Today we’d like to introduce you to Hillary Talken.
Hi Hillary, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
As a young girl, I always knew I loved music. I had parents who grew up as athletes, and who were incredibly encouraging of my musical aspirations, but didn’t necessarily understand them. In the summer after my sixth grade year, my mom found a musical theater summer camp to enroll me in, and from there, I was hooked. Now, 15 years later, I am the Director of Community and Culture at that same theater company, First Act Theatre Arts!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Every journey has its twists and turns, but I think for me, it has been figuring out an efficient way to combine my love of music making and my passion for cultivating community and then transforming that into a career. I graduated college in spring of 2019, and returned to Kansas City to take a job as a church musician. All the while, I was still involved with First Act as a vocal teacher, music director, and director. Then, of course, in March of 2020, everything about my career was suddenly up in the air as arts organizations had to completely overhaul everything they were doing.
I am proud of how First Act navigated those years, but they were not easy. We put up shows with zero budget for sets or costumes, spaced actors six feet apart at all times, and live streamed the shows from our small Overland Park studio. I think those years taught all of us how to be more resourceful than we had ever been, and set the stage for the next phase of First Act.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
For over 25 years, First Act Theatre Arts has provided student centered theatrical education in a faith based environment. Located in Overland Park, First Act offers classes, camps, and private lessons in all things musical theater. First Act also produces around a dozen Broadway style productions every year, all with casts of students ages 8-18. We have alumni who have performed on Broadway, national tours, and in regional theater houses!
One of the things that sets First Act apart is our HEART Program! HEART stands for Helping Encourage Awareness and Recognition in Theatre. Through the HEART Program, students with developmental disabilities are able to fully participate in our programming. All of our students benefit from this inclusion, and I know it was a defining factor of my adolescence as I worked alongside peers with disabilities.
When you ask our students and families what their favorite thing is about First Act, nine times out of ten, they will talk about our community. Our parent volunteers form tight knit communities as they build our sets, create costumes, and sell tickets and refreshments. Our students return to participate in more classes and shows because they feel seen by staff members who embody our mission to foster a positive, inclusive environment.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I trust my gut in most, if not all, scenarios. If my intuition is telling me something is a good idea, I will follow that path!
On the other side of that coin, if I am not having a strong gut feeling one way or the other, I tend to take a lot more time to form a conclusion. It’s an interesting dichotomy to live with on a day to day basis.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.firstactkc.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/firstactkc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/firstactkc
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/first-act-theatre-arts
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFkRW5ZjUj-HajM4OOtPY_g
