes.
 

Did you wear funny uniforms?

No, they were awesome. I loved them. The reason I liked them was because all the other schools had shitty ones and we had really classy-looking ones. They were black, white and red. With a long stripe down the side and cummerbunds and sashes and—I didn’t like the hat.
 

So as this interview is winding down, why don’t you say a really brilliant quote to go out on?

That doesn’t have to do with theater?
 

Yes.

Like a famous quote? My own quote?
 

Anything.
 

[long pause]
 

I think you should just put long pause. [laughs]
 

[awkward silence]