The heat of the near-blinding stage light is a constant sensation of Greenhill’s thespians. Theatre is alive at Greenhills through yearly musicals, plays, comedy showcases, intensives, technical opportunities, and Shakespearean productions. This school year, the performing arts department aims to help support students interested in stagecraft through an expanded calendar of opportunities.

“When the school thought about expanding the theatre program I was a person they thought of because I’ve had experience in this arena so they asked and it worked out schedule-wise,” said Caroline Huntoon ‘02 director of the all-school musical Something Rotten.  “I’m happy to bring this part of myself to my work at Greenhills,” said Huntoon. 

Huntoon had previous theatre experience directing at Young People’s Theatre from 2014 to July of 2024. “[Greenhills Theatre] is giving me a creative opportunity to work with young people around performance.” said Huntoon” It’s a nice way to be able to connect with students in that way and have those pieces of my creative needs fulfilled.”

The goal of expanding the theatre program was to give more students the opportunity to do a production alongside sports,” said performing arts director, producer, and teacher Gary Lehman.

Lehman had previously directed all musicals and plays in both the upper and lower school, with choir director and teacher Ben Cohen running the musical and vocal components of the shows. Now the role of director is split between Lehman, Cohen, and Huntoon, depending on the show and their availability. 

“Gary’s role is essentially a producer thinking of the big picture and how all the pieces come together, and he’s been really wonderful to work with,” said Huntoon

Alongside the resident performing arts staff, Greenhills brings in additional choreographers, costumers, and fight choreographers. This year, Greenhills is bringing in Jennifer Monk as head costumer and Erika Jost as choreographer, both previous or current parts of the Young Peoples Theatre creative team.

“With expanding we’ve talked about bringing in other people like how in She Kills Monsters last year we brought in a fight choreographer and put a lot of focus into working with him.” said Lehman “Things might expand regarding bringing in more specific experts in things such as physical comedy or providing workshops or outside directors to bring in previously unoffered things such as absurdist plays.”

The main change made to the performing arts department and schedule is the increasing number of shows offered. There are six performance opportunities now offered yearly: a Shakespeare production, the middle school play, the middle school musical, the upper show musical (or play), the upper school (play or musical) intensive, and Voodoo. This schedule runs on a two-year cycle, with the upper school play rotating from a musical to a play every other year. The upper school alternatively has an intensive musical or play rotating alternatively to the regular play or musical, so students each year have the opportunity to perform in some form of a play and a musical. 

“By design, the new program was also going to bring in other people because it’s good to have other directors, and points of view, and it also gives me a chance to focus on producing with more breathing room to focus on creating the production,” said Lehman. 

Performance opportunities such as the Shakspere program are continuously expanding as interest and resources grow. The overall goal for the program is to produce and perform a full production versus the currently offered individual soliloquies.

“My goal for the Shakespeare program is to do a full production, next year,” said Cohen. “I will be offering a Shakespeare production which will include a more rigorous rehearsal process and incorporate outside actors and directors who specialize in Shapspere acting,” said Cohen.