There are so many creative people at Hopkins! I have met dancers, pianists, photographers, and so many more artists. As someone who wanted to continue to pursue acting on campus, I was especially (and pleasantly) surprised by the fellow actors, playwrights, and directors I was able to meet through some of the theatrical groups on campus!
I should preface this by saying there is nothing, to my knowledge, that first-year students cannot be involved in within theatre; everyone is welcome! These are some ideas based on my personal experiences during my time at Hopkins. While most of my experience has been in acting, there are also ways to get involved as a writer or director or in lighting, sound, or costume design.
In general, the best way to get involved is to meet groups in person at the Student Involvement Fair (SIF)! These happen once a semester, and you can talk to student group representatives and sign up to be on the mailing list (one of the main ways to hear about audition calls and tech calls). You can also follow the various groups on Instagram. The theatre groups also post updates on ways to get involved and deadlines and dates—anything you need to keep up with the latest happenings! Lastly, there is an Orientation show (O-Show) each fall where different theatre organizations perform something they have produced the previous year, so you get to see a preview of everything all in one place!
Hopkins has a large range of artistic student groups, and theatre is no exception. Our oldest theatre organization is The Barnstormers. They put on established shows written by published playwrights (which sometimes involves buying the rights to perform), with one large production in the fall (a play) and spring (a musical). As of now, they are the only group to produce musicals, so if you are a triple threat, definitely audition! There are also Freshman One Act productions (FOAs) in the fall. This was actually my introduction to The Barnstormers; I was cast in the play, “Miss Kentucky,” which was about a mother and daughter being locked out of a beauty pageant. With two cast members and two directors, it was such a nice way to dip my toes into theatre on campus and receive mentorship and advice from my directors—regarding classes, course loads, and college life, and everything in between. I also got to meet everyone else involved in FOAs closer to the performance date, which helped me get to know other first-year students! This experience is designed with first-year students in mind, where returning students direct and mentor first-years—both onstage and in tech. It’s a great opportunity to get connected with other students and experience a fun, low-stress production!
While the Barnstormers present established works, Witness Theatre is Hopkins’ only fully student-run group; as in, it is fully written, directed, produced, and performed by students. It’s the perfect way to try your hand at playwriting or bring something you’ve already written to life! Typically, there is a fall and spring showcase, a 24-hour show (where everything is written, directed, rehearsed, and learned within 24 hours), and an Intersession (the period between fall and spring semesters) showcase. The showcases are made up of short monologues and scenes, and it’s always super cool to go see what your fellow students have created! My first semester, I originated a role in a play called “Varsity Stand Up,” a humorous piece about a misfit comedy club trying to prepare for a competition. It was so exciting to get to play an amazing, brand-new role in a hilarious script by another fellow Hopkins student. I also want to point out I was able to rehearse for this production alongside FOAs; both are lower time commitments as the rehearsal schedule is based on everyone’s availability. So, if you are a first-year trying to decide which one to participate in, my advice is…do both! You’ll survive, seriously.
Another way to get involved is through a Barn show, produced by the theatre department at Hopkins. There is a show in the fall and spring, and you’ll get to work inside the historic Merrick Barn and the John Astin Theatre! These productions are especially fun as they replicate a more professional environment, with a more frequent rehearsal schedule, professional director, elaborate sets and costumes, and faculty support. These ones may be a bigger time commitment, but the payoff is so worth it!
There are also other student organizations, such as the Dunbar Baldwin Hughes Theatre (which presents African American-based plays), the Buttered Niblets (an improv comedy group), Throat Culture (a sketch comedy group), and more! Check out the full list of theatre groups here!
Theatre at Hopkins is always looking for people interested in creating on campus. If you are already an actor, director, writer, etc.—give it a shot! If you are not—give it a shot anyway! Over my four years, I have tried my hand at directing multiple times and really enjoy it. I learned how to see things from a fresh perspective (actor vs. director), exercised different creative skills, and even landed a directing job outside of Hopkins! College is the time to try new things, explore undiscovered talents, and find community, so go for it!
