Olena Hodges ’15

Growing up on Whidbey Island, WA, and being the daughter of visual artists, Olena Hodges ’15 , found herself as a young girl in the Whidbey Island Children’s Theatre, with dreams of acting in Romeo and Juliet from age four on. Graduating high school in 2006, she initially wanted a small school liberal arts education but ended up enrolling at nearby Western Washington University. There she took her first general acting class, which she loved. 

In 2008 she moved to New York and attended the Circle in the Square Theatre School from 2008-10. She loved the experience in NY but wanted to complete a degree in theatre arts. She knew all about the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) in Ashland and considered SOU’s program to help her achieve the degree.  She eventually moved to Ashland but didn’t start her course work, choosing to save some money. “I knew no one in Ashland or on campus and was completely by myself initially,” said Hodges. She secured a job as a barista at The Beanery on Ashland Street and got a part time position at OSF as an usher. There she met a few SOU theatre alums and she began classes as a transfer student winter of 2011. 

Very few of her previous courses transferred so she began her work as a sophomore in standing. “I absolutely loved the theatre program and professors at SOU. I was 22 at the beginning and felt much older than many of the students but it didn’t deter me from enjoying the program and its welcoming community,” she said. After one year in the program, she applied for and was accepted into the bachelor of fine arts (BFA) program where she joined a close-knit cohort of motivated and likeminded students. She particularly enjoyed the mentoring of Jackie Apodaca and Kyle Haden in the department and remains connected to them over a decade later. She also enjoyed the complete liberal arts experience, taking courses outside of her major like astronomy and history of metals in civilization. “I had an ‘experience it all’ environment in the program and I take that with me even to this day,” she added. 

Post-graduation she stayed in Ashland through 2015 then moved back to Whidbey Island. She accepted her first career position as the Marketing Director at the Island Shakespeare Festival (ISF). After a staff member departed, she stepped into the role of interim Artistic Director at ISF then the board of directors hired her permanently as Executive Artistic Director. “I love social justice and building passion and empathy with our theatre in our small local community. I am always looking for more ways to help this community that I love. This is exactly the place where we can educate and influence,” said Hodges. 

Her connections to SOU extend to her cohort and former professors, several of whom have directed in the summer at ISF. She is also involved with the Shakespeare Theatre Association and belongs to Theatre Communications Group for collaborative mentorship and teamwork. 

“My degree from Southern Oregon University taught me that theatre is, at its core, a collaborative art built through shared purpose. The program’s hands-on approach to every facet of production, from building props to painting sets, gave me practical skills and a deep respect for the work behind the scenes, both of which continue to shape how I lead as an executive artistic director today.”

Learn more: Island Shakespeare Festival