From the big musical “The Prom” in winter to the smaller “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” in spring, Hill theater certainly didn’t disappoint last school year. Last year, we were fortunate to have had a talented group of senior students in theater and theater tech, who have contributed greatly to the success of Hill theater. Despite their graduation, Peter Gorneault, theater technical director, and Sienna Licata ’25 emphasize the new opportunities for incoming students.
“[It] is not the large downfall people keep painting it out to be,” said Licata, expressing confidence in the future of Hill theater. Both Licata and Gorneault believe that the seemingly smaller cast and crew won’t affect production quality. It simply means that new people, who may have previously felt intimidated, have more chances to step up and join the team.
Licata encourages everyone to keep an open mind. Just because the next senior class may have fewer arts-focused students, it isn’t disaster. “It just means there’s even more opportunities [for others], and leaders in my class will still be there to guide everyone.”
Gorneault shares this sentiment. “The nature of high school is that you get good, and then you go. I see our graduates as success stories, and some exceptional ones at that.” He’s proud of the graduated students and how well they led the technical crew, producing “some of the best pieces of technical production our stage has ever seen”, and Gorneault believes the new members will grow into leaders too, continuing the legacy of Hill theater. He has faith in the artistry and dedication of Hill students and is confident the new crew will produce a year of theater just as great as the last. Gorneault also encourages everyone to watch the upcoming student-directed production, led by Sienna Licata.
Licata ’25 is writing, producing, and directing the second student-led production at Hill in the spring of 2025. She’s basing her original play on “Demian” by Hermann Hesse, a German coming-of-age novel discussing post-World War I philosophical ideas. She promises her version will be “far from dry, even if that book doesn’t sound like your thing right now.”
As of now, everything is still being written, but Licata provided a small overview of the cast: “There’ll be a main cast consisting of 3-4 leads, with a plentiful ensemble that will rotate different characters and have special moments.” She plans to create something symbolic, darker, and more abstract than last year’s comedy-focused shows.
“When I wrote my original proposal, I knew I had people behind my back I could count on,” Licata remarked. She’s excited about Hill’s theater community and believes that the new cast and crew for the 2025 spring production will handle the play well.
“Everyone is truly so different, and I’ve learned something from every person I’ve acted with here, no matter their experience level or grade.” Licata ’25 is honored to be able to have her work in the blackbox theater. She is incredibly grateful for all the staff and people who are/will be in the department this year, and she cannot wait to see what Hill will accomplish.
Hill theater has always been a community, and with every loss comes new talent. With each new year, the theater group evolves, encountering new challenges. Licata is confident that Hill theater will continue to thrive, and offers some advice for anyone looking to join theater this year: “Play louder. Sing louder. Take risks. Put yourself out there. Here’s your chance, so show everyone what you can do!”