Katelyn Hurd knows who she is and what she wants. That hasn’t always been the case, but her journey as an actor has transformed her. She credits the theatre community at UMKC and Kansas City with helping her grow as a performer and as a person.

Hurd is a junior studying theatre and English. She came to UMKC from a small town in Kansas, where acting opportunities were few and far between. Her introduction to theatre came from her older brother, who unknowingly changed her life.

“When I was in eighth grade, my brother had to work the concession stand at the high school’s fall play,” Hurd said. “I was going through some hard things, so he took me with him to get me out of the house. I sat in the back row of this low-budget high school play, and I just knew that this was going to be my thing. I started acting when I got to high school. My first show was ‘Leaving Iowa,’ and my brother was in it with me. I have him to thank for everything, because he took me to that first play.”

After her freshman year of high school, Hurd transferred to a larger school in a town with more opportunities to get involved in theatre. From doing virtual plays during Covid to acting in ‘Mamma Mia,’ she knew she didn’t want to leave that world. That’s where UMKC and Kansas City came into play.

“I was backstage during ‘Mamma Mia’ my junior year and remember thinking how sad I was to only have one year of this left,” Hurd said. “I realized right then that I wanted to do this forever. My senior year of high school I was president of the drama club and hit the ground running. That’s when I chose to go to UMKC. There are so many community and professional theatres in Kansas City that I knew I could get involved in, along with the Conservatory.”

In addition to Conservatory productions, Hurd has been part of performances with Summit Theatre Group, City Theater Independence, Pearson Productions and Gladstone Theatre in the Park. She’s also auditioned at numerous other places in the metro area, experience she values even if she doesn’t book a part.

“There was some culture shock when I first came to UMKC. I would audition for shows and not get any part,” Hurd said. “I did 23 auditions my freshman year, and I only got cast three times. That didn’t happen for me before that, because there wasn’t a lot of competition where I lived. It’s taught me so much though and really pushed me to work harder.”

Hurd credits the theatre faculty with supporting her and reinforcing the ups and downs of a career in theatre. She said they’re straightforward and transparent, but also encouraging and supportive. While Hurd took theatre classes during high school, she’s found significant value in the classes she’s taken at UMKC and the professors she’s learned from.

“I am the person in class who asks a question and then has three follow-up questions,” Hurd said. “I can ask such specific questions and they have the answers, and that’s been so helpful. I know I can go to them for advice about the industry too, because they’ve been there and have that experience.”

As an aspiring actor, most of Hurd’s experience was on stage until she came to UMKC. The theatre curriculum includes practicum classes where students are required to work backstage during productions to learn more about technical areas such as lighting, sound, set construction and costumes. Hurd says that experience has made her a better performer and theatre community member.

“One thing I learned early is that it doesn’t matter how good you are, it matters how you treat people,” Hurd said. “Experiencing the work backstage helps you better understand what’s going on around you and connect better with the people in those roles. Theatre is about community, and creating a strong community makes for a better experience and performance for everyone.”

The Conservatory community has played a prominent role in Hurd’s growth, both as a performer and as a person. While you might imagine the environment to be competitive, Hurd says the community is supportive of each other. She studied abroad in Glasgow, Scotland for a semester, an experience that helped her appreciate what everyone brings to the table.

“I can be a competitive person, and that shone through my first year here,” Hurd said. “Going overseas really helped me ground myself. I’m confident in what I can do and I’m not trying to compete with everyone around me. It really changed the lens I see through from competitiveness to inspiration. I want to learn from others around me and root for their success.”

Studying at the University of Glasgow introduced Hurd to people from all over the world. She saw that everyone had different backgrounds, approaches to theatre and acting styles. She embraced the opportunity to learn from them – an experience that changed the way she views herself and contributed to her personal growth.

“You can respect other performers for what they do well and still trust yourself and your abilities to perform,” Hurd said. “Somebody else's ability to do something well doesn't mean that you also can't do it well. If you’re always comparing yourself to somebody else, you’ll be miserable. I know, because I was. Now I trust myself. I can watch one of my friends perform and do amazing and it doesn’t affect how I think of my own abilities. I know I’m here because I’m capable too.”