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Hunter Malvitz: A Center Stage alum fueled by big dreams

Hunter Malvitz: A Center Stage alum fueled by big dreams

January 24, 2025

For Center Stage High School Musical Theater Program alum Hunter Malvitz, believing in your dreams has been an important theme throughout his life.

From the time he was young, Malvitz knew he loved to entertain. He says he used to perform in his living room for family members.

So, when Southern Door High School joined the Center Stage Program in 2021, it was like destiny. In 2022, Malvitz accepted the Community Achievement Award on behalf of his school for, appropriately, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. He says that experience rerouted the trajectory of his future.

“Majoring in Musical Theatre was not something I thought about until after I received the nomination and performed at the Center Stage Showcase,” said Malvitz.

In 2023, he became a student ambassador for the program.

“I am very thankful for the Center Stage Program. It helped me realize that I want to pursue a career in the arts. The arts are vital to society, and I would like to express my gratitude to the Center Stage Program for what it has done and continues to do for high schoolers."
Hunter Malvitz, Center Stage High School Musical Theater Program alum

That year, Malvitz was nominated for Outstanding Performance in a Lead Role for his portrayal of Gomez Addams in The Addams Family, and performed in Medley 2 during the 2023 showcase. He says the opportunity was like a dream come true.

“It was a surreal experience being able to perform for a large crowd. It was also a big moment because I was the first person from my high school to ever be nominated for an award at the showcase, so being able to represent my school and community was a huge honor for me,” he said.

“The Center Stage Program helped me become more confident in my performing abilities as well as opened new doors for me. The program introduced me to so many talented people who share the love of theater. Most of these people I am still in contact with, and I have even performed with a few of them after high school.”
Hunter Malvitz, Center Stage High School Musical Theater Program alum

Now, Malvitz attends the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, majoring in Musical Theatre with an Art Administration certificate. He is also the assistant show choir director for Old Abe Show Choir at Eau Claire Memorial High School, working with more young dreamers like himself.

To his students, Malvitz is a living example of pursuing your passion because he says becoming a music educator is something he always aspired to pursue in his career. And that tenacity, he says, is his best piece of advice.

“Never stop dreaming and don’t let an opportunity pass you by. The program unlocked countless possibilities that I would never have considered. I know that the younger me, who would perform for his family in the living room, would be proud that I’m making his dream a reality.”
Hunter Malvitz, Center Stage High School Musical Theater Program alum

The Center Stage High School Musical Theater Program is an educational initiative of the Fox Cities P.A.C. with support from corporate partner Fox Communities Credit Union. Additional partners in this program include Johnson Financial Group, Nicolet National Bank, Angelo and Jennifer Ninivaggi, Schneider Foundation, Star98, WFRV, and Wipfli LLP. Programs like the Center Stage High School Musical Theater Program are also supported in part by contributions to the Center’s Annual Partner Campaign.