Today we’d like to introduce you to Hope Mackenzie.
Hi Hope, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My name is Hope Mackenzie! I graduated from Oral Roberts University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Applied Theatre. During my final year of undergrad, I knew I wanted to pursue a full time job in theatre. I attended UPTA (the Unified Professional Theatre Auditions) in February of 2024. While there, I met Clark and Melissa Nicholson, co-founders of Gamut Theatre Group. Immediately, I felt a sense of home with the two of them. We had the loveliest conversation about the necessity of theatre for communities. As they explained their heart and vision for their company, I KNEW it was the place I wanted to work. A week later, I received a job offer to be a resident Core Company Actor and take over their Public Relations position. Now, in 2026, I’m coming on two years at the company and plan to stay for a third contracted year. Clark and Melissa truly grafted me into the “Gamut Fam.” I have felt nothing but love and support here, all the while we’ve made some beautiful art and impacted the community!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Moving away from home is never easy. I had never even been to Pennsylvania before I accepted the job here! I left everything I knew. However, I have been met with such a profound sense of belonging and family. Gamut Theatre practices what they preach. They are inclusive, welcoming, and loving to everyone who walks through their doors.
Also, pursuing a career in the arts brings its own unique set of challenges. Though I work here, I still have to audition for our Main Stage season of shows. I have had to face rejection and competition with dear friends. And that is HARD. But it’s worth it. Also, I have chosen to pursue my passion as my career. For career artists, there is more on the line than just the company. Your HEART is on display. You’re risking your sense of self, your sense of purpose. But again, I have found, over and over again, it is so incredibly worth it.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Gamut Theatre operates with a Actor Manager model. This is similar to how Shakespeare’s theatres would have functioned. The Core Company of actors do work on and off stage to keep the company running smoothly. I act in all of our Popcorn Hat Players Children’s Theatre shows, our Educational Shakespeare productions, and our Mainstage season. But I also run all of the marketing for the theatre. We have someone who runs the box office, someone who runs the production teams, etc. And we all perform as well! Oh, AND we all teach classes for children during the week! It’s a BUSY job, but it’s SO fulfilling.
My job as PR Manager involves drawing all of the show art, designing show programs, maintaining Gamut’s website and social media presence, sending email campaigns to our patrons, writing articles for local newspapers, coordinating photo shoots for actors and costume designers, working with directors to advertise each show, and so much more! I also teach two different classes at Gamut. My classes are my favorite part of the job! I teach an introductory acting class for beginning students, and a more advanced class for middle schoolers. I write scripts for them and we work on building their skillsets as actors and developing their sense of self, creativity, and confidence. It’s a blast! I WISH I would have had something like Gamut growing up.
I’m most proud of how my colleagues and I maintain a wholistic approach to theatre. Yes, it’s a business. We have to maintain certain revenue to keep going. But it’s more than that. It’s art. It’s community. It’s for the people. It’s for the families. As the person responsible for Gamut’s brand, there is no manipulating involved. It’s easy to put out content that showcases Gamut’s bright and vibrant atmosphere when that’s the true nature of the place. Rather than cultivating moments to share online– I simply capture what we’re already doing. There is some beautiful art being made in this building. There are genuine lives being shaped and formed here. My job is just to show that to the world and bring others in. I love it.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
I think the theatre industry is in a critical transition right now. With the rise of easily-accessible, fast-paced entertainment, many people don’t make as much of an effort to get out to live performances. However, the ones that do see the impact. There is something magical about being in a room and knowing that the show you’re seeing is unique to that crowd, that night. There’s no pausing, no skipping. When the curtain rises, you’re in it for the whole ride. I think the world is craving that. I think the future of theatre is in the youth. I’ve seen how their mental health changes for the better as they realize that they have the capacity to be the heros of their stories. They have the power to TELL their stories. This is life-changing stuff for a young person to realize in 2026. I think that the more we invest in them, the more we’ll see the arts grow and thrive. And, as history has shone us, when the arts thrive, the civilization thrives. The community thrives.
Pricing:
- MainStage Tickets $15 – 39
- Popcorn Hat Players Tickets $10
- TMI Improv Tickets $10
- Donations always welcome!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.gamuttheatre.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gamuttheatregroup/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gamuttheatre
