Special to The Swellesley Report courtesy of the Wellesley High School Bradford and Parents of Performing Students (POPS). This is one in a series of POPS Senior Profiles we’ll be publishing.

Actors often spend years fine-tuning their skills to best bring characters to life, but Kate Taplin ’24 doesn’t need a script to create a worthwhile presence. She is her own character. 

Taplin has been involved in drama for all four years of high school and participated in musicals all throughout middle school. Alongside acting, she is also a leader of one of the a cappella groups at the high school, A Cappella Anonymous; an Improv Troupe leader; a Rice Street singer; and a choir and metals intensive.

The first thing you notice about her is her authentic personality. Her body language speaks the words she tries to convey. Talking to Taplin is like watching a theatrical production itself. 

Whether talking about her mom, her role models, her friends, or her own involvement in drama, Taplin sure makes the conversation engaging. 

It doesn’t matter if it’s her hand gestures modeling the grandness of the stage or the way her voice perks up when she talks about her Letterboxd account (similar to a Pinterest board but for movies). Her passion for acting is apparent to even those who have not seen her on stage. 

Taplin’s first interaction with theater started at a young age. Sitting in the front row seat at the Boston Opera House, her inspiration began with the musical Wicked. “I remember sitting there, just staring, being so fascinated by people performing live on stage right in front of you. I think that was really one of the first moments where I was like, I need to do that. That’s what I want to do,” said Taplin.

Now, Taplin takes on the role of both actor and student director. She often helps Ms. Kara Sullivan, the drama and theater teacher at the high school, with directing by giving input. Among her fellow actors, Taplin takes on a strong leadership role. “She is a phenomenal leader. She has the crucial talent of anticipating a need and responding to it, and her energy in doing so is unwavering,” said Eva Meraw ’25.

“Kate is an exceptional actress who loves to do the work that it takes to bring her characters to life,” Sullivan said.

While Taplin enjoys having her moments on stage, she experiences the most pride and joy when she can see other actors engage in theater and have their “moment”. “It’s just moments when you see something click for another actor, and it transforms a whole scene and I fall back in love with theater. Seeing someone have a moment makes me realize why I love it,” said Taplin.

Although theater can be a test of self confidence for many when they perform, Taplin’s courageousness makes her stand out. “It doesn’t matter if she’s  performing a vocal jazz riff or delivering complex prose in old Victorian English: when Kate is on stage, she has the confidence and skill to just go into the zone and deliver,” said Eoghan Kelley ‘24.

One of the keys to Taplin’s success has been that shyness was never an obstacle. “This is silly to say, but my mom always told me I was never embarrassed. You can’t embarrass me. Which I think has totally been a tool, but also a weakness in some ways,” said Taplin. 

Taplin explains that, by definition, acting involves portraying characters that are different from oneself. So much of it comes down to risk-taking. She reports she is taking risks all the time. Whether she is auditioning, singing a solo on stage, or doing improv, she has found the confidence to take the risk and jump in fully. She goes on to point out that because she is so used to jumping in 100% of the time, she had to learn that in some settings, it is not always appreciated.

”Like in a class discussion for example, it is not always appropriate to raise my hand every time a question is asked just because I have something to say and I live ready to jump in. Sometimes, in certain settings, it is better to hold back. I am not used to holding back, it is not in my nature to hold back, so I had to learn when and how to do this,” said Taplin.

Taplin improves her acting by watching films, just like how a writer might read more to become a better writer. Oftentimes, Taplin pauses and rewinds movie scenes in order to understand how an actor is portraying a specific moment. 

“Her pure enthusiasm and knowledge about all sorts of media never fails to astound me. Beyond showing me some of her favorite movies that soon became mine, she can dissect a whole scene and it’s as if she was there when they filmed it. While the rest of us watch a movie to be entertained or just take in the plot, Kate sees artistry and craft in every scene. Her profound appreciation of film is remarkable,” reports classmate Kelley.

