Wherefore Art Thou Katherine?

While most incoming freshmen were nervously writing new roommates, repeating teary good-byes to high school friends, and making endless trips to Bed, Bath & Beyond, Katherine Creel ’05 was transforming into the Bard’s beloved Juliet. She starred in Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival's Romeo and Juliet, which in some ways, served as her own unique orientation to Vassar.

Many members of the Vassar community have worked with HVSF, a critically acclaimed regional theater located at Boscobel Restoration, a Hudson River estate in Garrison, NY. Professor of English Donald Foster has delivered several pre-show lectures, Mike Hamrah ’02 managed the box office for the 2001 season, senior Kristy Geslain has been working with HVSF since high school, as an apprentice, actor, and costume and makeup designer, and Mike Riggs ’99 has designed lighting for the festival’s past three seasons.

Having Vassar folks around was helpful for Creel, who shuttled between her own freshman orientation and the evening performances at HVSF, which ended Sep. 2. She said that she is "very thrilled" to be attending Vassar, as it was her first choice, and that HVSF was a positive lead in to college. "Being in the show has been a phenomenal experience,"Creel said. "I am very proud of it."

For more information on the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, see www.hvshakespeare.org.