From Barstow to Broadway: Performer Returns to Campus
Haley Hannah ’06 has come a long way from her role as Head Ladybug in a first grade concert at Barstow.
This week, she performs in the first national tour of “Beetlejuice The Musical” at the Kansas City Music Hall. Hannah took time from her busy performance schedule to return to her alma mater on Friday, Feb. 21, where she spoke with middle and upper school students about a career that’s taken her to Broadway and across the country.
"It never occurred to me to do anything else," Hannah told students during her appearance. "By high school I was working with (Director of College Counseling) Mr. Hill and it was probably the first time he'd heard of someone wanting to pursue this (musical theatre performance) in college. So we looked at all the programs and the best one was the University of Michigan. That's what prepared my for New York City. There are a lot of ups and downs in this career, but if you can't see yourself doing anything else, you've just got to go for it."
Hannah appeared on the same stage where she played Ado Annie in “Oklahoma” during her senior year at Barstow. In “Beetlejuice,” Hannah’s roles include Dance Captain, Swing and understudy for Barbara, Girl Scout, Juno and Maxine Dean. She appeared on Broadway in “Bring It On,” and on first national Broadway tours of “A Bronx Tale,” “Flashdance” and “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical.” A gifted singer, Hannah also performed with Demi Lovato and Jonas Brothers on “Good Morning America.”
After graduating from Barstow, she received a BFA in musical theatre performance at the University of Michigan. In 2023, she earned a Master of Arts in Public Policy with an emphasis in Nonprofit Management. She is deeply involved in arts development through nonprofit programs and professional instruction for dance and theatre intensives.
She reflected on her time at Barstow as she arrived on campus with her mother. "I said to her as we were walking up, 'I have never worked harder in my life than I did in this building.' But the constant work paid off. When I went to college, I didn't feel like it was harder than Barstow. I felt really prepared for it."
Hannah told the audience that she considers her biggest achievement to be doing the the work she loves, with a community she loves, in a city she loves, with a husband she loves. She also encouraged students to discover their passions by participating in the varied opportunities Barstow offers.
"I'm fortunate that so many years later, I am still doing the thing I was passionate about when I was a kid. I learned so much here by having the access to do everything. For me that included trying new things like speech and debate and improv. When you get out of your comfort zone, those are the things you take with you."
Back
"It never occurred to me to do anything else," Hannah told students during her appearance. "By high school I was working with (Director of College Counseling) Mr. Hill and it was probably the first time he'd heard of someone wanting to pursue this (musical theatre performance) in college. So we looked at all the programs and the best one was the University of Michigan. That's what prepared my for New York City. There are a lot of ups and downs in this career, but if you can't see yourself doing anything else, you've just got to go for it."
Hannah appeared on the same stage where she played Ado Annie in “Oklahoma” during her senior year at Barstow. In “Beetlejuice,” Hannah’s roles include Dance Captain, Swing and understudy for Barbara, Girl Scout, Juno and Maxine Dean. She appeared on Broadway in “Bring It On,” and on first national Broadway tours of “A Bronx Tale,” “Flashdance” and “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical.” A gifted singer, Hannah also performed with Demi Lovato and Jonas Brothers on “Good Morning America.”
After graduating from Barstow, she received a BFA in musical theatre performance at the University of Michigan. In 2023, she earned a Master of Arts in Public Policy with an emphasis in Nonprofit Management. She is deeply involved in arts development through nonprofit programs and professional instruction for dance and theatre intensives.
She reflected on her time at Barstow as she arrived on campus with her mother. "I said to her as we were walking up, 'I have never worked harder in my life than I did in this building.' But the constant work paid off. When I went to college, I didn't feel like it was harder than Barstow. I felt really prepared for it."
Hannah told the audience that she considers her biggest achievement to be doing the the work she loves, with a community she loves, in a city she loves, with a husband she loves. She also encouraged students to discover their passions by participating in the varied opportunities Barstow offers.
"I'm fortunate that so many years later, I am still doing the thing I was passionate about when I was a kid. I learned so much here by having the access to do everything. For me that included trying new things like speech and debate and improv. When you get out of your comfort zone, those are the things you take with you."
-
-
Haley Hannah '06 is an actor, dancer and singer who discovered a love for performing at The Barstow School. Music teacher Kristi Mitchell and theatre director Bob Kohler were two of her instructors.
-
Hannah spoke to middle and upper school students about the impact of her Barstow education and her college and professional experiences.
-
She is currently appearing in the first offical tour of "Beetlejuice The Musical," at Kansas City Music Hall through Sunday, Feb. 23.
-
