Actress, singer, dancer, recording artist and vendor are just some of the words to describe this member of the Montclair State University’s musical theatre community.
With so many passions and dreams under her belt, senior musical theater major Makena Mitchell is making her artistic mark by showing why she’s a creative force to be reckoned with.
“I think what inspires me is a good score,” Mitchell told The Montclarion. “When I find out whatever show is in my future and I listen to that score for the first time and it’s amazing, I’m like, ‘Okay, I have to do this justice.'”
Originally from California, Mitchell’s choice of Montclair State derived from a need to be on the east coast. Now as she finishes up her BFA studies in musical theatre, she feels content with the way her life is progressing.
Mitchell reflects on how this has already been the best year of her time at Montclair yet.
“I feel like I’m finally in the groove and I know how to work being here and a lot of the hard stuff you get out of the way by your senior year,” she said. “A lot of the most difficult growth is in those middle years and by senior year you know what you need to work on.”
This rings true as Mitchell continues to thrive, releasing a single early this year, finishing up her run as Helene in Montclair’s Theatre and Dance Department’s production of “Natasha Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812.” She also continues to promote her work as a vendor at many flea markets and creator marketplaces.
Makena Mitchell's cover to her single "SMART!" Photo courtesy of Makena Mitchell
Releasing her single “SMART!” marked a turning point in Mitchell’s artistic journey — one that began years before college, when Mitchell was already writing poems and songs for herself, gravitating toward music and poetry as a personal creative outlet.
“SMART!“ was inspired by a breakup with someone who attended a prestigious school but struggled to communicate. The title serves as a subtle dig. “If you’re so smart,” Mitchell explained, “then why can’t you communicate?”
Songwriting offers Mitchell a different kind of fulfillment. Without a character or script to inhabit, she is fully at the center of the work, exploring her own experiences and emotions, in many ways placing her in the spotlight of her own story. While musical theatre remains her primary passion, “SMART!” represents an important step in her growth as a recording artist — one she continues to explore alongside her work onstage.
Makenna Mitchell as Helene in Natasha, Pierre and "The Great Comet of 1812."
John J. LaRosa l The Montclarion
During her time working on “The Great Comet,” Mitchell reflected on how rewarding the process was for her.
“When we were two weeks into the rehearsal process, I had a moment where I was like, ‘I want to do this forever,'” Mitchell admits. “It’s these processes that remind me, oh, I’m here for a reason and it’s to do this.”
She had a similar sentiment when it came to working on her first show at Montclair State, “Anyone Can Whistle.”
“It was the first show I had done in two years, and it reminded me why I was doing this and why I was putting in all this work, because you get so lost in the training that you forget the purpose of it.”
Makenna Mitchell as Mrs Schroeder in "Anyone Can Whistle."
John J. LaRosa l The Montclarion
As Mitchell balances performance, music and entrepreneurship, one defining theme remains consistent: vulnerability paired with self-advocacy. Whether its stepping into a rehearsal space, recording booth or even behind a vendor table displaying homemade jewelry, Mitchell understands that showing up authentically is both the risk and the reward.
However, while music and performing offer a more deeply personal awareness, Mitchell explains that jewelry-making offers a different type of creative freedom.
“It feels a lot less vulnerable,” she said. “With acting and music, if someone doesn’t like it, it can feel like they don’t like me. With jewelry, it’s more like, if someone doesn’t like it or think it looks good together, then I’m like ‘Okay, then, that fine, if it’s not for you.'”
Makenna Mitchell vending her products at Montclair State's Creator's Marketplace.
Daniel Scharf l The Montclarion
Still, moments of connection hold meaning. At a recent market, a customer fell in love with a pair of earrings Mitchell had made the previous summer. “I was happy they were in her hands,” she said. “She was so kind, and it felt right.”
As graduation approaches, Mitchell remains both realistic and hopeful about what the future holds. While acknowledging the unpredictability of a career in the arts, she dreams of signing with an agency, continuing summer-stock work and building a career that spans stage, music and beyond.
“I want to do everything I can,” Mitchell said. “Even when you think you can’t anymore — you still can.”
With a deep appreciation for collaboration, a love of “beautiful, strange music” and growing confidence in her versatility, Makena Mitchell is stepping into her future with purpose — and invites audiences to follow along.
