Ms. Caitlan Guillen
(FreshStart-School Happiness Guardian)

I never realized it, but I've always come from a creative family. 

My father and grandmother are very talented visual artists, a skill that was inherited by my brother. I decided to take my creativity on another route. 

In high school, I decided on a whim to audition for the school play. I had zero expectations and would have been happy as "Tree #4". Even so, I started memorizing lines before I was cast as anything!

The play at the time was Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. 

I was cast as Juliet.

Through the rehearsal process, I found the text came very easily and I was so eager to learn more about theatre.

​Who knew that a shy, introverted girl would end up finding her passion in theatre? 

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I took my passion to university and will be graduating with a degree in Theatre Arts. While my passion and love for theatre started out and still continues with acting, I have found other elements to the craft that have interested me, like audio and scenic design, and makeup and costume design. Theatre allows me to have a creative outlet and add some color to everyday living. 

Why do we make art? I believe it stirs emotion in other people, whether it be happiness or sadness. Such art pieces can have a large impact on someone's life. Art can inspire the people around us, too. My hope is that everyone has a little piece of art in their lives, whether it be theatre, music or visual artistry. 

​As the School Happiness Guardian, I plan to bring new ideas to the studio to help us grow into the future and lend my creative brain to new projects in the studio. I enjoy meeting all the wonderful FreshStart families and I'm excited to lend my creativity to upcoming recitals and future events. 

Outside Work

When I'm not in the studio (or school), I like to spend time with my friends and significant other. I enjoy going to theme parks and arcades. During my free time, I enjoy finding something new to watch on Netflix or Hulu (recently, I've been enjoying documentaries and stand-up comedy).

​I’m always on the lookout for new places to travel and find new adventures. The world is so large and I plan on seeing a lot of it!