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Hilltop Profile: Theater Director Hamzeh Mahadin - A New Chapter in Vermont Academy’s Theater Program
For Vermont Academy Theater Director Hamzeh Mahadin, theater has always been about more than what happens on stage. It is about connection and creating a space where every person’s voice matters. Originally from Jordan, Hamzeh came to Vermont Academy with a background in acting and directing and a deep belief in the power of both performance and education.
Hamzeh studied Theatre Arts at the University of Jordan, one of the oldest universities in the region, where he specialized in acting and directing. His interest in the arts began long before college with a person who remains an important influence in his life— his grandmother. “She loved watching films, and she'd always pull me onto the couch to watch with her,” he says. She would often tell him, “One day I'll see your name on the screen.” That simple sentence stayed with him. “I think some part of me has been chasing that sentence ever since.”
Although theater was an important part of his life, education was not initially part of the plan. After graduating from university, Hamzeh took a job teaching primarily because he was young and needed the income. At first, he saw it as a practical decision rather than a personal calling. That changed quickly. He discovered that the work was something he genuinely loved, both on stage and in the classroom. What began as a job became something much more meaningful, and that feeling has continued to shape his career.
Today, Hamzeh serves as Vermont Academy’s Theater Director, working closely with the Humanities Department, as a supporting role and teaches multiple theatre courses. Although this is his first year at VA, he already sees the school as a place where he can contribute to something larger than himself. “What I love most is being part of something being built,” he says. “Vermont Academy already has such a strong foundation for the arts, and I'm excited to bring new ideas into that foundation and grow it together with the department.”
His decision to come to Vermont Academy was influenced in large part by the school’s theater itself, Nita Choukas Theater in the Horowitz Performing Arts Hall. When he first learned about the program and began reading about the history of the stage, he realized that the space represented more than a physical building. “I understood right away this wasn't just a building,” he says. “It's a place that genuinely cares about art, and that's rare.”
That sense of appreciation has become an important part of how Hamzeh approaches his work at VA. In the classroom, he hopes students become more connected to their own perspectives and ideas. More importantly, he wants them to recognize their own value. “I want them to see how amazing they already are, and to learn to appreciate themselves,” he says.
His background in acting and directing also plays a significant role in how he teaches. Rather than separating the classroom from his professional experience, Hamzeh approaches his classes much like a film set, where every person involved has a role in creating the final product. “Every student's input matters to the process,” he says. “I need to hear from all of them to make it work.”
That collaborative philosophy reflects the nature of theater itself. A production depends on actors, directors, designers, technicians, and countless other contributors working together. For Hamzeh, the classroom can function in much the same way: students are not simply receiving information but actively contributing to the experience.
His approach to teaching is also shaped by the relationships that naturally develop within a boarding school community. One of the things he enjoys most about working at Vermont Academy is the opportunity to interact with students outside of class. “Living within the same community as my students, sharing meals with them even on weekends, not just seeing them in class, makes me feel genuinely attached to them in a way I really treasure,” he says.
That closeness comes with a responsibility he does not take lightly. For Hamzeh, being a faculty member at a boarding school means being present in many different aspects of students’ lives. “I hope they can feel how much I care about doing right by them,” he says. He sees teachers at Vermont Academy as occupying a role that extends far beyond the classroom. “Everything, really,” he says when asked what role teachers play in students’ lives. “I know that might sound like a cliché, but it's true.” At VA, he is not simply a teacher. He is also a friend, a neighbor, and a member of the same community as his students. “Everything I do here comes from that place,” he says.
The Vermont Academy pillar that resonates most strongly with him is Community. In a world he describes as a difficult moment in time, he believes that recognizing the people and opportunities around us matters more than ever. For Hamzeh, that appreciation is mutual. He appreciates what Vermont Academy has given him, while also feeling appreciated as a member of the community. “It might sound strange coming from someone who's 14 hours and seven time zones away from my family and friends,” he says, “but being in a place like this makes that distance so much easier to carry.”
Outside of school, Hamzeh stays connected to some of his favorite pastimes from home. He is an enthusiastic FIFA and NBA 2K player and enjoys both watching and playing soccer. While he enjoys those activities, he admits that what he misses most is sharing them with his hometown friends. There is another interest students may quickly discover if they spend enough time talking with him: movies. When asked for a fun fact, Hamzeh offers a more practical answer. “I'll give you a real fact instead of a ‘fun’ one,” he says. “If you ever need a film recommendation, I'm your guy.”
For new students arriving on campus, his advice is simple: have fun. “I really believe that if you can find the fun in whatever you're doing, even the stuff you don't love, you'll end up with the best possible outcome,” he says. “It changes everything.” That philosophy reflects the kind of environment Hamzeh hopes to create through his work at Vermont Academy, one where students can take their work seriously without losing their sense of curiosity, joy, and individuality.
