Grace Student Spotlight: Austin Hartung’s Exciting Theatre Debut

At Grace, we love celebrating our students’ unique talents and accomplishments, and today, we’re thrilled to highlight Austin Hartung’s incredible journey in the world of theater!

Austin’s passion for performing began in Kindergarten when he was inspired by a high school production of Newsies. That spark led him to start taking theater classes and performing with Ovation Academy for the Performing Arts in first grade, and he hasn’t looked back since!

Now, as a 5th grader at Grace, Austin has reached an exciting milestone—his professional theater debut with Porchlight Music Theatre in Chicago. He was cast as John in the award-winning musical Fun Home, and stepping onto the stage with a talented cast has been a dream come true for him. We couldn’t be prouder of his dedication and hard work!

Balancing school and a professional production is no small feat, but Austin has managed it with grace (no pun intended!). His teacher, Mrs. Nelson, has been so supportive and has encouraged him every step of the way. Austin’s love for singing and performing has always shined—whether in choir, on stage, or in Grace’s own musicals—and it’s inspiring to see him take this next step in his journey.

Austin’s success is a wonderful reminder of how Grace students are thriving in their passions, both inside and outside of school. If your child has an exciting accomplishment to share, we’d love to celebrate them too! Please reach out so we can highlight the amazing ways Grace students are making an impact in their communities.

Way to go, Austin! We can’t wait to see where your talent takes you next!