Alumni
Our alumni have found success in a range of entertainment industry roles, working as actors, directors, stage managers, lighting designers, and more. Our curriculum and our production program provides invaluable experience for students interested in pursuing careers in theater.
Founder and Artistic Director
"The Hopkins Center opened when I was an undergraduate at Dartmouth. I worked in both theaters as an actor and director. It ignited a flame in me. In the past several years, I've had the pleasure of teaching a series of master classes in the Theater Department. The students (both Theater and other majors) amazed me with both the knowledge of their subject and a strong sense of creative open mindedness that allowed for a wonderful exchange of ideas. The flame is still alight."
Paul Binder '63
Founder and Artistic Director
Big Apple Circus
New York
Actor
"The Department of Theater was a lifeline for me during my undergraduate time at Dartmouth. Though I had a grounding in Classics and a major in English, the study of drama brought literature to life for me. Acting classes and the dramatic theory course taught me that the craft of theater was as viable and fulfilling a discipline as anything else offered in any division of the Arts & Sciences. Dave Harbour '97's honors production of Hamlet; a wonderful Arcadia starring visiting artist Sam West; and Jim Steffensen's unforgettable Modern Drama class sealed the deal. In fact, it was through Prof. Steffensen's counsel in the theater department that I found my drama school, London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) and the courage to take on life as an actor. That legacy continues today under Professor Peter Hackett's leadership, with a faculty that's as dynamic as ever, and with a foreign study program that brings together two first-rate institutions: the Dartmouth Department of Theater and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. Few liberal arts colleges offer so much to those undergraduates who would take the performing arts seriously."
Craig Colfelt '95
Actor
Filmmaker/Editor/Director of Photography
"What does it mean to be a Dartmouth theater major? In my experience, it means classes with the most talented professors and theater professionals in the country, a supportive community in which you can take large risks and grow as an artist, and the resources of an Ivy-League institution. Beat that."
Wheaton Simis '08
Artistic Director, The Flea Theater
"As a student in the Department of Theater, I was surrounded by faculty, staff and students who encouraged both my academic and professional growth. I was pushed to ask rigorous questions of and think critically about the history, literature and performance traditions that we have inherited as theater makers. In my lab, the Hopkins center theaters and internships with exceptional institutions, I acquired the basic skills to enter the profession. Because the faculty has substantial relationships with their colleagues in the field, I was introduced to professional companies where I could contribute and continue to learn. I now can trace every professional opportunity I've had back to my undergraduate education and the relationships I forged with fellow students and faculty."
Niegel Smith '02
Lighting Designer
"I can't think of a better place to study theater than at a liberal arts college, and Dartmouth is one of the best. My experiences in Dartmouth's Theater Department offered me the artistic opportunities afforded in a conservatory setting, but with the bonus of a well-rounded world-class liberal arts education. The theatrical training I received in the Department left me fully prepared to begin my career. Years later, my Dartmouth education has been an invaluable asset."
Colin K. Bills '98
Freelance Lighting Designer
Lighting Designer
"My time at Dartmouth has been invaluable in my journey as an artist. The faculty and staff are knowledgeable, caring, and accessible, the students are dedicated and passionate, and the quality of production is high. I have been nurtured and challenged, and given opportunities rarely seen in an undergraduate education. My experiences at Dartmouth, both in the classroom and out, have laid a solid foundation that I am excited to build upon in the professional world."
Jen Reiser '09
Electrics intern
Centerstage, Baltimore
2009-2010 season
Stage Manager
"I spent all four of my years at Dartmouth buried in the Hop, and I don't regret a single day. The Dartmouth Theater Department introduced me to stage management (and every other aspect of production) and gave me the tools to build a career in theater. I was lucky enough to get to work with immensely talented people that I'd never have had the chance to meet elsewhere, such as Augusto Boal and the staff of the New York Theatre Workshop, and made connections both at Dartmouth and with visitors that have served me well in my professional life! I had the opportunity to work with some amazing professors and fellow students, some of whom continue to be mentors and colleagues today."
Sara Tantillo '01
Equity Stage Manager
Delaware Theatre Company
Alumni Spotlight Mindy Kaling '01
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