THEATRE INSTRUCTOR ZACH HARTLEY’S JOURNEY TO TEACHING AT MT. HOOD

Some classes put you to sleep but have you ever been in a class that features such powerful acting it brought you to tears?

I joined Zach Hartley for the last 20 minutes of his Fundamentals of Acting class one day. Even in that short time it was very clear to me the passion he has for teaching, and the care he takes to coach his students through the Michael Chekhov acting technique – a technique in which he was certified to teach through the Great Lakes Michael Chekhov Consortium.

Two students performed so well in their exercise that day, the tension they were able to create on that studio theatre stage, it left me unsettled, as well.

Hartley’s father was an airline mechanic and due to union strikes the family would always move around the c ountry, going to places where his dad could still work. Hartley’s parents were both amateur musicians, which allowed him to get exposure to singing and playing music. And at 12 years old he witnessed a production of “Camelot” starring well-known Robert Goulet.

Hartley also he has always been a fantasy and magic fanatic. As the 12-year-old watched people sing and swing swords around on stage, it inspired a life-long passion for the thespian craft – which we are so happy he shares with us here at MHCC.

Hartley went on to study theatre at Ohio State University for his bachelor’s degree and earned a Master’s of Fine Art in Theatre/Acting from Kent State University. About a year ago, after thinking (and dreaming) about it for a long time, he and his partner chose to move to Portland. As it turns out, the pair drove from Baltimore to Portland, only stopping in Las Vegas to tie the knot!

One of the striking things Hartley told me is that he would like to make theatre kinder, more inclusive, and a space “full of ease.” I believe this is a very wholesome goal for a teacher to have.

This Fall quarter, the Mt. Hood Theatre Arts program is putting on two plays to actively practice this goal.

One is “A Thousand Cranes,” which Hartley explained “is the story of Sadako Sasaki, a girl who was 2 years old and living in Hiroshima when the first atomic bomb exploded only two miles from where she lived.

“This story is celebrated worldwide, especially with festivals and events in Japan,” he continued. “It is a beautiful and uplifting piece.” And one that, surprisingly is made for children – suitable for Mt. Hood’s traditional Fall Term children’s focus. Also, I have never thought about the story of Hiroshima from this perspective, which brings some Japanese culture for the audience to embrace on stage.

The other, more adult-oriented production being put on by the thespians of MHCC in November is the story of “SeedFolks,” set in Cleveland, which Hartley considers to be one of his hometowns.

“It’s about a community coming together to make their little part of Cleveland a better place by making a community garden. It’s funny, sad, meaningful, and goofy all at once,” he said.

It’s a great combination of a Japanese play and a play rooted in “Americana” that Hartley is directing for Mt. Hood, with performances set throughout the month of November. The schedule may be found at: mhcc.edu/TheatreArtsPerformanceAuditions/

Ken Perez

Editor-in-Chief