“You get to be creative, and use a different part of your mind. You completely shut off and escape from the world, which I think is necessary and helpful because it allows you to appreciate the time that you’re here,” said Greg Huntoon ‘07, who along with Caroline Huntoon ‘02,  are teachers who have held onto the magic of theater, and transformed their shared childhood pastime into a lifelong passion.

“It really started when we were kids,” said Greg. “My sister was always very into theater, so as a young child, they would often have me participate in shows in the basement, or go see shows, and they were often in shows themself.”

These basement shows and car rides filled with show tunes prompted an early creative spark in both of them.

“As a kid, we would always sing show tunes, and we had grandparents who lived in Connecticut, about an hour from New York, so we would go to see a lot of shows in New York when we were kids,” said Greg. “We would go visit them and drive in for an afternoon. That kind of got the theater bug in me.”

Caroline had a history of participating in theater throughout their education. With both teachers acting in plays during middle and high school, they continued to perform in their adult lives.

“I did theater when I went to Greenhills, pretty much any play that could be done, I did,” said Caroline. “When I graduated, I majored in theater at Barnard, and after that, I went to Disney and employed my theater skills there. When I moved back to Michigan in 2009, I started doing local theater, so I’ve been in a lot of shows, and then in 2015, 2014, I started directing.”

While both siblings share a passion for theater, they have found different niches in how to express it. Greg continues to act in various roles, while Caroline thrives in the creative processes of directing.

“I really like figuring out what story I’m focusing on within what the playwright has laid out and then teasing that out through the performers, the set and lights, and all that other stuff,” said Caroline. “Directing is hard because I spent most of my life as an actor, so I know that timetable, but as a director, you’re sort of prying your fingers off, because you can’t do anything at that point. But I like being able to collaborate, and seeing where we can go.”

Both were inspired to continue participating in theater in combination with their teaching careers. Caroline reflects on the joy it brings them to continue this hobby, in spite of how busy it can get. Greg discusses how his sister influenced his early passion for theater, and how the activity balances with the rest of his commitments.

“I think, really, my sister had a big influence on theater, but what I like about it now as an adult is, it allows me to unwind and scratch that creative itch in a different way than I do elsewhere. I coach soccer, coach baseball, and I like to run. I like to do a lot of physical things. And to kind of work in that way is fun as well, to do something completely different. The group of friends that I’ve made doing it is great, it’s just fun to be with them, and it is a nice way to break up what can be a long winter here in Michigan.”

Last year, Greg performed alongside students in the production of the musical “Something Rotten.” Rykken Vivekanand ‘26 is a student who performed in that musical and interacted with Greg during the show.

“He was great to perform with on stage, [and] it was a lot of fun,” said Vivekanand. “He’s a great actor. I really enjoyed being able to interact with him in a way that was not just as my teacher. [It] was really great to have some fun with the characters and the characterization. It ended up coming across very well on stage because we knew each other [beforehand].”

Greg’s favorite moments are found in rehearsals, where a sense of camaraderie is preserved, allowing individuals to be a part of the magic that is watching a production come together.

“Honestly, one thing I really love is just being with the cast and hanging out, and the rehearsals, and it’s the fun jokes that you make during rehearsals, and the memories you create there,” said Greg. “You perform three, maybe four, five times. That’s all you get to do it in front of an audience, but you get all those reps with the people who you’ve become close with, and you make some really great bonds there. It’s just something about that, when you’re up there, and you’ve been working hard for a couple of months, and then you get the laughs, you get the applause, you get the responses from the crowd. It just energizes you and makes it really fun to be up there. So [the first show] is always a top moment, when you’re wondering, ‘Is this going to get the laugh? Are we going to get applause?’ And you get it, and that’s always great.”

Recently, they have worked on productions from “The Wizard of Oz” to “Beetlejuice,” with Caroline directing the production of the latter at the Young People’s Theater.

“I was in the ‘Wizard of Oz’ a couple of years ago, which was really fun because Mx. Huntoon directed it,” said Greg. “Our dad was also in it. My wife, who wasn’t my wife at the time, was Dorothy, and I played Scarecrow, so we got to spend a lot of time together, which was really great. And my niece was in it as well. So it was a whole family affair.”

Greg and Caroline both face challenges in theater, whether it is keeping a production on track or balancing their work life with these performances. However, both agree that it is worth it.

“A challenge is trying to balance all of that and doing my normal life of teaching and coaching as well,” said Greg. “On occasion, there’ll be moments where I’m trying to do all three, which is a lot. And that week of shows, you’re up late, you’re working hard, and you’re tired at school the next day, but I still gotta make sure I’m teaching everyone properly. But a highlight was that I met my wife through theater, 10 years ago. I would also say, when you do a role or something, and then you are somewhere else, and someone recognizes you, and says, ‘Oh, my gosh, you were a scarecrow,’ It’s just really fun to have that recognition, and it makes you feel like a little bit of a celebrity, which is very fun.”

As for the future, Caroline is directing a production of the “SpongeBob SquarePants” musical, among other shows, and Greg is trying to navigate a new baby while he and his wife decide how to remain involved in theater.

“I’m directing the Burns Park production of the SpongeBob musical,” said Caroline. “I’m also doing Guys and Dolls here at Greenhills in the spring. So everyone should audition.”

For both siblings, theater is more than a hobby; it has been a lifelong outlet for creativity. 

“Theater is an opportunity to explore different facets of humanity and things that I don’t personally experience, but are experienced in the wider world,” said Caroline. “It is an opportunity to connect with other people.