Summer camp on stage in Foster City

AKW: I’m Adrienne or Addie, the conservatory director at Hillbarn Theatre. Before I became conservatory director I choreographed and directed shows with the conservatory, teaching a handful of our classes, outreach programs and our Teen Company. I grew up in Palo Alto, participating in Palo Alto Children’s Theatre throughout my childhood. I studied Anthropology and Classics in college and assisted on archaeological digs in Italy (Pompeii) and Poland. I’m also an equity actor, and mother to two wonderful kiddos with my amazing husband who I met onstage and have done numerous shows with. 

DJ:  How did you become involved with Hillbarn Theatre?

AKW: The first time I was involved with Hillbarn was in their 2018 production of “Peter and the Starcatcher” where I played Molly Aster. I had just played Molly over at TheatreWorks, and Hillbarn’s director Jeffrey Lo asked me to reprise my role at Hillbarn. Erica Wyman, the conservatory director at the time, was looking for someone who had a cheerleading background to choreograph “Bring It On” for the high school camp, which I happened to have. She invited me to choreograph and the rest is history. I’ve worked on nearly every production and taught almost every class before joining the staff as conservatory director in the fall of 2021.

DJ:  How were the Hillbarn Summer Camps developed?  

AKW: I’ve experienced the summer camps from the choreographer’s perspective, the director’s perspective, and now the conservatory director’s perspective, and it has been an ever-evolving program. I was lucky enough to take over the wonderful program that Randy O’Hara cultivated. While I can’t speak to how they originated, since they have been running for over a decade, I can reflect on how I have seen them evolve, and how I have continued that growth. The camps are now full productions with complete sets, costumes, lights, sounds, etc. I have added the opportunity for students to also dip their toes into the behind the scenes process, if that piques their interest, by taking part in basic sewing, set painting and decorating, gathering and creating props, etc. 

DJ: Who are the camp teachers?

AKW: Our instructors range from graduated students to Broadway actors. I have had the pleasure of working with Rick Reynolds, our high school camp music director, for years. He has a wonderful relationship with the students in the area since he also music directs many of their high school productions. His daughters are graduates of Hillbarn and are now directing and music directing our summer camps as well. This summer we have Ben Bogen, whom I met nearly a decade ago working on Spring Awakening at Center Rep in Walnut Creek, choreographing our high school camp. He has had an incredible trajectory, graduating from University of Michigan, making his Broadway debut in Frozen, and now joining us to choreograph “Lighting Thief” after coming off the “Wicked” tour. 

DJ: How do theater companies reach out to younger audiences?

AKW: Hillbarn has really expanded its outreach programs at schools, where we host the final performance at Hillbarn. This has given more students the opportunity to participate, since we are coming directly to them, and the fun experience and excitement of performing on a regional theater stage. Kids who are normally in after-school care can still participate, and parents don’t have to do an extra pickup/drop-off, they can just pick up their students from school once class is over. For older students, we have our teen company which is for those who are looking to further their craft, harnessing different tools to use to take their skills to the next level. We also reach out to our family of conservatory students if any opportunity arises in our Main Stage season and we are looking for younger cast members.

DJ:  What theater experiences do you recommend to parents for their children?

AKW: Oh, that is a great question. It can vary based on the student’s interest but there are opportunities all over the Bay. Seeing your local high school or middle school musical is a great place to start. Local theaters are the best reflection of theater in the area, Hillbarn, Palo Alto Players, Theatreworks, etc. Then there are always amazing shows touring through San Francisco and San Jose that offer a different magnitude of grandiosity. Musicals are a great starting place. Kids often connect to the heartbeat of a show through music. Any Disney musical will offer something familiar with something new as you see a story you know from film brought to life onstage. There are a lot of book adaptations as well, and I remember as a kid reading a book and then being able to see the musical. This is actually the whole theme of Hillbarn’s summer season: Page to Stage. We have three beloved book series that are being brought to the stage — “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” where all of the Peanuts gang tackle life’s great questions and celebrate friendship, “Seussical” where all of the characters of Dr. Seuss are brought together, and “The Lightning Thief: A Percy Jackson Musical,” which is based on the popular book series and was also was adapted for film. It tells the story of a boy with a secret Greek-godly heritage and his adventure to find answers.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SUMMER CAMPS AT HILLBARN THEATRE. The Hillbarn Theatre is located at 1285 E. Hillsdale Blvd. in Foster City. Summer Conservatory Camps at Hillbarn allow students of all ages to explore their own creativity and give them the tools to succeed in and out of the arts. For information, visit hillbarntheatre.org/summer-camps.

Susan Cohn is a member of the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle and the American Theatre Critics Association. She may be reached at susan@smdailyjournal.com.