ETHS has a longstanding history of excelling in performance. Recently, the ETHS Dance Company sent dancers to the State competition, and every fall ETHS Theatre department takes students on a trip to Stratford, Canada to enjoy a theater festival. But what about the students not directly associated with the ETHS performing departments? Walking through the halls, you have likely passed a more discreet performer – one that you may not have even suspected participated in the arts at all. These artists share their passions both inside and outside the walls of ETHS. While often overshadowed by the amount of students who do perform through ETHS, these artists have their own unique stories to tell. Whether it be the Actor’s Gymnasium on Noyes Street or acting in plays through The Musical Offering in Evanston, performing outside of school can be just as demanding (if not more) than performing with schoolmates.
“I think people are usually surprised when I tell them I do circus,” says senior Una Breen. Breen has had the best of both worlds performing in and out of school simultaneously for her first two years of high school. Breen has also participated in Orchestra at ETHS, playing violin. She has also brought her talents to The Actor’s Gymnasium’s teen ensemble. The Actor’s Gymnasium, located on Noyes Street, is a circus school and theatre company – the only of its kind in Evanston. While she enjoyed playing in the concerts, Breen ended her time with Orchestra after her sophomore year and turned her full attention to the Actor’s Gymnasium. “I’ve had a lot more fun with Actor’s Gym because I felt that it had a more individualistic approach to teaching kids how to perform,” reflects Breen.
Currently, Breen only performs with The Actor’s Gymnasium’s teen ensemble, where she takes classes, performs in showcases and does gigs with the ensemble throughout the community. Although it is time consuming, Breen considers it to be a more recreational use of her time compared to a sport, and has similar requirements as being in an orchestra. “It’s similar in that way. You have classes during the week and then you practice outside of that,” Breen comments. When she was a part of both, though, Breen’s days were packed with rehearsals during the day and practicing in her free time.
Performing out of school, and especially in an activity like circus, can be a conversation starter. “Circus is not a super common activity,” Breen admits. She says that once people find out she participates in it, “they are pretty interested and ask questions about it.” Performing outside of school also leads to less visibility from the ETHS community, leading to some common misconceptions. Circus is a victim of such misconceptions. “Sometimes people have the perception that it’s a circus of elephants and tigers!” Breen laughs. But sometimes it is that uniqueness that gives performers an edge in college applications. “Circus was a big topic in my essays. I wrote my personal statement about my experience with Actor’s Gym. It was a big highlight for my college application because it has been such a big part of my life.”
Circus has been a staple in Breen’s life since she moved to Evanston at age five, and she cannot imagine not doing it. “When I go to college, if there’s a local circus space I’ll look out for that,” she says.
Sometimes, performing out of school is a break from the stress of high school theatre. Lily Gliva, senior, has never performed in an ETHS Theatre production, but has participated in MoShow, a production through The Musical Offering, an Evanston-based music school that offers classes and theater opportunities for musically-inclined students. Gliva instead participates in ETHS Theater through Orchestra, playing in the pit for YAMO and the spring musicals. “There is a lot of spectacle for these types of performances, especially the spring musical,” Gliva says of the difference between ETHS Theatre and MoShow. “MoShow is such a unique experience because of how it’s all student-made and run,” Gliva observes. “Everyone really gets a chance to shine due to the smaller cast size.” And that is the main factor for many students; high school theatre can be oversaturated with talent and competitiveness, while out-of-school productions can provide more opportunities for a wider variety of roles.
Gliva agrees with Breen, “I think colleges really enjoy [seeing] unique experiences under an applicant’s belt.” For Gliva, the opportunity of acting in MoShow took her out of her comfort zone. “A lot of my friends in band didn’t know I was going to act in MoShow and thought I would be in the pit orchestra with them,” she states, “it definitely added another level of nervousness performing in front of my friends who’d never seen me act before.” And above all else, distinctive experiences such as these can bring people together. “The friendships I’ve made outside school performances are special, because even though you might not spend as much time together, it’s such a unique experience that you’re able to bond really quickly,” Gliva voices.
So, next time you are flipping through the yearbook and marveling at all the students involved at school, know that many of your peers have unique talents and passions not visible to the ETHS eye.
