As the evening makes its arrival to the Raleigh area, illuminating the brightly lit buildings of Downtown, some Enloe High School students are hard at work completing their rigorous Advanced Placement homework, engaging with an extracurricular activity, or spending time with family and friends. However, for Conor Kruger, this is arguably the start of his day. While the sky might darken, his acting and creativity are put in the spotlight as he stars in whichever Enloe theatre production is in season.
With nine mainstage performances, from Pippin to Les Miserables, Conor Kruger has cemented himself as a masterful actor and star in the history of Enloe theatre. Beyond Enloe’s drama department scene, he pursues his passion for acting in several capacities. One prominent way he has been excelling at theatre is through his work with the DPAC Rising Stars Award Ceremony. “DRS is a musical theater competition which takes 10 actors and actresses from around the county to compete for a spot at the “Jimmy” Awards at the Minskoff theater on Broadway,” says Kruger. Kruger won the DPAC competition and will now head to the aforementioned Jimmy Awards in New York!
In addition to theatre, he is involved with Crescenloe, where he is one of the music directors of the a capella group. “Conor’s positivity in Crescenloe makes him a great role model to the underclassmen in the club,” says Julia Clayton, a fellow Crescenloe leader.
While Kruger is primarily known as Enloe for his acting and involvement with Enloe theatre, he is so much more than that. His friends can attest to his kind personality and the effort he puts into his craft, school, and his relationships with his friends. “Very hard-working, and if he has something to get done, he sets his mind to it and will get it done,” says Emma Gaddy, a long-time theatre colleague and friend of Kruger’s. “He places a lot of emphasis on his relationships with his friends and family.” “Compassion and open” are some words Gaddy would use to describe Kruger. “He’s loyal charismatic, and incredibly talented,” says Ryan Gregory, a long-time friend of Kruger’s.
His friends have great things to say about him; here are a few more things they had to say:
“Conor is the type of guy that convinces you to do yoga at 5 in the morning with him. Whether you enjoy yoga or not, Conor will always motivate you to become the best version of yourself. Like many others, I’m grateful and proud to call Conor a good friend, and I appreciate his constant optimism and kindness,” says Aaron Tartavet.
“Conor is a great guy. He shows up when you least expect to see him but you’re always happy to see him. He’s a ball of energy, always trying to get something started or make plans. He’s inclusive and goes out of his way to make sure everyone he’s around is enjoying themselves as much as he is. I’ve known him for 7 years, and it’s hard to think of a time where he was not smiling or a person who has something bad to say about him” says Seth Cox.
Overall, Conor Kruger is an extremely talented, charismatic, and intelligent individual who excels in any space he enters, inside and outside of Enloe. Conor Kruger will be attending the University of Southern California to get his Bachelors of Fine Arts. Congrats Conor and go Trojans!
