He has also lent his talents behind the scenes. He was president of the Harvard-Radcliffe Dramatic Club (’03-’04) and served as the Club Coordinator (’02-’03) in addition to working behind the scenes as a director for, “How I Learned to Drive,” which was performed in the Loeb Ex in 2003.

Post-graduation plans are up in the air, and though Hodgson hopes to work in theater in some capacity, he’s skeptical of his future as a professional actor, given the cut-throat reputation of show business.

“If nobody’s heard from me or of me in ten years, I guess that’ll mean I tried to be an actor,” he says.

For now, fans can look forward to his upcoming performance as Apollo/The Old Man in “The Oresteia,” on stage through May 27..

—Alyssa N. Wolff

KARINA A. MANGU-WARD ’05

Whether she is a producer, stage-manager, or master electrician, Leverett House resident Karina A. Mangu-Ward ’05 is always in her element.

In honor of her long-term involvement in student theater, the Office for the Arts at Harvard (OFA) is presenting Mangu-Ward with the Louise Donovan Award. Each year the OFA chooses one senior each year to receive the Donovan Award in recognition of “outstanding work behind the scenes in the arts,” according to their press release. Mangu-Ward has worked on more than sixteen productions over the past four years.

Mangu-Ward began dabbling in backstage work in her high school in Alexandria, VA. When she arrived at Harvard, she was unsure if she wanted to pursue theater until she was approached by Jeremy Blocker ’04, who at the time was directing a production of “Yeomen of the Guard.”

“I continued to work as a stage manager for Jeremy Blocker’s productions in the Ex and on the Mainstage, while also working as a master electrician in other spaces on campus.

Junior and senior years, I worked on Visiting Director Projects [sponsored by the OFA] with Jay Scheib and Scott Zigler,” Mangu-Ward says. Scheib directed “Lorenzaccio,” while Zigler directed “Balm in Gilead.” Mangu-Ward stage-managed for each.

Though she took one semester off, Mangu-Ward continued her work as a master electrician.

“During my sophomore year I decided it was what I wanted to do and got on the Harvard-Radcliffe Dramatic Board (HRDC),” she says. She began devoting her time to tech work, and she also became treasurer of the executive board of the HRDC, where she served for two terms.