Joseph Mitchell, a new technical theater teacher at WHHS, started off participating in theater productions at Xavier as an actor, designer and technician.

“I went to Xavier where the theater program there is: even if you come in doing one thing, you’re kind of going to end up dabbling in everything,” Mitchell said. “So I came in just as an actor, and then when we were doing shows, we were able to participate in every way on every show.”

His experiences in college level theater not only shaped his skills, but sparked an interest in helping others discover their own creativity. With a Bachelor’s degree in Science in Theater Education from Xavier University, Mitchell decided to take his interest in the world of theater and spread his knowledge to students of his own.

Mitchell started here as a student teacher in Fall of 2023, and has been impressed with WHHS since then.

“I just remember being so impressed with how the theater program was, and then with Walnut as a whole — how big it is, how much it accomplishes and how ambitious and intelligent the students are,” Mitchell said.

Starting his first year of teaching, Mitchell is extremely excited to teach costume and stagecraft I. He hopes his students can gain a passion for theater through their work.

“As I have prepared to be a teacher, I’ve thought about how a lot of teachers can teach you about whatever subject they’re teaching, but the really, really great ones tell you, ‘No, this is why this is important or interesting,’” Mitchell said.

Mitchell’s vision for the theater program involves setting an inclusive tone.

“I want to make sure that as good as these shows are, [and as much as we are] continuing to keep up that quality, that we’re also able to [say], ‘This is a space where everyone can be involved,’” Mitchell said.