Michelle Wetherbee is Dana Hall’s new technical theater director, and this fall, she’s guiding students through their work on Radium Girls, the fall play. “‘I say yes to new opportunities, and if I don’t know how to do something, I figure it out,” she says, setting the tone for her hands-on approach to teaching technical theater.
Working alongside Director of Theater Daniel Morris, Ms. Wetherbee teaches technical theater to Middle and Upper School students. Their shared tech theater backgrounds enable their collaboration: “We can talk to each other, use the same phrases and terminology, and always be on the same page,” Ms. Wetherbee says. Mr. Morris agrees, “She’s fun and productive, and we’re having a great time working together.”
Ms. Wetherbee enjoys the differences between teaching middle and upper school students. “Middle schoolers are way more energized,” she says. “For the introductory tech theater class, we’re just getting acquainted with the basics. In the Upper School, it’s more about design, processes, and really starting to find your voice as a designer.” She prepares her students for the practical side of theater: “On top of our normal class curriculum, we have big days to prepare for the show, like big paint days and build days. I try to scaffold in the knowledge they need for painting before we actually have our paint day.”
Upper School students appreciate her approach. “I like it! She’s really organized. I actually look forward to doing tech at the end of the day!” says Gigi Ramaswamy ’27. “I really like how on top of things she is,” adds Ella Madan ’27. “She’s fixing things up and making the shop more organized, which makes it a lot easier to get work done.”
Mr. Morris also praises her extensive experience. “I liked that she had run her own shop before,” he says. “She has a variety of experience in all elements of tech—lighting, sound, scene, and costumes—and she’s also taught before, which is really rare to find.
Ms. Wetherbee’s journey in acting began in high school, and in college, she blended acting and technical theater together. “I was always building sets, building costumes, and also acting in shows.” Today, while working at Dana Hall, she’s also pursuing her graduate degree at Emerson College.
When she’s not at Dana, Ms. Wetherbee has plenty to keep her busy. She has two dogs: Frannie, a Rhodesian ridgeback mix, and Dakota, a Doberman husky mix. “I like to say my hobby is collecting hobbies,” she laughs. Whether spinning yarn, growing vegetables in her garden, or playing Dungeons & Dragons, she’s always pursuing new interests. “Currently, I’m trying to turn my garden into a miniature farm like the one I grew up on,” she says, mentioning that she even has a craft room/office for her various hobbies.
Despite her packed schedule, Ms. Wetherbee still makes time to enjoy theater. Her favorite musical is In the Heights. “I love Lin Manuel Miranda!” she says. “The main character’s Dominican, and it warms my heart to see my people’s music on stage. It makes me so happy.” She also finds joy in supporting her friends’ work, like attending a recent production of Les Miserables for which her best friend was a stage manager.
From growing up on a farm to building sets and acting in college, Ms. Wetherbee brings a well-rounded perspective and spirit to Dana Hall’s theater program. Her enthusiasm for theater and technical theater shines through, whether teaching a class, spinning yarn, or preparing for her next creative hobby.
Image source: Ms. Wetherbee