Student artist of the month: Konrad Hedges ’26

A multi-talented performer since childhood, Konrad Hedges ’26 has been dancing since he was three, singing since the age of nine, and acting since sixth grade. Now in his senior year of high school, he’s juggling a cappella, theater, and auditions for college so he can turn his passion into a career. Hedges plans to attend a musical theater program to expand the community he’s built around musical theatre, but still stand out with his signature comedic style.

How would you describe your comedic style in acting?

I think comedy is a genre that comes really naturally to me. That’s something that’s sort of just ingrained in my personality, which is why I often play comedic roles. I also love dramatic roles, even though I haven’t gotten a chance to play those as much. In musical theater college program auditions, you have to do a comedic monologue and a dramatic monologue, a comedic song, and a dramatic song. The programs that I’m auditioning for definitely look for dichotomy within a performer.

How have you grown as an actor and singer?

As an actor, you’re always growing and developing your art. Acting is a very unique art form because you get better at it the more you progress through life. Acting is based on emotional experience, and unlike dancing, your acting gets deeper and deeper the more you age. In terms of technique, I’ve been training for almost a decade now, and it’s really just consistency and discipline that is gonna get you to grow more as both a dancer and a singer, but it is your love for the art form that will bring it alive.

What was your experience doing theater in middle school like?

I met some of my closest friends doing shows at Princeton Middle School, and I knew I always wanted to be a performer, but doing the musicals at PMS really solidified that for me. Just being able to work with such a close, tight-knit group of people that were so passionate about putting on beautiful and incredible productions was so enlightening to me, and showed me the beauty that was possible in theater, and really made me want to spend the rest of my life doing it.

What is it like to be a member of Around 8?

Around 8 is so much fun. The social aspect of it is just as important as the incredible performances that we put on. I’ve gotten to know these people in my a cappella group Around 8 so well, and I love all of them so much. I personally thinkd you get to know people in a way that you never usually would by creating art with them, and I think that’s beautiful. Joining an a cappella group at PHS is one of the best ways to discover your own personality and identity by creating art with others.

Do you have any specific dream roles or musicals?

Yes, I have a list. I’m so glad you asked. Here are my top three as of right now: Anthony in the play “I & You,” the baker in “Into the Woods,” and Oliver from “Maybe Happy Ending.” “Into the Woods” is phenomenal, a brilliant exhibition of human psychology and behavior, and also just beautiful.

What advice do you have for people who would want to follow in your footsteps and go into that same kind of career?

Don’t follow in my footsteps. You can use me as motivation, but focus on your own footsteps. Love what you love and never be apologetic for it, put the work in, be disciplined, and be consistent, show up every day. If you do that, you will be great. Where do you see yourself in the future? I see myself hopefully using the art form that I’m pursuing to make the world a better place. I really think that musical theater is an art form that has such a wide reach. So many people go to Broadway and they love it. I really do think that musicals can teach people to watch other people storytell, and that allows them to empathize with people that they might not ever notice. That is something that is incredibly beautiful and powerful about musical theater.