Best of BC: Joe Hetterly ’21 M.F.A. on Working in the Theater Industry

“As a medium, theater is something I have always loved over other forms of expression,” says Joe Hetterly ’21 M.F.A. “There’s something unique to the live nature that is different from visual art, a book, or a documentary film. It is a form of storytelling that centers on a live gathering with a community.”

The draw of the stage nudged him toward his ultimate career early on. He recalls seeing shows at a young age that sparked his curiosity.

“As I got older, I became fascinated in not only how theater can create empathy,” he says, “but how it can encourage the audience to examine their relationship to the story. Theater is this interesting space that can hold a mirror up to the audience, challenging individuals to recognize the difference between the storyteller and their personal experience.”

Hetterly, originally from Brooklyn, spent his later childhood in Delaware and eventually returned to New York City to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in acting at Marymount Manhattan College, where he graduated in 2015 as valedictorian of his class. As an actor, Hetterly began to note inequities in the industry, such as the environmental impact of the waste generated by the theater, the immense harm caused by some of the stories it chose to tell onstage, and the toxic culture perpetrated behind the scenes.” He realized the business side of the industry held the power to change these structures, so he enrolled in Brooklyn College to pursue his master’s degree in performing arts management.

As a programming budgets associate at the renowned Public Theater, Hetterly works with a team to ensure that the budgets for all programs mounted by the theater align with the nonprofit organizational principle that “theater is an essential cultural force and that art and culture belong to everyone,” he says.

“I think some of the challenges of working in theater, specifically in the United States, is that we are working in a system that is oppressive and has marginalized and exploited different communities,” says Hetterly. “There’s a responsibility in managing budgets and resources that I find interesting. To me, budgets are moral documents. Allocation of resources tells a clear story of what is valued at an organization.”

One of the more pressing issues Hetterly faces is helping to create a space for authentic storytelling to thrive in the theatrical community.

“For that to happen, one first has to determine what systemic, financial, and institutional barriers are in place that need to be dismantled and rebuilt to provide further access,” he says. Viewing this challenge as an opportunity, he believes budgeting can hold the key to unlocking a more equitable ecosystem within the performing arts world.

Hetterly says that his time at Brooklyn College helped prepare him for his current mission.

“My fellow classmates and I were all so varied in our backgrounds. Each person’s area of expertise and perspective added to the rich environment and the interesting conversations we had. The symbiotic exchange of ideas and experience stands out the most,” he says.

He notes that he cannot name any favorite faculty members because he remains impressed by all who guided and supported him and continued to do so after graduation.

“There’s a real intentionality in the community that I found at Brooklyn College. It is something truly special and I will forever be grateful for my experience.”