A second stage that draws Taplin’s attention takes place on ice with the props being sticks, skates, and pucks. Taplin is a huge hockey fan and closely follows the Bruins. She was also a hockey player when she was younger and loved the performance opportunities that participating in sports gave as much as acting.

Taplin will continue to pursue Drama and Film studies at New York University’s Tisch school this fall.

Article written by WHS Bradford’s Fiona Zhou ’24.

Special to The Swellesley Report courtesy of the Wellesley High School Bradford and Parents of Performing Students (POPS). This is one in a series of POPS Senior Profiles we’ll be publishing.

Not many students at the high school have performed in over thirty theater productions by their senior year, but Emma Gordon ’24 has. Gordon, now an intensive student in the Acting 4 class and a member of Keynotes, an auditioned choral group at the high school, first encountered singing and acting through the LINX Summer Camps at five years old.

“Ever since then I’ve really loved theater. I’m always singing show tunes at home,” said Gordon.

Since her debut at LINX Summer Camps, Gordon has been an enthusiastic member of the theater community. She has participated in most of the plays and musicals at the high school, including The Laramie Project, Eurydice, Something Rotten, and the high school’s most recent musical, Mean Girls. She has also taken acting classes, singing classes, and lessons throughout her 4 years of high school.

“I love being able to express myself on stage through other characters and channel my emotions into song. Every time I do another show it brings me more joy,” said Gordon.

Ms. Kara Sullivan, the theater teacher at the high school, and her friends have noticed this.

“She puts 185% into everything she does. Her passion and love for what she does radiates joy,” said Sullivan.

“She’s the most committed person to theater. She has stayed committed while she had large and small parts, and has always been trying to make it better,” said Madison Prowda ’24, Gordon’s friend and a fellow member of the musical theater community.

In the high school’s musical last year, Something Rotten, Gordon played Portia, one of the main characters’ love interests, who enjoys Shakespeare and poetry.

“I really enjoyed being able to perform as Portia because I was able to relate to her love of poetry with my love of theater and nerding out over the things you love,” said Gordon.

Not only does Gordon view theater as an important pursuit, but she also sees it as a way to connect herself with the people around her. Although she began performing for the joy of being on stage, she pursued it because of the people she met and connected with.

“Mean Girls has a really great sense of community, and so I’m friends with a lot of the cast, and we have really tight bonds,” said Gordon.

Her friends support her throughout her theater endeavors.

“My friends are my biggest cheerleaders,” said Gordon. “They always give me feedback on my auditions, come to my shows, and celebrate my victories, like when I get a part.”

Prowda said, “I went out to ice cream with her after Something Rotten because it was her first lead role.”

To continue to cultivate community through theater at the high school, Gordon started the Musical Theater Club, where students can sing and perform without the stress of auditions.

The club meets every Friday afternoon in the little theater, and is open to members of all grades. During meetings, they spend time practicing for their upcoming performance, or bonding over their shared love for the art. The club strives to put on one to two performances every year.

“I wanted to create a place that was inclusive of anyone who wanted to participate in theater,” said Gordon.

Gordon cares for all students in the theater department, regardless of whether or not they are a part of the school orchestrated performances. She takes pride in creating relationships and mentoring her peers, including those who are younger than herself. 

“She doesn’t divide herself from anyone else based on talent or age. She just has open arms all the time,” said Sullivan.

Because of  her commitment to the community within theater, Sullivan appointed her to the new Theater Council. This group works to organize cast bonding activities, make decisions regarding the theater program, and bring any suggestions or concerns from the rest of the theater department to Sullivan’s attention.  

After graduation, Gordon will attend Tufts, where she hopes to minor or double major in theater, and participate in the many student acting organizations.

Additionally, her experience as a theater counselor at LINX summer camps and helping in the high school’s Child Lab have led her to wanting to incorporate theater and working with children into her future career. With inspiration from Sullivan, she is even considering becoming a theater teacher.

“I enjoy mentoring and inspiring younger students and hope I can further their passion for performing as it has had such a positive impact on my life,” said Gordon.

Article written by WHS Bradford Co-Features Editor Alexis Lee ’25 & Staff Writer Sophia Weene ’24