George

Washington High School

655 South Monaco Parkway
Denver, Colorado 80224
720-423-8600

10/16/13
To Whom It May Concern:

It is with great pleasure that I recommend Kayley Olson as an exceptional theater artist, student, and leader. I have
worked with Kayley since her freshman year at George Washington High School as her teacher, director, and club
sponsor and have seen her dedication to theater and the arts grow and her natural talents as a leader take root.
Kayley is a talented designer and works at a level far above her peers. She is concerned with the depth of meaning and
story and strives endlessly to create a world on stage. When she designed Fiddler on the Roof last year, she created
detailed palates of colors for every family member and connected symbolism with the lighting designers vision of the
seasons of change. She used historical research to guide, but not dictate, her choices. She had all adult male characters
wear the traditional yarmulke under their hats as reverence to these characters depth of religious devotion despite the fact
that they would never remove their hats and therefore the audience would never see them. The full experience of the story
is important to Kayley and she goes the extra mile to create her vision.
This year Kayley is taking IB Theater, the highest level of theater offered in any high school. Prestigious and demanding,
the International Baccalaureate program requires students to be highly motivated and multi-faceted. As a student Kayley
is able to self-motivate and demand high standards from herself. Her work in class is high quality, often above and
beyond the guidelines, and her introspection on her work enables her to grow from each learning experience. There is
never a moment that Kayley does not feel that she should be striving for more. She is incredibly committed to the
education of theatre. Kayley is conducting research, creating new visions, and presenting herself as an artist weekly.
Currently, she is writing a research investigation into Noh theatre. This dramaturgical topic is her choice and is highly
self-directed. Research at this level is new for most of our high school students and I look forward to the end result,
knowing that Kayley will craft a clear and insightful look at this topic. Kayley has also been inspired to write an original
musical this year. She has taken this project upon herself and is now producing staged readings, researching playwriting
as well as her subject matter, and is reaching beyond her self prescribed niche in our department.
This year Kayley is the Secretary of our Drama Club. This is a position elected by the students. Boasting 60+ members,
Kayley leads them in producing multiple productions, taking part in social events, creating fundraisers, and initiating field
trips. She has also been a leader in our technical positions in our theater. Currently she is the tech director for our fall
play and was a stage manager last spring. Kayley is known as our costume guru, having designed 2 musicals within our
department and heading crews numerous times. As she has worked on our productions for years, other students look to
her for guidance and assistance. Having the trust and appreciation of your peers in high school can never be overstated.
This spring Kayley will be student directing our main stage musical Zombie Prom alongside me. As a star designer in
our program it shows a sign of growth that she would like to move beyond her comfort zone, and any ego she has
obtained, to move into the directors chair.
I have full confidence that Kayley will excel at whatever she chooses, and I look forward to hearing of her future
successes. She is absolutely ready for her next chapter of educational and personal growth. If you have further questions
please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,

Shelby OClair
George Washington High School

720-423-8841
Shelby_OClair@dpsk12.org

Micheal Johnson
Principal

Gideon Giesel
Assistant Principal

Andrea Arnold
Assistant Principal

Joe Glover
Assistant Principal

Kevin Maguire
Athletic Director