Theatre is certainly a fun and rewarding hobby in high school, but doesn’t always seem to have the most straightforward career path for those interested in pursuing the field in college and beyond. However, three Xavier alumnae have successfully brought their passion for theatre outside the walls of Virginia Piper Performing Arts Center.

Molly Robinson ’05 explained how a Xavier teacher, Carol MacLeod, helped her realize that being successful in theatre doesn’t have to require being a star, but can also include behind the scenes jobs such as management and directing. Besides helping her realize her goal of a career in the performing arts, Xavier gave Robinson independence and confidence.

“Xavier not only gave me a foundation for hard work and critical thinking, it taught me that being an educated, intelligent woman is nothing to be afraid of,” Robinson said.

Robinson graduated from the University of Miami in 2009, where she developed her art further and learned how plays shape culture through storytelling.

“Being a performer at that school was not all about being in the spotlight, it was about the importance of transferring the story on a page to an audience willing to hear it,” Robinson said of her experience at Miami.

Today, Robinson has found her calling as a director at Childsplay in Tempe. “I absolutely love performing for children and being a part of what might be a child’s first theatrical experience,” she explained. Robinson still loves performing and is about to end a five-month tour of Schoolhouse Rock LIVE!

Another Xavier graduate, Hannah Zieser ’13, is currently exploring the exciting possibilities of a career in performing arts as a musical theatre major at Boston Conservatory.

Like Robinson, Zieser stresses how her passion for theatre originated in its capacity to tell a story.

“The performing arts, musicals, especially, express big ideas and values for the audience. The audience is supposed to ask questions and reflect without the need for answers. Theatre is never ever going to be the same, and that’s why it’s important,” Zieser stated.

Zieser has thoroughly enjoyed her experience thus far at Boston Conservatory, and has performed in two musicals on the main stage: “Merrily We Roll Along” and “The Pajama Game.”

This summer she will be performing professionally in New Hampshire as Wednesday Addams in “The Addams Family.” She has also been cast in the ensembles of “Sister Act,” “West Side Story,” and “The Taffetas.”

After college, Zieser hopes to pursue her aspirations by moving to New York City and auditioning for shows there.

The third Xavier alumna, Ali Getz ’14, is currently striving towards a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Southern California, where she still proudly rocks the Xavier bun.

“My Xavier education provided me with beneficial study habits, strong ability to analyze texts, an excellent work ethic and a greater appreciation of learning,” Getz said.

Theatre has always been her passion, and her favorite part is the sense of community that comes with countless hours spent rehearsing and performing with a cast that eventually becomes a family.

“It sounds so cliché, but your cast really does become your family.  You are so vulnerable in the theater because you put all of your passion on the table, exposed to everyone, and it makes for such a strong bond between you and your fellow cast mates.  To be able to go to work and have your co-workers know you on such a deep level, I can’t think of anything more special than that,” Getz described.

Getz hopes to one day repay all the support she has received in her youth by becoming a theater and music teacher. Before that, however, she has dreams of performing professionally in either Hollywood or New York.