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Junior Aiden Phillips is one of our best.

This “theatre genius” doesn’t stay in one corner of Performing Arts, but has instead successfully branched out and is already making a name for himself at 16.

“Aiden is not only dedicated to his craft, on a daily basis, but he’s a team player,” Theatre Director Ms. Amy Harpenau said. “Aiden will take any role I throw at him, whether big or small. That is the mark of true Thespian. The thespian motto is ‘Act well your part, there honor lies’ and he upholds that standard. Aiden is a great actor. He’s funny and he works hard to understand the materials he’s given whether he’s working on comedy, drama, or even Shakespeare. He’s a well-rounded student.”

Phillips says he plans to make a career in the entertainment world, specifically the performing arts. What many people do not realize is that there a many branches in the performing arts.

“The whole area of the performing arts, there are things I want to grow in and expound upon, and playwriting, for example is just another branch of theatre that I want to explore,” Phillips said. “I want to educate myself and submerge myself in all of it, because this is what I want to do with my life. There are way more degrees available in the Theatre Arts than just acting.”

Phillips has participated in two Actors’ Theatre of Louisville’s New Voices Playwrighting Contests.

“Aiden has expanded his skills into musical theatre, acting, and playwrighting,” Harpenau said. “With his successes with Actors’ Theatre of Louisville’s New Voices Playwrighting Contest, Aiden has been able to write and produce two original shows at a professional theatre during his high school career. That is so special and rare.”

Phillips started his playwrighting career during his freshman year.

“It was an assignment that I was required to do,” Phillips said. “My freshman year,  The New Actor’s Theatre came and did a residency with us and they helped us write our plays so I entered for the first time, but I didn’t get in [win the contest]. The second year, during my sophomore year, I was in the Theatre Education apprentice class and I wrote another play and it got in. This year, I wasn’t in a class, but I wrote one for fun and it got in.  I had such a good time writing last year, and I guess I fell in love with it.”

Phillips has been performing for six years and has been playwrighting for three years.

“I think the biggest thing is experience, and doing show after show,” Phillips said. “You learn something new from playing each different character from each different show and it you naturally grow as an actor, sometimes consciously and sometimes not.”

Phillips’s second play, “The Great Battle of Morgan and Grump: A Quest for Witches’ Rights”, will be performed by Actors Theatre of Louisville at the 13th annual New Voices Young Playwrights Festival, April 24-26. Shows start at 7 pm.

“Anybody can write a play,” Phillips said. “Make it about something that matter to you. My biggest thing is ‘say something’. It doesn’t matter what you want to say, but say it with heart. Whether it be ‘I want to entertain you’, ‘I want to make you laugh’, or ‘This topic matter to me’, go for it. Anyone can do it. Anyone can write about something they love. That’s the key to writing something good.”