His first year at VA is only beginning, but the connection he feels to the school is already clear. He came because he saw a community that genuinely valued the arts, and he has found a place where theater, education, and relationships can exist side by side. For Hamzeh, the stage is ultimately about people. Whether he is directing a production, listening to a student’s idea, sharing a meal in the dining hall, or recommending a favorite film, he sees his role through the same lens: creating connections and helping others recognize what they already have to offer.
And perhaps, decades after his grandmother first told him that she would one day see his name on a screen, he is still following that same invitation, to tell stories and bring the community together.
Back
Although theater was an important part of his life, education was not initially part of the plan. After graduating from university, Hamzeh took a job teaching primarily because he was young and needed the income. At first, he saw it as a practical decision rather than a personal calling. That changed quickly. He discovered that the work was something he genuinely loved, both on stage and in the classroom. What began as a job became something much more meaningful, and that feeling has continued to shape his career.
Today, Hamzeh serves as Vermont Academy’s Theater Director, working closely with the Humanities Department, as a supporting role and teaches multiple theatre courses. Although this is his first year at VA, he already sees the school as a place where he can contribute to something larger than himself. “What I love most is being part of something being built,” he says. “Vermont Academy already has such a strong foundation for the arts, and I'm excited to bring new ideas into that foundation and grow it together with the department.”
His decision to come to Vermont Academy was influenced in large part by the school’s theater itself, Nita Choukas Theater in the Horowitz Performing Arts Hall. When he first learned about the program and began reading about the history of the stage, he realized that the space represented more than a physical building. “I understood right away this wasn't just a building,” he says. “It's a place that genuinely cares about art, and that's rare.”
That sense of appreciation has become an important part of how Hamzeh approaches his work at VA. In the classroom, he hopes students become more connected to their own perspectives and ideas. More importantly, he wants them to recognize their own value. “I want them to see how amazing they already are, and to learn to appreciate themselves,” he says.
His background in acting and directing also plays a significant role in how he teaches. Rather than separating the classroom from his professional experience, Hamzeh approaches his classes much like a film set, where every person involved has a role in creating the final product. “Every student's input matters to the process,” he says. “I need to hear from all of them to make it work.”
That collaborative philosophy reflects the nature of theater itself. A production depends on actors, directors, designers, technicians, and countless other contributors working together. For Hamzeh, the classroom can function in much the same way: students are not simply receiving information but actively contributing to the experience.
His approach to teaching is also shaped by the relationships that naturally develop within a boarding school community. One of the things he enjoys most about working at Vermont Academy is the opportunity to interact with students outside of class. “Living within the same community as my students, sharing meals with them even on weekends, not just seeing them in class, makes me feel genuinely attached to them in a way I really treasure,” he says.
That closeness comes with a responsibility he does not take lightly. For Hamzeh, being a faculty member at a boarding school means being present in many different aspects of students’ lives. “I hope they can feel how much I care about doing right by them,” he says. He sees teachers at Vermont Academy as occupying a role that extends far beyond the classroom. “Everything, really,” he says when asked what role teachers play in students’ lives. “I know that might sound like a cliché, but it's true.” At VA, he is not simply a teacher. He is also a friend, a neighbor, and a member of the same community as his students. “Everything I do here comes from that place,” he says.
The Vermont Academy pillar that resonates most strongly with him is Community. In a world he describes as a difficult moment in time, he believes that recognizing the people and opportunities around us matters more than ever. For Hamzeh, that appreciation is mutual. He appreciates what Vermont Academy has given him, while also feeling appreciated as a member of the community. “It might sound strange coming from someone who's 14 hours and seven time zones away from my family and friends,” he says, “but being in a place like this makes that distance so much easier to carry.”
Outside of school, Hamzeh stays connected to some of his favorite pastimes from home. He is an enthusiastic FIFA and NBA 2K player and enjoys both watching and playing soccer. While he enjoys those activities, he admits that what he misses most is sharing them with his hometown friends. There is another interest students may quickly discover if they spend enough time talking with him: movies. When asked for a fun fact, Hamzeh offers a more practical answer. “I'll give you a real fact instead of a ‘fun’ one,” he says. “If you ever need a film recommendation, I'm your guy.”
For new students arriving on campus, his advice is simple: have fun. “I really believe that if you can find the fun in whatever you're doing, even the stuff you don't love, you'll end up with the best possible outcome,” he says. “It changes everything.” That philosophy reflects the kind of environment Hamzeh hopes to create through his work at Vermont Academy, one where students can take their work seriously without losing their sense of curiosity, joy, and individuality.
His first year at VA is only beginning, but the connection he feels to the school is already clear. He came because he saw a community that genuinely valued the arts, and he has found a place where theater, education, and relationships can exist side by side. For Hamzeh, the stage is ultimately about people. Whether he is directing a production, listening to a student’s idea, sharing a meal in the dining hall, or recommending a favorite film, he sees his role through the same lens: creating connections and helping others recognize what they already have to offer.
And perhaps, decades after his grandmother first told him that she would one day see his name on a screen, he is still following that same invitation, to tell stories and bring the community together.
Vermont Academy is a coed college preparatory boarding and day school in southern Vermont, serving grades 9-12 plus a postgraduate year.
