We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Brinn Hill. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Brinn below.
Brinn, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?
The best thing that my mom did for me was expose me to everything possible. Growing up in rural Missouri, she didn’t have access to a lot of the things that I did growing in up Milwaukee Wisconsin. She signed me up for every sport and activity I wanted to try. We went to museums and sporting events, and to the theater and the symphony and the ballet. I not only learned a lot about the topic at hand (such as learning the rules of football at a football game, or different instruments at an orchestra concert) but I learned a lot about how to behave in different spaces, and about all kinds of different people from all over the city. I’m so thankful that my mom signed me up for an acting class when I was seven; little did she know it would start me down the path that is now my career.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
When I was a young person I was quiet, shy, and introverted. My mom signed me up for many different activities to help me socialize and get out out of my shell. I danced, played soccer, and even took fencing classes, but acting was the thing that stuck. I started acting when I was 7 years old, and came to First Stage, where I now work, to take classes when I was 10. I continued in theater throughout my childhood, and I decided to major in theater and drama in college. My goal wasn’t to be an actor, but I knew that I couldn’t live without theater in my life. It was a Drama in Education class that I took as a junior at UW Madison that sparked my interest in theater education. I learned about arts integration and teaching through theater, and I knew that was it. After graduating I went straight into a licensure to Master’s program at Cardinal Stritch University. After completing my license, but before graduating with my Master’s, I tried and tried to find a job teaching high school theater. I went to interview after interview; completed application after application, but no results. I reached out to a former teacher (who was the Education Director at First Stage) for advice, and she was hiring! Not for a high school drama teacher job, but for a few different part time teaching artist jobs. I would be teaching elementary school students, in topics ranging from science to literacy to acting. It was not what I had planned, but I took the leap, and I loved it! Throughout my time at First Stage I have held many positions. I’ve been a teacher, an after school coordinator, an administrator, and now Education Director, but throughout it all my favorite title continues to be Ms. Brinn.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of my field is my students. Watching my students grow year after year as artists and as people is why I do what I do. I’m lucky to have a job which allows me to see the immediate and long term impact that theater has on young people.
In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?
Celebrate the arts! Support the arts. Buy tickets, see shows, visit galleries. Donate your time or money. Expose your children to the arts! Work to keep the arts in schools! You don’t have to be an artist to appreciate the arts and the impact that the arts have. The world needs patrons, arts appreciators and donors just as much as we need artists.
Image Credits
John O’Hara Michelle LoRicco Julie Hill Lehr Paul Ruffalo