From the Triangle to the stage, Hannah Szemereta finds her voice at UNCSA

For North Carolina native and School of Drama graduating senior Hannah Szemereta, acting didn’t begin as a grand ambition. It started, like many artistic journeys do, with curiosity. 

In elementary school in her hometown of Apex, “specials” classes offered a first glimpse into performance. They joy in storytelling and imagination stood out immediately. By fifth grade, she took a bigger step, auditioning for a local community theater production — a cheerful, holiday show that marked her first real experience onstage.

“I always loved it,” says Szemereta. “But it wasn’t until high school that I realized this could actually be something more.”

That shift came during her sophomore year, when she was cast as Ella in “Cinderella.” The role, and the affirmation from a teacher who believed in her, changed everything. “That was the moment where I thought, ‘Oh, I might actually be good at this,’” she says. “It stopped being just something fun and started feeling like a real path.”

Around the same time, the pandemic reshaped how she trained. Through the Broadway Collective, she worked with mentor Robert Hartwell, whose influence helped solidify her discipline and artistic mindset.

“That year really changed how I approached the work,” says Szemereta. “It gave me a sense of what it takes to pursue this seriously.”

A leap of faith

Szemereta’s path to UNCSA wasn't exactly straightforward. She first discovered the school through a social media post from a fellow student attending the high school drama program. Intrigued, she applied, was waitlisted but unfortunately it was not in the cards fot that year. 

Still, she didn’t let that moment define her. Instead, she applied again — this time to the undergraduate acting program, knowing it would be even more competitive. "I took that as motivation and worked really hard my senior year in high school to be ready for my next audition," she recalls.

When the acceptance call came she remembers being told that they noticed and were impressed with her improvement over the last year. “That moment taught me what it means to find resilence and I knew what was meant for me won't pass by," says Szemereta.

Training beyond expectations

At UNCSA, Szemereta didn’t just refine her acting, she expanded what she believed she was capable of. Dance, for example, was entirely new territory.

“I didn’t really dance before coming here,” says Szemereta. “Now I can’t imagine not having it in my life.” Under the mentorship of faculty member Maggie Anderson, dance became both a technical skill and a creative outlet. Szemereta went on to serve as dance captain on three productions and even began choreographing her own work.

“That training changed everything for me,” she says. “It opened up a whole new way of expressing myself.”

Another unexpected turning point came in Shakespeare. Initially intimidated by the material, she found herself transformed by the experience. “It felt so far from me at first,” she says. “But that class completely changed how I approach acting.”

Through the guidance of faculty, she developed tools that now inform all of her work, regardless of style or genre. Across disciplines, from movement to voice to performance, Szemereta embraced the rigor of conservatory training while discovering new dimensions of her artistry.

“I’ve been able to do things here that I never thought I could do,” she shares.

Expanding the definition of an actor

One of the most defining aspects of Szemereta’s time at UNCSA has been her embrace of versatility. In addition to acting, singing and dance, she pursued specialized stunt training, an experience that revealed an entirely new creative path.

After receiving support through the Semans Arts Fund, she attended stunt school in Seattle, where she trained in fight choreography and on-camera stunt work.

I realized there was this whole part of myself I hadn’t been exploring...And once I found it, I couldn’t let it go.

Szemereta on discovering stunt work

“I realized there was this whole part of myself I hadn’t been exploring,” says Szemereta. “And once I found it, I couldn’t let it go.” That training quickly found its way into her performance work. In her final production, she executed complex fight choreography, including a physically demanding sequence staged in a thrust theater.

“It looked intense, but it was actually one of the most exciting challenges I’ve taken on,” she says.

The experience also sparked new creative leadership. She co-led a dance project, choreographed original work and created her own stunt film, stepping into roles beyond performer. “I think it gave me the confidence to start creating my own stories,” she says. For Szemereta, these experiences reinforce a larger truth about her field.

“A drama degree is so much more versatile than people think,” she says. “There are endless directions you can go… not just in acting, but in storytelling, communication, business, even marketing.”

Her minor in arts entrepreneurship and a marketing internship further broadened that perspective, helping her understand audience engagement, storytelling strategy and the business side of the arts.

Moments that shape the artist

Szemereta’s growth is reflected not just in training, but in the productions that defined her four years. Each project built on the last, offering new challenges and deeper artistic insight.

Her first major production, “Marie Antoinette,” introduced her to the collaborative energy of professional-level theater. “It was the first time I really saw what I wanted to be,” she says. “Watching the actors in that room was incredibly inspiring.”

In “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812,” she served as both ensemble member and dance captain — an experience she describes as one of the most joyful of her time at UNCSA. “That room was just magic,” she says. “It felt like exactly the kind of work I want to do.”

Later, “A Little Night Music” brought new responsibility, requiring her to step into a more demanding performance role within a large-scale production.

By the time she reached her final show, “The Moors,” Szemereta felt a shift. Not only was she a main cast member in the show, she also served as fight choreographer. “That was where everything clicked,” she says. “I felt more confident, more comfortable speaking up, more like myself in the work.” 

The role challenged her emotionally and physically, pushing her to explore extremes while integrating all aspects of her training including acting, movement, and fight choreography.

“It felt like going out with a bang,” she says.

Looking ahead

As she graduates, Szemereta carries with her not just a degree, but a fully expanded sense of what it means to be an artist. Her path forward includes acting across several mediums while continuing to develop her skills in dance and stunt work.

And all her preparation is leading her straight into performing in the 89th season of “The Lost Colony” production in Manteo, North Carolina, as a member of the ensemble and a fire dancer. 

Most importantly, she will leave UNCSA with a mindset shaped by both challenge and discovery.

“I’ve learned that you don’t have to limit yourself,” she says. “You can keep evolving, keep trying new things, and keep finding new parts of yourself as an artist.”

For Szemereta, that exploration is just beginning.

By Melissa Upton-Julio

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