“Fearless” Actress and Singer Bar Avraham faces her final season at Hop

Avraham’s  ability to embody a multitude of characters has been key to her success, allowing her to perform a variety of archetypes. When asked how she is able to transform into each role, Bar admitted that she likes to make playlists for her characters, because “there’s a certain kind of vibe that each character brings.” She reflects that, "being able to figure out and kind of understand every character and then going up on stage and performing for people has given me a lot of confidence in myself." As a reflection of that, arts teacher Hope Hartup described Avraham’s performance in “Twelfth Night” as “willing to be… free and messy out there on stage.” The ways in which she “immerses herself in a role,” fully “embodying it in physical … along with her voice and intonation” is a wonder to see play out on stage, said Technical Director David Kenton. When asked if Avraham has any specialties, Kenton stated that “if you give her a microphone, she’ll sing.”

On her first show at Hopkins, “Macbeth”, Avraham watched the seniors receiving notes and direction and admired them, “I thought that it was just really cool. They were all really, really impressive.” Her biggest inspiration in her freshman and sophomore years came from several students who’ve since graduated from Hopkins; Asher Joseph, Layla Hyder, and Silas Webb. What she most admired in them was “their dedication and commitment to their roles … They took everything very seriously, but also managed to have fun.” After many years of performing, Avraham reflected that one of her favorite roles was Malvolia from “Twelfth Night” this past winter because she enjoyed the “constant state of crash out” and humor she was able to bring to the stage. However, she also enjoyed playing Sally from “Cabaret,” a drastically different role due to what Kenton has described as the “femininity and empowerment” it took to carry out the show. Triple Trio has also been vital for her, because of the “outlet” it’s given her in order to pursue and strengthen her confidence in music and self-expression.

One of Avraham’s lighthearted memories of rehearsal was during the production of “Twelfth Night”, when she was meant to stay on stage and wait for one of her friends - another cast member - to come on and yell at her. Instead of doing this, Avraham mused that what happened was “I would storm off, and then she'd show up on stage, and no one would be there.” Another time during rehearsal, the crew was testing microphones and going through one of the songs in “Twelfth Night”. Kenton remarked that, when Avraham’s mic was turned on, “it was very evident that she did not know the words to the song at that point. It was a week before we were opening, which was really funny.”

Avraham’s skills, however, are not limited to the stage– cast members and peers have remarked on how she is able to see theater as a collaborative process and a community. Arts teacher Michael Calderone praised Avraham and co-head of HDA Miri Levin ’26 for being “focused on building the HDA community and making everybody feel welcome.” Kenton said that when he first met Avraham, she had only been looking for somewhere to leave her Starbucks drink, “and then we ended up just talking for an hour on and off … chilling and getting to know each other.” 

As Avraham looks on to life beyond Hopkins, she plans to continue self-expression through arts and possibly enter STEM. She said that her biggest influences have been from the people around her, including her “direct supporters like Hope Hartup and David Kenton. They've always really supported [her].” Kenton advises Avraham to know her strengths and weaknesses, and grow from them: “There’s going to be a whole lot more competition … but competition is not a bad thing, and it’s important to learn from those around you.” Hartup reflected on her experiences with Bar throughout the years, and proudly said, “She's been a bright light in the drama program for the last four years … it's just fabulous to watch the growth. It's just so rewarding for me as a teacher.”, showcasing the impact Avraham has had on her peers in her time spent at HDA.