The Leonard Auditorium and Mary Armstrong Little Theatre (MALT) are nothing new to a lot of students. Class meetings, band concerts and musicals are just a few of the events that take place in these locations. With so many different events happening in the Leonard Auditorium and MALT, there needs to be someone that makes sure it all gets done. Kat Baiocchi, the new Auditorium Director, is the person that holds all these events together. 

Baiocchi’s interest in theater started back when she was in high school, when she joined her school’s drama club. Baiocchi instantly fell in love with the feeling of community her drama club brought. 

“Immediately it was just one big happy family,” Baiocchi said. “That kind of atmosphere is what drew me in and what kept me there. I realized that I loved it and that is what kept me here.” 

During college, Baiocchi continued her passion for performing arts, graduating with a degree in theater and music. As soon as she graduated, she got a job working for a professional community theater in Michigan. Baiocchi stayed at this job until the pandemic hit in 2020, causing her career in theater to slow down. 

“I was able to get my foot in the door at my church as a janitor and I helped with the Christmas season,” Baiocchi said. “They created a Fine Arts Coordinator position for me and I essentially created a fine arts academy for the community.” 

Moving to Indiana, she started her career in HSE as the Performing Arts Administrative Assistant until this year when she became the Auditorium Director. Her main responsibility is to oversee the Leonard Auditorium and the MALT, requiring lots of hands-on work. 

“If you were to think of it as a factory, you have the supervisor who does all the scheduling and the manpower doing all of the work,” Baiocchi said. “I am essentially both of those combined.” 

Ethan Mathias teaches Technical Theatre and all of the acting classes at school. This position requires Mathias to work closely with Baiocchi. 

“Kat and I work together to formulate a plan that works for the show and find ways to best manage the cast and crew to achieve that vision,” Mathias said. 

Kat’s new position has allowed her to have a positive influence on the drama program, with Mathias describing her as an expertise in her field, supportive and good with students.  

With such a passion for what she does, Baiocchi loves being able to work with students and bring out a passion of their own. 

“I really love getting to work with students and getting to plant the seed that is theater, music, and performing and seeing them grow and find their own love in it,” Baiocchi said. 

It is not just drama club that Baiocchi works with either; she also works with all the bands, We the People and even some athletic events. 

“Pretty much anyone who ever wants to use the [MALT] and [Leonard Auditorium] I work with,” Baiocchi said. 

Baiocchi’s job has a lot of moving parts she has to balance. Building a set for one event and then immediately setting up for another is nothing new to her. Even with a hectic schedule and the effort her job takes, Baiocchi is happy with where she is. 

“I do enjoy my job,” Baiocchi said. “There are parts of the job that could be better, but everyone says that about every job they have ever had.” 

Coming to work in a school with as many students as our school does is a lot to take in for anyone, including Baiocchi.  

“I didn’t go upstairs until the end of the school year last year, and by that point I had been working here over a year,” Baiocchi said. “It was overwhelming, but you get used to it and you learn to just go with the flow. Eventually it is just another environment that you are in.” 

With so many changes to school life since she was a student, Baiocchi found the school community to be very unique in a positive way. 

“It is definitely more welcoming and open than I expected,” Baiocchi said. “I do not see a whole lot of othering or outcasting people. It seems like everyone has their niche, but every niche is very open and welcoming.” 

Students only see so much of the work that goes into making an event possible, which Baiocchi wants students to keep in mind. 

“Do not underestimate the amount of work it takes for something to happen,” Baiocchi said. “For you it might just be a microphone but for me it is a million other things I have to connect.”