Gordon Reinhart, a professor in the Department of Theatre, Film and Creative Writing at Boise State University, reflected on his nearly three decades of teaching in a statement released on Mar. 12. Reinhart discussed his journey from teaching violin lessons as a child to becoming an established figure in Boise’s theatre community.
Reinhart said his mother, who was a schoolteacher, inspired him early on. “I can remember her taking me into her third grade classroom when I was in preschool,” Reinhart said. “I can still see the light in the room, the chalk dust, and I just fell in love with it.”
After studying violin as an undergraduate and earning an MFA in acting, Reinhart’s musical background led to roles such as Amadeus Mozart in “Amadeus.” His professional path shifted when Richard Klautch invited him to Boise as a guest artist. “He and I were good friends in Detroit and then, years later, he got the gig here in Boise and asked me if I would come as a guest artist,” Reinhart said. “I directed a play with the students and had a blast. I thought, ‘what a beautiful area’, and that’s when I got excited about teaching again.”
Since joining Boise State’s faculty, Reinhart has acted and directed for local organizations including the Idaho Shakespeare Festival and Boise Contemporary Theater. He recently directed Bertolt Brecht’s “Life of Galileo” at the Danny Peterson Theatre—a collaboration with the Department of Physics—which featured Klautch returning to campus for a sold-out performance.
Reflecting on his time at Boise State, Reinhart said: “The department functions as a pretty good team. And the environment is largely positive.” Looking ahead, he is planning next year’s production of “A Christmas Carol” and developing his own play titled “Dead Week and the Final,” supported by a School of the Arts AI Fellowship.
Reinhart will perform “Dead Week and the Final” on March 27 during Treefort performances on campus. He is also set to appear in “Ajax” by Habib Yazdi at Boise Contemporary Theater from April 22 to May 9.
