How U of T alum and rising star Kimia Karachi found her community at Hart House Theatre

Photo by Megan Vincent.

Kimia Karachi (BA 2022) is one to watch. Four short years ago, the accomplished actor/choreographer with 20 years of dance experience graduated from the University of Toronto with a specialist degree in Drama, Theatre and Performance Studies. She also earned a wealth of experiential education, thanks ‒ in large part ‒ to Hart House, a dynamic, inclusive student centre for exploration and discovery outside the classroom. 

As an undergrad, Karachi was deeply involved with Hart House Theatre and the Toronto dance community, both on stage and behind the scenes. She served as chair of the Hart House Student Theatre Committee and, for three years, she was on the executive team of the Hart House U of T Festival of Dance. 

Karachi’s dance and choreography focus on using movement to reimagine perceptions of the female body as it relates to social justice and empowerment. Her credits, going back to 2018 and counting voiceover and film work, include “A Midsummer Night's Dream,” “Tomorrow Love,” “A Doll's House,” “When All This Is Over” and “Chamber Music.” 

No surprise, Karachi was snapped up in the job market and is now working as an acting coach at The Actors Room. 

Looking for a creative space

Karachi connected with Hart House Theatre in her first year at U of T. “I was a dancer my whole life, just starting to get into acting. So, I was looking for something to pursue alongside my education,” she explains. 

Her acting friends were looking for ways to get involved at Hart House Theatre. “But I was so scared. Everyone was older,” she says, “However, they all said this Theatre is a wonderful, welcoming space.” 

So, she pushed herself, reached out to Education and Production Coordinator Gillian Lewis and applied to be an executive member of the Festival of Dance. Next, she helped facilitate the Colourism in Ballet panel. In this case, Lewis asked her to be a panelist because of her dance experience. “Gillian said, ‘I feel like your voice would be really good here.’ So, I thought sure, why not?”

After this, Karachi says, one opportunity led to another. “They couldn't get rid of me at that point!” she jokes.

In her final year, she fulfilled the role of Event and Outreach Coordinator as part of the Work Study Program, where she helped organize events such as workshops and the Dougie Awards, affectionately named after Director of Theatre and Performing Arts, Doug Floyd. Seeking to gain leadership skills, she next applied to be the coordinator of the Festival of Dance. She was also the chair of the Hart House Theatre Committee during this time and working front of house.

“It was a terrific evolving scale,” she says of these advancements, “a really great opportunity to go from being the new person, who wants to get involved, to being the person who invites others to get involved. It was a shift from being artistic – that is, looking for a creative space ‒ to leadership and administration on a really big scale."

Also in her final year, she earned the University of Toronto Student Leadership Award and the Judi Schwartz Memorial Scholarship – in recognition of achievements in student-led programming.

“So,” she sums up, “I’ve worked as a volunteer, participant, work study student, then leader. I’ve met many amazing professionals, staff, students and artists, and learned from people from all walks of life.” 

Skills acquired inform her career

Today, with a Bachelor of Education degree to teach drama in secondary school, Karachi works at The Actors Room, a studio in Vaughan focused on building confidence, communication skills and acting technique for people of all ages. 

She believes many of the interpersonal skills she employs at this job were developed at Hart House Theatre. “Hart House taught me how to create warm and welcoming creative spaces. It showed me how much I enjoy mentoring people. This is why I went into education. I want to be the person who inspires others to follow their passions.”

She also emphasizes that her many roles at Hart House helped her communications and administrative acumen. “The House gave me confidence to reach out to people, talk to professionals, build a community ... All things I'm doing now. I would’ve never had that skill set if it weren’t for Hart House.”

More broadly, “My Hart House experiences gave me confidence to enter spaces and prove I'm able to be here and take up space as an artist, woman and person of culture.” 

Stepping outside her comfort zone

When asked what the House means to her, Karachi says, “That's a loaded question because it’s so dear to my heart! I can say Hart House means getting to be yourself and doing the things you love with people who support you every step of the way.”

She greatly appreciated the fact that as a student, you're trusted with a lot of responsibility. “They give you confidence to do it. You never doubt yourself. There's always someone in your corner who's cheering you on. It feels like family.”

When she harks back to her earlier years and her remarkable transformation at Hart House, she imagines herself “like a little seed that bloomed into a flower.”

She says Hart House will always be a part of her life, largely due to the people.

“Gillian Lewis: she has my heart. Doug Floyd, aforementioned; Marketing Assistant Lindsey Middleton; and everyone at the Theatre have had such a huge impact on me. I know that years down the line, I can always reach out to them. Hart House is a special space to make lifelong connections.”

She encourages students to “step outside your comfort zone. Growth requires some discomfort. But it’s so important to try new things now, in an undergrad setting. After you graduate, it will come back tenfold.   

“You don't need experience to belong. You just need confidence to take that first step. Once you do that, someone's always going to have your back.”

Originally published by Hart House