Hingham, MA, June 4, 2025 — On Wednesday, Foster Elementary School dedicated its new stage in memory of Anna Quinlivan. Anna was a beloved Foster alum, backstage leader, and shining light in Hingham’s theater community. A rising junior at Hingham High School, she passed away in 2020 at the age of 16. The stage is now officially named the Anna G. Quinlivan Memorial Stage.
Anna, a quiet but fiercely passionate student, found her home behind the scenes of the stage. She was a proud member of the drama programs at Hingham Middle School and Hingham High School, as well as the Hingham Civic Music Theatre. Anna’s creativity and commitment to theatrical design left a lasting impression. She dreamed of building sets on Broadway. Though her life was tragically cut short by cardiac arrest following a run, her impact continues to radiate through those who knew her and through the legacy she leaves behind.
“There was never a stage at the former Foster School,” said Courtney Stevenson, Anna’s former second-grade teacher and the lead organizer of the dedication. “If we had one, I know Anna would have been very involved in whatever production or show we could have done. Given her love for theater, naming the new stage after her felt like the perfect way to honor her legacy.”
Stevenson proposed the idea in 2021 and the Hingham School Committee later approved the name dedication in 2024. The plaque unveiled during the ceremony was funded by the PTO and approved by Anna’s family. The logo for the memorial stage was lovingly designed by Stevenson.
The dedication brought together school staff, administrators, family, friends, and recipients of the scholarship created in Anna’s memory. “We intentionally kept it intimate,” said Stevenson. “Anna was quiet and kind. We wanted this to reflect the kind of gathering she would have appreciated, surrounded by people who truly knew and loved her.”
Mo Fish, Hingham’s middle and high school Drama Director, recalled the moment Anna, then a sixth grader, asked to join the crew despite it typically being reserved for older students. “She used her small voice to speak up with such a big heart; who could say no?” said Fish. “Anna was the first to show up, the last to leave. She led by example and illuminated the stage for others to shine.”
Anna’s excellence in lighting design was recognized in 2020 with a Massachusetts Educational Theatre Guild award. Her classmates continued to honor her after her passing by dedicating each performance to her memory. “At every show, whether at HHS or traveling for METG Festival, we kept a seat draped in her honor,” said Fish. “It was a way of keeping space for her legacy and the contributions she made to the club.”
To carry her legacy forward, the Hingham Civic Music Theatre established the Anna Gabrielle Quinlivan Scholarship, awarded annually to high school students who, like Anna, contribute behind the scenes. Donations are collected at HPS drama performances throughout the year, including the annual “Anna Q Preview” of the METG Festival show. The annual application deadline is April 15. More information is available at hcmt.org/scholarships.html.
“Anna proved you don’t need to stand in the spotlight to make a profound impact,” said Stevenson. “We hope every child who walks onto that stage, whether to act, direct, design, or build, feels inspired by the love and legacy Anna left behind.”
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Anna working backstage at the Hingham Civic Music Theatre
Anna Quinlivan working on a production set in middle school in 2016.
Anna and her teacher Courtney Stevenson on Anna’s last day at Foster Elementary School in 2015.