Olivia Kwon ’26 arrived at the school with no prior acting experience, but after joining Prep theatre, she quickly discovered a passion that she will pursue in college. Kwon said, “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.”
Kwon has participated in productions ranging from Black Boxes to mainstages such as Pippin and Frankenstein. She said, “The beauty in live theatre is that it’s never going to be the same each time you perform. There’s beauty in just doing it and moving on, even if you make a mistake.”
Jack McCarthy ’26 has been passionate about theatre since childhood, starting professional acting when he was eight. During his time at the school, 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.
“The theatre program has grown a lot in my time at the school,” he said. “Over the past four years, we’ve done a lot of theatre that has challenged audiences. I think we’ve done a really good job of striking a balance between shows that audiences will love but will also make them leave thinking or even a little uncomfortable.”
Philip Fauver ’26 joined theatre during his Lower Mid year and quickly found both confidence and community through performance. He was a cast member of Hamlet and and led Romeo and Juilet as Romeo.
He said, “I joined theatre my Lower Mid year after a subpar Prep photo performance. Theatre has been essential in shaping who I am today. It has allowed me to become more confident as a speaker as well as give me an appreciation for the English language itself. It is an incredibly open and welcoming place. People from all walks are welcome—the only requirement is that they are dedicated and passionate.
William Becker ’26 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 such a big part of my life at Hotchkiss that has been essential in shaping who I am today,” he said. “I will miss the people who I primarily interact with through theatre. The community is truly so special, and I don’t know if I will find one like it again.”
