In productions, rehearsals, and performances over the past four years, Seniors in the theatre program have become confident performers, collaborators, and artists.
Olivia Kwon ’26 arrived at the school with no prior acting experience, but after joining Prep theatre, she quickly discovered a passion that she plans to continue in college. She has participated in productions ranging from Black Boxes to mainstage shows such as Pippin and Frankenstein.
I had no prior experience in acting. I did Prep theater, and then each year I’ve just liked it more and more. If I could credit Hotchkiss for who I am today, I would attribute it to theatre. It’s really helped me find who I am. I feel like it’s now my life’s passion. In college, I’m studying theatre. I feel way more confident in who I am; I’m not as afraid to try new roles or step outside the box and put myself out there.
Theatre connects so many different people together. You could have athletes who try Black Boxes or even do the mainstage. Everyone who does theatre enjoys the process and the art form itself, and being in an environment with other people who have the same passion as you do brings so much joy. I’ve met so many incredible people through theatre that I probably wouldn’t have interacted with otherwise. No one’s afraid to talk to you or become friends with you or give you suggestions, so it’s a really good community to have. I’ll miss being with my friends and learning more about them through their acting.
Over time, I think the theatre department has become less uptight, but in a way that hasn’t made the department disorganized. The teachers used to focus on improving the overall acting of a class, but now I can really see individual actors growing a lot through their performances.
I think the role that stands out to me most is my role in Frankenstein. I remember sitting backstage during the Saturday show watching Steven and Jack do one of their duologues and thinking, “Oh my god, this is so magical. I know in the future I’m gonna think back on this exact moment and remember it and miss it so much.”
The beauty in live theatre is that it’s never going to be the same each time you perform. It’s not like, film where you can redo it, there’s beauty in just doing it the way it is and moving on from it, even if you make a mistake.
Isabel Schlaack ’26 has explored nearly every aspect of theatre at the school. From stage managing Hamlet, co-costume designing Pippin, writing and directing a Black Box production, to performing in shows Frankenstein, Little Shop of Horrors, and Chicago, she discovered a love not only for performance, but for the creative process behind the scenes.
When I first came to Hotchkiss, I was only a performer. I didn’t really have any experience with the technical side of things, with directing or stage managing. I didn’t get cast in the first musical that I auditioned for, so I had to pivot. I joined theatre tech and it ended up becoming what will probably be a lifelong love of mine. What I’m taking from theatre is how much I have gotten to contribute to every single aspect of the art. That’s something unique to the Hotchkiss theatre faculty—knowing that if I want to try something new, I can take that step with their support.Theatre has taught me a lot about how to work in and manage large groups. Theatre combines all of these different arts—there’s a visual aspect, an architectural aspect, fashion design, music, and acting. Especially as a stage manager, you have to know how to manage each one of those pieces and how to use everybody’s skill sets to create the best show possible. Being able to know what everybody does and then bring that together into one working machine is important and it’s definitely something I’m going to take beyond theatre at Hotchkiss.
So many people here are just so genuinely passionate about theatre. I think there are people who probably join theatre without a passion for it, but then they find a genuine love.
The theatre program has grown a lot during my time here. There was so much love for theatre in our grade that I think we’ve really been able to expand and foster more excitement about it in the community. We’ve seen people showing up to shows more. Every show we did was just better than the last. I’ve enjoyed how much exposure I’ve gotten to different teachers and mentors. I co-costume designed Pippin with a professional costume designer and learned so much from her. I’m incredibly proud and excited about how the program has grown.
A show that stands out to me is Frankenstein. On our first run-through, Elizabeth and I tried the accents for the first time, and they were not good. Everyone just started laughing; it was just a giggly mess. I just felt like that community was so special and that cast especially was incredibly senior-heavy, which maybe is why it’s so fond in my mind. I talked to a lot of people who I had known as acquaintances but got much closer to.
I truly appreciate the people, the faculty, the peers that I’ve gotten to work with here. This community has given me so much and expanded my view of theatre in so many ways. I’m really excited to connect with people later on and ask, “Do you still do theatre?”
William Becker ’26 participated in theatre in elementary and middle school. He has been involved in multiple sides of theatre throughout all four years here, from acting in productions such as Chicago and Pippin to co-directing Frankenstein.
Theatre has been essential in shaping who I am today. My first exposure to theatre at Hotchkiss was through class, which I have taken all four years. I did a decent amount of theatre in elementary and middle school, but I was never taught the theory behind it, so learning about the strategies that go into a scene and developing choices was a new concept. Prep theatre made me more confident both in my acting and as a person, as the class taught me so much about how theatre works on a technical level, and forced me out of my comfort zone into roles that I had never played before. Theatre has made me a much more confident performer and person, as part of recognizing trends in characters is recognizing them in yourself as well.
