The curtains part and the lights illuminate the Louis Theater as students step onto the shiny stage. The students are buzzing with anticipation for the performance they have been working on for five rigorous weeks filled with acting classes and rehearsal at The National High School Institute’s Northwestern University intensive acting and stage management program.
Since 1931, The National High School Institute (NHSI) has brought students to Northwestern University’s Evanston, Illinois campus for a transformative summer experience. Seniors Dahlia Saffouri and Jake Hanke participated in the 5-week-long NHSI Acting Intensive program.
According to NHSI, the program offers an immersive experience that blends rigorous training with creative exploration set within Northwestern theater facilities.
Students are commonly known as “Cherubs,” a name given to them by Northwestern Dean Ralph Dennis whose goal “to bring together gifted young people and superior teachers in an atmosphere of affection, knowledge, and trust,” is still upheld today. According to NHSI, students work with professional theater practitioners from around the country, and they are exposed to a multitude of performance styles while receiving training in a collaborative and supportive environment.
According to NHSI, the program is the oldest and largest university-based theater program of its kind. Saffouri said the program consisted of 123 students from across the country and covered various aspects of theater including acting, stage management, and design tech.
Saffouri said participants engaged in a demanding schedule, including stage management classes and rehearsals for a 60-minute play.
According to NHSI, the program gives students a taste of what their college experience may be like if they pursue a degree in acting or stage management.
“We were all held to a very high standard of professionalism and the program definitely focused on emulating that professional atmosphere within the performances and classes,” Saffouri said.
Hanke said he was particularly impressed by the diversity of student talent and the opportunity to work with peers who share his passion for theater.
“Everybody was contributing to the show and building sets or working on costumes or just doing little things to contribute which really fostered community within the program,” Hanke said.
Elise Marks, an English teacher and Cherubs alumni from the summer of 1998, still recalls the program’s lasting impact.
“Cherubs theater program helped grow my confidence and taught me lifelong skills and lessons I use in my everyday life. It was a great bonding experience to meet other people, a bunch of talented folks,” Marks said.
Marks and Saffouri said this emphasis on personal growth and independence is a timeless aspect of the Cherubs experience; they said the program built their confidence and offered valuable life lessons.
“Cherubs led me to trust my instincts and impulses and truly helped me realize that to be a great actor I need to let loose and have fun,” Saffouri said. “This program allowed me a taste of true independence and prepared us all for what acting in the future might be, but also fostered incredible friendships and personal growth.”
