For Megan Shaw ’26, theatre has been a constant throughout her Viewpoint journey. A dedicated performer in Choir, Voices Now, and Theatre, Shaw will continue her artistic and academic journey this fall at Wagner College, where she plans to study Theatre Education.

Shaw's love of theatre began at a young age, and one of her earliest Viewpoint memories helped inspire her connection to the stage. As a child, she visited backstage during an Upper School production and joined the cast for warmups.

"Being a part of that group, just for those five minutes, meant so much to me," Shaw said. "It's one of the main reasons why I signed up to do my first musical at Viewpoint in Sixth Grade."

Since then, Shaw has appeared in every Viewpoint musical, including productions staged during the pandemic. This year, she took on the lead role of Cady Heron in Mean Girls.

"Playing Cady in Mean Girls was honestly a dream come true," Shaw said. "It was surreal getting the opportunity to play her as my final role at Viewpoint."

While performing has been a significant part of her journey, Shaw's experiences working with younger students helped her discover another passion: teaching.

"The thing I love most about teaching kids how to perform isn't teaching them the song lyrics or blocking," Shaw said. "It's helping them gain the confidence to perform in front of people."

This year, Shaw worked alongside Mrs. Dietsch and Mrs. Roskowinski on the Middle School production of Matilda, an experience that reinforced her desire to become an educator.

"Getting to know each student on not only an artistic level but a personal level showed me how much of an impact I can make on students' lives," Shaw said.

Shaw credits both Mrs. Roskowinski and Mrs. Dietsch with helping shape her journey as an artist and future educator.

"They've both been my teachers since Sixth Grade and have always been so supportive and encouraging," Shaw said. "Not only are they incredible teachers, but they are also incredible people. Their continuous hard work inspires me every day."

Looking ahead, Shaw hopes to use theatre as a way to help young people build confidence and find their voices.

"When I was younger, I used to be really shy, and theatre is what ultimately broke me out of my shell," Shaw said. "I want to give kids that same feeling I got when I stepped on a stage as a kid."