Hoffert Enjoys Theatrical Productions Along with Swimming

Junior Hannah Hoffert has found a family away from home on the Carnegie Mellon University swimming and diving team and as a member of the Scotch'n'Soda theater club.

Hoffert joined Scotch'n'Soda the spring of her freshman year.  Scotch'n'Soda is a completely student-run club dedicated to the development of student-written theatrical works and educating the campus community on all aspects of theatre.  For instance, Stephen Schwartz, a Grammy Award winning composer and Carnegie Mellon graduate (A'68),began writing songs for Pippin during his time as a student which is now a long-standing Broadway show, and it was first performed here at Carnegie Mellon by Scotch'n'Soda.

"I wanted to be involved in the club before I even got to Carnegie Mellon, but I wasn't sure I would have enough time as swimming is a big time commitment and so is the club," Hoffert explained. "I waited until after swim season was over and I joined the tech crew of the club for the carnival show and have been involved ever since."

Scotch'n'Soda puts on five shows a year: one around Halloween, one in December, one in February, one at carnival (in April), and one in May.  In addition to the five shows, the club also has an improvisation troop, a sketch comedy troop, and a work-shopping group where they take student works and build them up so they are ready for production.

There are many different ways for students at Carnegie Mellon to be involved in Scotch'n'Soda.  Hoffert, a mechanical engineering major with a minor in drama, where she is hoping to focus more on the production side, has found her niche in the group.

"I am interested in the 'tech' portion of the club which involves everything from costumes to sound and lighting, carpentry, set design, props, hair and make-up, and many other facets of theater," Hoffert said.

Last year for the Scotch'n'Soda carnival show, Hoffert was the head costume designer on the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.

"It was the best," Hoffert said. "I had been the assistant costume designer for the show before that, but being the head designer was a lot of fun and was a really great learning experience for me because I had never taken on such a big responsibility in a group."

It is a completely different world getting to see what happens behind the curtain and what all goes into putting on a production.

"People see the show up on stage, but there is a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes," Hoffert explained. "It was rewarding to be able to design the costumes for each character, make them, and see them on stage."

During her sophomore year, Hoffert began participating in Scotch'n'Soda year round along with being a member of the varsity swimming and diving team.

"I can't be as involved in Scotch'n'Soda as much during the swim season, but I still help out anywhere that I can and once January rolls around I am able to take on more responsibilities and leadership roles in the club," said Hoffert.

The show for this year's carnival will be chosen in the upcoming months, and the leadership roles for each show will be filled by applicants from the club.

"Being chosen for a leadership role on the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee show was amazing," Hoffert said. "It was great to see that other people in the organization knew what I was capable of doing and chose and believed in me to be the head costume designer."

"Hopefully, I will be able to fill another leadership role in a future show," Hoffert added.

With such a large time commitment, Hoffert is the rare student involved in Scotch'n'Soda and a varsity sport at the same time.

Hoffert feels lucky to be a part of two distinguished groups that both have family-oriented atmospheres.

"Scotch'n'Soda is a family just like the swim team, once you join you are part of that family," Hoffert said.  "The swim team is a little more serious and focused (in a good way), whereas the personality of Scotch'n'Soda, while still being focused, is more energetic and creative. In both groups though, there is a strong sense of family."

Hoffert, a freestyle sprint and middle distance swimmer, has been in the pool since she was three or four years old and began swimming competitively when she was 10.

"I love being on the swim team," Hoffert said. "I have never been on a team before where it was so team-oriented instead of individually oriented, which is something that I like so much better because rather than solely focusing on me and my times, I am focused on team goals."

"It is a lot of work, a lot of time, and a lot of dedication, but the friendships I have made through swimming and Scotch'n'Soda mean so much to me," Hoffert continued.

Hoffert looks forward to competitively diving into the water on October 25 at Case Western Reserve University where the swimming and diving team will begin its season and is also excited for the reveal of the January show for Scotch'n'Soda.

For more info on Scotch'n'Soda click here.