Addie Cirulis ’25 was a three-year Senior from Winnetka, Illinois. She participated in theatre for the past three years, performing in productions including Into the Woods, Lady Windermere’s Fan, Chicago, Little Shop of Horrors, and Ordinary Days and directing Songs for a New World.
She was also co-captain of Girls JV Basketball and a member of Girls Varsity Tennis.
How did you discover theatre?
I started doing children’s theatre when I was in elementary school, around age 8. I had always loved to sing, and I quickly figured out that musical theatre was the kind of music I enjoyed singing the most.
It wasn’t easy right away; I actually got cut from the first two shows I auditioned for in the fourth and fifth grades. But once I started to get cast, I fell in love with the production process and the people I got to spend time with throughout that process.
It wasn’t until Hotchkiss that I stepped outside my experience with musicals and started acting in plays seriously. So I would say that my love for theatre came from my love of music, and I found musical theatre the most powerful way to express myself through music.
What’s your pre-performance routine? How do you immerse yourself in the characters?
I don’t know if my routine is anything special. I’m usually juggling three beverages at a time: water, tea, and something else caffeinated. I have a vocal warm-up routine that I’ve been using for three or four years now, so I’ll do those as well.
In terms of getting into character, costumes, hair, and makeup go a long way in getting the job done for me. I will say I’ve always spent some time in front of a mirror before a performance. I think it helps me pay attention to what I look like to an audience and gets me in the performance mindset.
Who and what inspires you as an actor?
I do have celebrities I look up to, like Idina Menzel and Eva Noblezada. But more than that, especially at Hotchkiss, I feel like I am constantly looking up to my peers and my teachers. The dedication they have for this art form inspires me to hold myself to the highest standard—not only in terms of the quality of performing, but also in the way they go about the production process.
Everyone who does theatre at Hotchkiss does it as part of a team of people. This applies most especially to Ms. MK Lawson [instructor in theatre]; she has an inspiring way of bringing a group of theatre- makers together that both highlights individuals and showcases the strength of the group. I learn so much from her. I keep going back to the theatre for that same reason. I have found such a great sense of community in the theatre, both inside and outside of Hotchkiss.
What advice would you give to upcoming singers and actors?
The performing arts community of singers and actors could not be more welcoming; everyone here is rooting for you! They want you to audition, participate, be brave, and try new things that are a little out of your comfort zone.
I came to Hotchkiss as a strictly musical theatre performer. I took a risk and auditioned for the winter play that year, and it was one of the most valuable experiences of my life.
Now, I have directed productions, I sing a cappella and for MB140; all of these things are rooted in my passion for theatre, but branching out and diversifying has allowed my passion for theatre to grow tenfold as a result.
