Professional performance begins here

Wright State musical theatre major Evelyn Vortriede plays Jackie Coryton in the Human Race Theatre Company’s production of “Hay Fever.” (Photo by Judd Plattenburg)

The strength of the acting program first drew Skye Hodgkin and Evelyn Vordtriede to Wright State University from Michigan and Missouri, but it was the fine arts environment that landed Wright State the starring role of the college in their lives.

Right now, audiences can have fun seeing the skills Hodgkin and Vordtriede have shaped within that environment as they share the stage in “Hay Fever” with Dayton’s Human Race Theatre Company. It’s a comedy by Noël Coward playing at The Loft Theatre through April 19. View showtimes and purchase tickets.

From their first experience with Wright State, they both talked about the intangibles.

“I felt like they saw me the most,” said Hodgkin, a senior acting major, recalling her initial visit to Wright State and the people she met during her trip. “Like, I felt the most human at that audition.”

Acting major Skye Hodgkin as Sorel Bliss in a performance of “Hay Fever.” (Photo by Judd Plattenburg)

The feeling of belonging helps create the space to do more than perform; it’s where transformation becomes possible. It provides a foundation for growth that deepens through experiences built into Wright State’s program, like opportunities to work with professional actors in productions like “Hay Fever.”

Vordtriede, a junior musical theatre major, auditioned for more than 20 schools before choosing Wright State for its balance of excellence and support.

“The standards are high, but it doesn’t feel overly competitive,” said Vordtriede. “Everyone is kind … and when it’s time to work, we know it’s time to work.”

That’s important as students step from academia into the working world. “Hay Fever” was rehearsed over the course of three weeks. Hodgkin and Vordtriede worked alongside experienced actors, navigating a faster pace and higher expectations than a typical university production.

“It’s been a great stepping stone,” Hodgkin said. “Going from an academic environment into a more realistic, professional environment.”

But the biggest shift wasn’t the pace — it was in mindset. The experience allowed them to develop trust in their training. For Hodgkin, it was freeing.

“They’re so kind to themselves,” she said about the pros they are working with. “They don’t take anything too personally.”

That sparked a change in how she observes and approaches her own work.

Vordtriede was also leaning in to lessons from her castmates.

“You’re expected to come in and do the work,” she said, describing the difference between making adjustments based on constant feedback versus short directives and reliance on her preparation and instincts — an essential step toward becoming a working performer.

For Wright State acting graduates, working is the point. Alumni of the acting program are as well known in the industry for the strength of their work as their ethic.

“Wright State workhorses,” said Hodgkin. “That’s what people in New York call our acting and musical theatre majors. Because if you want to get something done, and you want it to be done well, you get someone from Wright State.”

Opportunities to perform in productions like “Hay Fever” help the university continue that tradition.

For audiences, the result is a fun performance that can help you forget your phone, your politics or your problems for at least 90 minutes. For the students, it’s something more lasting — an opportunity for growth that shapes how they see themselves, and the roles they’ll play next.

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• • Box Office and Current Season
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