The theatre community brings together people from literally every part of Hotchkiss. For example, our two leads in Romeo and Juliet are also spring varsity athletes, and they were able to do the show and their athletic commitments (which is pretty unique to Hotchkiss theatre). That means that the community is very broad—people see their friends acting in Black Boxes and are able to try that themselves. Theatre is an incredibly open and welcoming place, as people from all walks are super-welcome—the only requirement is that they are dedicated and passionate.
Over my time, a lot about theatre has actually stayed pretty consistent, which I don’t necessarily think is a bad thing. We had a change in faculty this past year, which definitely had a positive impact on the department as a whole. We’ve also seen an expansion in theatre involvement, with real efforts being made to incorporate people who don’t take it as a class or who have less theatre experience into our productions. Finally, a lot of people take theatre as a class, which has greatly strengthened the depth and breadth of the department, which isn’t necessarily a new thing, but I think this year there are more theater classes than any other year during my time here.
My favorite on the acting side would be both the musicals I was in (Pippin & Chicago). The casts were big and fun, and singing and dancing together was the best. My overall favorite was definitely co-directing Frankenstein, because I got to be more involved in the process than I ever have, and having that level of control is really exciting.
Most of all, I will miss the people who I primarily interact with through theatre. The community is so special, and I don’t know if I will find one like it again. My final performance as a theatre student is really bittersweet—I have absolutely loved my time in Hotchkiss theatre, and I’m excited to pass the baton to future generations.
Jack McCarthy ’26 had already been passionate about theatre since childhood, starting professional acting when he was eight. After the pandemic interrupted performance opportunities, he arrived at the school with a fresh start in mind. He has been a lead in every musical since his Prep year and other mainstage productions, including Chicago, Frankenstein, Pippin, Into the Woods, and Little Shop of Horrors.
Theatre is something I’ve been passionate about since I was six and started doing professionally when I was eight. When I came to the school, I hadn’t performed live for years because of the pandemic. Also, when my voice changed, I lost a lot of confidence in my performing ability. Basically, I felt like I was starting over again. Hotchkiss theatre has made me a more confident, versatile, and polished performer.
I am grateful for the faculty: Ms. MK Lawson, Mr. Derek Brashears, and Mr. Andrew Knight are incredibly special teachers and uncommon to find in a high school. They’re incredibly professional, generous, and creative teachers and directors, and it’s been an honor to work with them.
The theatre program has grown a lot during my time at Hotchkiss. When I came in, Walker Auditorium had just reopened after renovations. Mamma Mia and Clue had been the shows for the previous year and had been extremely popular with students. That being said, they’re both fairly superficial and crowd-pleasing shows. Over the past four years, we’ve done a lot of theatre that has challenged audiences. I think we’ve done a good job of striking a balance between shows that audiences will love but that will also make them leave thinking or even a little uncomfortable.
My favorite show and role is a tie between Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors and Pippin (I’ll always choose musicals over plays). These two shows were particularly fun for me because I had connections to them from when I was little. “Grow for Me” was my go-to audition song growing up and I played Theo, the little boy that Hermione played, when I was ten. Also, my mom was Catherine in Pippin when she was in high school, so it was a full circle moment in that regard, as well.
I’m glad that I ended on Frankenstein as my final note. It was a very special experience, where the entire cast and crew was wholly committed to putting on the show in all its weirdness. Frankenstein speaks to what I’ll miss most about theatre here, which is the freedom to perform, direct, write, and immerse yourself in theatre, without significant financial or logistical constraints.
Philip Fauver ’26 joined theatre during his Lower Mid year and quickly found both confidence and community through performance. Last year he was a cast member of Hamlet and this year he played Romeo in Romeo and Juliet.
I joined theatre my Lower Mid year after a subpar Prep photo performance. I hadn’t done any theatre for a while, and I didn’t know what to expect. Theatre allowed me to become more confident as a speaker as well as give me an appreciation for the English language itself. I learned multidisciplinary skills and developed habits that have helped me in all aspects of my life.
I value the accessibility of theatre here. Students can engage in theatre in small, casual Black Box productions and try out something new or commit entirely to a mainstage as their cocurricular. You can even do what I did this spring and do the mainstage in addition to a varsity sport.
I’m grateful to have had a variety of directors and mentors during my time here who have all shaped my experience immeasurably.
I’ve only really had two mainstage roles, so Romeo has to be my favorite, but I’ve loved some Black Boxes too.
I’ll miss performing in front of my peers and teachers in our community. We’re all so close, and it’s incredibly special to share the product of our hard work on stage.
