Since her Whittier College days, Betty Hart ’90 has made a name for herself in the world of professional theatre. With years of dedication to her work, Hart has become an award-winning actor with a truly impressive résumé.
Hart’s major roles this year included Queen Elizabeth in the Colorado Shakespeare Festival’s production of Richard III, and the titular character in Aristophanes’ classical Greek drama, Lysistrata. There seems to be a common thread connecting Hart’s recent performances: they each make a crucial statement about social justice.
The political themes explored in Richard III resonate with modern audiences. Likewise, Lysistrata conveys strong contemporary feminist themes in its story of women who recognize their social disadvantages, but are able to join together in solidarity to rise up against injustice. In plays like these, Hart uses her voice as a performer to spread social awareness and incite change through art.
Hart’s work doesn’t end when she steps offstage. When she isn’t busy performing, she is the lead facilitator with the experiential learning team for Kaiser Permanente’s Arts Integrated Resources department, where she organizes educational theatre and interactive exercises to help students learn about health and safety. Under Hart’s lead, Americans for the Arts named Kaiser Permanente Colorado one of the Top 10 Best Businesses Partnering with the Arts in America.