51²è¹Ý

Todd Haberkorn (B.F.A. ’04) is this week’s featured alum in our new Alumni Spotlight series for the This Week at Meadows e-newsletter. Each week, a different Meadows alum will be highlighted for their accomplishments post-graduation.

Meadows’ well-rounded programs are giving its alumni a leg up in their respective industries, with actor, director, and theatre alum Todd Haberkorn being a prime example of this success. To date, Haberkorn has been involved in numerous productions for companies like Disney, Dreamworks, SONY, and Warner Bros., in roles ranging from actor and director to writer and producer.

Though his actual title may say director or producer, Haberkorn’s job on set often takes on the role of a “problem solver” by being the solution and answering the problematic questions needed to keep a production moving forward. When in “problem solving” mode, he is able to fall back on the tools he honed, practiced and built during his years of training at Meadows. 

“Had I not been a part of the Meadows theatre program and exposed to many different facets of the craft including make-up, lighting, costuming, set design, and more, I wouldn’t have diversified my perspective in the business,” says Haberkorn, who believes focusing solely on acting would’ve been limiting to his possibilities. “Being up for different flavors of industry gave me the muscle memory to pull from when flexibility was an asset.”

In any given week, Haberkorn could be voicing a video game, working on Conan O’Brien’s podcast and a Kung Fu panda cartoon, then doing a commercial for toys with a super tight deadline. Learning to deal with the variety and fast pace of the business is something he was able to perfect from years of practice with his teachers, mentors and fellow students. And not only was Meadows a place where Haberkorn could hone the tools pertinent to an actor, it also provided a space where he could experiment with his craft and take risks, without the threat of it damaging his professional career.

“Where else can you learn from your creative mistakes in a collaborative space and environment infused with support and guidance?” he asks. “From that, I’ve crafted a toolbox full of acting choices and approaches that are unique and come from all of the study, practice, successes and failures I had in my approach to acting up to this point, specifically from my four years of intense focus on the craft at 51²è¹Ý.”

Though Haberkorn has been extremely versatile throughout his career, he has found that leading a well-rounded existence is even more beneficial to his life than just having a well-rounded job. This philosophy encouraged him to pursue passions outside of the entertainment industry and ultimately led to establishing the nonprofit foundation . His organization, which is just getting off the ground, helps animal sanctuaries and shelters with one of the most difficult parts of their journey: funding. Haberkorn has been an animal lover all his life and hopes his organization can give them a leg up by aiding the companies that aid them.

With the tools and resources learned during his time at Meadows, and beyond, Haberkorn has been able to not only establish a successful career in entertainment but also make an impact outside his professional life and lead a well-rounded existence.

Learn more about Meadows' Division of Theatre here.