Sometimes, even the shortest moments can leave a lasting impact on friends, students or even an entire community. And sometimes, all it takes is one person.
Joining GA at the start of the 2025 school year, Mr. Jared Eberlein, Belfry’s Theatre Director and Upper School Theatre Arts Teacher, has become involved in the school’s theater program by directing productions such as “Shrek the Musical” and teaching theater classes. Reflecting on his first year at the school, Mr. Eberlein has enjoyed getting to know both students and staff.
“I feel really supported and welcomed by both my colleagues and the students that I’ve had a chance to work with,” Mr. Eberlein said. “It’s been a really warm welcome, and I can’t for next year.”
Mr. Eberlein especially appreciated students’ willingness to embrace new ideas and participate in activities together.
“A favorite memory of mine is when everybody was auditioning and doing this sort of warm-up. It was this Shakespearean style over the top, like big comedic sort of game,” Mr. Eberlein said. “And I remember having a huge group of students, about 30, who were willing to engage in the warm-up. They were all sort of buying into this goofy activity, and I felt welcomed [by the students].”
The same warm-up that stood out to Mr. Eberlein also became a meaningful part of the experience for students involved in the production, helping to create a stronger sense of community within the cast.
“During ‘Shrek the Musical,’ we did full cast warm-ups using Shakespearean methods,” Bella Burnett ‘28, a student in Mr. Eberlein’s acting class and an actress in “Shrek the Musical”, said. “It helped us bond as a community, and it was really fun and helpful.”
Before arriving at GA, Mr. Eberlein taught at Northfield Mount Hermon located in Western Massachusetts for 8 years. There it was a different community with a different schedule. While the transition brought familiar support from students, adjusting to a shorter class period proved to be a challenge.
“Coming from 70- or 80-minute classes and going down to like 50 minutes sort of feels really rapid,” Mr. Eberlein said. “It’s taken me some time to understand how to best use 50 minutes. It’s sort of like a Rubik’s Cube I had to solve.”
Students have also noticed Mr. Eberlein’s efforts to make positive change both on stage and in the classroom.
“It’s hard to jump into a new community, and adjust to all of these new things,” Burnett ‘28 said. “But he’s doing a very good job as new teacher and director.”
Trying to make the most out of his time in the classroom, Mr. Eberlein hopes to introduce new ideas to the wider GA community, including students and faculty who may not be involved in theater, or to alumni who may otherwise lose touch after graduation. One developing project that reflects this is a Belfry podcast.
“I’m really excited about the prospect of starting a Belfry podcast,” Mr. Eberlein said. “It’s still in the beginning stages, but by next spring, we’ll have a game plan for launching a Belfry podcast. It will connect current students with alums and faculty, serving like a network that will peel back the curtains of the performing arts at GA and out in the world.”
As his first year at Germantown Academy comes to a close, Mr. Eberlein continues to build connections with students while developing new opportunities for the theater community. Through productions, classes and future projects like the Belfry podcast, Mr. Eberlein hopes to further strengthen the role of performing arts at GA.