Addie Barnhart is an actress, director and associate professor of theatre at Creighton University. After directing the recent theatre production “William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night,” Barnhart recalls favorite memories of her career so far and shares her aspirations for future productions at Creighton University.  

Barnhart grew up in the Midwest and got a Master of Fine Arts degree in acting from Louisiana State University. Throughout the twists and turns of life up to this point, Barnhart never imagined where her career would take her.  

“Sometimes I am shocked that I’ve returned to the Midwest,” Barnhart said in an email. “And yet here I am, living the career path I imagined for myself when I decided to pursue a graduate degree. Sometimes it’s hard to remember to practice gratitude for accomplishing the goals I set out to achieve at 20, 26 and 32 when you’re living the chaos of those dreams.”  

Barnhart left her imprint upon many theatrical productions at Creighton. Barnhart shared that her favorite musical to direct at Creighton University was “Heathers.”   

“The music is incredible, our production team was excellent and the cast was perfect for the show,” Barnhart said. “I’m really proud of that one.”  

However, Barnhart’s recent direction of “Twelfth Night,” along with several other theatre productions, amassed several creative undertakings.  

“I almost always have sound as a central component of my directing projects; ‘Eurydice,’ a play by Sarah Ruhl that I directed in Fall of 2023 had original music as well, and underscoring/sound design was a huge part of my production of ‘Puffs Or: Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic’ by Matt Cox in Fall of 2022,” she said.  

There have been two theatrical productions that have stood out to Barnhart: “Puffs Or: Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic” and “Ugly Lies the Bone.”   

“I loved working on ‘Puffs’ because I’ve been a huge fan of the Harry Potter universe since childhood and my dog was in the play with our students,” Barnhart said.  

“Ugly Lies the Bone” by Lindsey Ferrentino, however, was different for Barnhart, who “loved the challenge of directing” the play.   

“It was a beautiful and impactful piece of theatre that followed the journey of a female combat veteran who deeply wounded on her third tour of Iraq and how she has to adapt and reintegrate to civilian life as a different person,” Barnhart said. 

The play was livestreamed during the pandemic. Productions such as “Ugly Lies the Bone” can embody the encapsulating spark of theatre towards audiences.  

“Theatre takes risks and imagines ‘what if,’” Barnhart said.  

“I know that not every genre and story is going to appeal to me, but I know that someone out there might be inspired or touched by something happening through the power of live storytelling and that is something that truly cannot be recreated in a digital medium,” Barnhart said. “We have the power to educate, communicate, and entertain and to do that as a career is such a gift.”  

There is much in store for the future of Creighton’s theatrical productions and Barnhart’s Creighton career. The 2025-2026 season has already been scheduled, as seasons get scheduled two years in advance. From Oct. 1 to Oct. 5, audiences can watch “William Shakespeare’s Long Lost First Play (abridged)” by Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor.   

“We also have ‘The Nutcracker’ back in the dance program in November, ‘Tigers Be Still,’ a contemporary comedy by Kim Rosenstock, and ‘Nunsense the Musical’ with music, book and lyrics by Dan Goggin,” Barnhart said.   

While there are more theatrical productions to come for Creighton, there have been many lessons learned from the past.  

“Success is how you define it. Comparison to other people’s careers and journeys only breeds jealousy and contempt, and social media is only a sliver of reality. Don’t let the surface of someone else’s experiences make you resent the path you’re on – progress isn’t linear,” Barnhart said. “Be curious; if you are a life-long learner and want to be in this industry, you will find your way.”