If sophomore Ella Hunnewell had to give her past self one piece of advice, she wouldn’t have to struggle to identify what that advice would be.

“I’d tell my younger self to try to connect and talk to everybody,” Ella said. “Everyone is so fun and talented; you’ll find something in common with everyone.”

In the spirit of trying to connect and talk to everyone, two years ago Ella decided to take a leap and join FHC’s stage crew. She helps with all the behind-the-scene work for everything from the fall plays to the spring musicals the theater department puts together each year. 

And while it might seem like Ella’s favorite part of being on stage crew would be getting to help put together the sets and working with the costumes and everything in between, her favorite part is actually the people. She treasures her interactions with the rest of the crew and everyone else that devotes their days to the plays and musicals.

“My favorite part [of] being in the theater department is feeling close to so many people,” Ella said. “When you’re in the middle of working on a show and can talk to anyone in the room and laugh with them, [it’s] the best [feeling].”

Since her freshman year, Ella has made way too many joyous memories to count when thinking of her experiences with stage crew. She enjoys each interaction more than the last and has found a safe haven in FHC’s theater department.

To Ella, stage crew is nothing less than a family with the theater as their home, complete with dinners where they all sit down and do nothing but eat and enjoy each other’s company.

“[I] can’t [recall] any one memory,” Ella said, “but my favorite times [are] always talking to people on the cast and crew during dinners when we can all laugh together and share stories [that are] so funny that water comes out of your nose.” 

On top of being heavily involved in the theater department, Ella spends her free time enjoying two things.

“I spend my free time like a little, old lady: knitting and petting my cat Herbie,” Ella said.

While Herbie brings Ella an inexplicable amount of happiness, one could argue that her spring sport brings her that same feeling. Ella loves the team environment more then anything else. And, like stage crew, the bond between her and her teammates is nothing short of a family.

Ella originally devoted her time to volleyball in 8th grade and freshman year, but she has since discovered a love for the spring sport of tennis.

Since making the varsity tennis team and playing doubles, Ella has found a sport with a family bond that mirrors the family experience stage crew holds.

“I love talking to my teammates and laughing from stories shared,” Ella said. “My favorite part [is] cheering on my teammates and hearing cheers during really good games.”