Former assembly coordinator now writes for the stage in NYC

It was only 11 years ago when Paul Cameron Hardy walked the halls of Wenatchee High School with big dreams for his future. From being a Short Shakespearean actor in his younger years to getting original works produced in New York, Hardy never let go of those dreams to be apart of the theater world.

Starting as a young actor, Hardy was involved in many productions in the Wenatchee Valley. One of his very first roles was in The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare, a Short Shakespearean’s 1994 production. After that the Shakespeare summer became a tradition. When not in summer theater, Hardy was also involved in Wenatchee School District musicals, WHS productions, and Music Theatre of Wenatchee shows. He also was in WHS Chamber Singers and became the ASB assembly coordinator his junior year.

“The fall musicals and spring plays had the most obvious impact on my career or choice of career,” said Hardy,  “but my English courses, choir,  and role as ASB assemblies coordinator also had an impact.”

He really threw himself into the drama world and tried to be in every production he could. He started his senior year at WHS a modern major general in the choir production of The Pirates of Penzance, and became a mischievous Tom Sawyer in the 2003 Apple Blossom musical Big River. One could say he wanted to be an actor, but Hardy’s passions were much more.

“I wrote my first stage play as a part of a directed study during my senior year in high school,” Hard said. “And would like to say that I knew then and there.”

He became a young writer/director of the plays that gave him much delight to be in. In the Summer after graduation, Hardy was ready in 2003 to put on a show of his own. Kelly Atwood, Hardy’s past director in Big River, produced his first play for MTW, Hard(l)y a Writer.

“I always admired Paul’s quick wit, creativity, and respected his talents,” Atwood said. “It was an honor to direct him myself, perform next to him, and produce his original works. I love Mr. Hardy.”

Atwood went on to produce two other Hardy works at MTW, Hard(l)y a Writer 2: I’m Friends with Joe America in 2005, and Mirabelle or Mirabel in 2008. He had a real calling and passion for writing, and was ready to take on New York.

“It is the place I came to make my life doing my work, and has impacted it, I suppose, down to an atomic level.” Hardy said about his life in New York. “I have met and continue to meet collaborators,  I am part of the greater playwriting community here, my professional life is,  at this point. at least, almost entirely dependent on this city.”

Hardy now lives in New York City pursuing his writing dreams. He writes plays with independent stage company Glass Bandits Theater, and in the fall of 2013 got one of his original works “Feeling,” produced at the Secret Theater in Queens. “Feeling,” won him a seat at the Great Plains Theatre Conference that summer.

Through all of his great successes Hardy never forgets the amount of people that helped him out along the way.

“Wenatchee is pretty incredible in how it fosters and supports creativity in its youth,” Hardy said. “Take advantage of it while you can, we are lucky.”