Morgan Schneider/Collegian
Susan Angell (L), mother of George Angell, son Gywndion and wife Megan form the Angell household; daughter Rhiannon, a junior at Hillsdale, is not pictured.
Step inside the Angell home on any given evening, and you most likely will be greeted by Hillsdale’s Chairman of the Department of Theater and Speech George Angell, his wife Megan, their eighth-grade son Gywndion, or daughter Rhiannon, a junior at Hillsdale College. Angell’s mother, Susan, may also be there, who jokingly said she “just comes over for the food.”
Two excited pugs and three cats also ensure a welcome, as do the numerous outside cats that surround the Angell home.
“We have more cats than any one person should own,” Angell said. “Our outdoor cats are staying outdoors because they can’t get in—but that’s not for a lack of trying.”
Angell was born in Turkey, where he lived for eight-and-a-half years before moving to Massachusetts, where he met his wife. Their family has been a part of the Hillsdale community for over two decades.
“We’ve lived here in Hillsdale for 22 years,” Angell said. “Longer than dirt.”
When asked about his favorite way to spend his free time, Angell laughed.
“Free time? What’s that?” he asked with a smile.
Angell developed an affinity for woodworking, which is now one of favorite hobbies. He made all the furniture in his dining room, including the dining table inlaid with colored glass and the chairs surrounding it.
Angell also makes canoes and kayaks and said he worked on two kayaks this summer, but failed to finish them. He stashed them in storage at the beginning of the year to make room for set construction and props in the workshop.
To craft a kayak requires “about 150 to 200 hours of work, spread out over however long,” Angell said.
Besides woodworking, Angell is a “fabulous” chef, according to his mother’s estimation.
“George is a very good cook,” Susan Angell said.
Angell said he has a campus reputation for his legendary cheesecakes.
“Personally, I don’t like cheesecake,” Angell said, “But I do bake all sorts and varieties.”
A big part of his life has been spent off, on and around the stage, which is to be expected for the theater enthusiast.
“I love all kinds of plays,” Angell said. “All kinds of eras, all kinds of dramas.”
His love for the theater has rubbed off on his daughter, Rhiannon, who is currently studying theater. She is actively involved in Hillsdale’s theater program, and Angell’s face lit up as he detailed some of their acting experiences together.
“I have acted in the Michigan Shakespeare Festival for the past three years, and my daughter has participated in the last two,” Angell said.
On the upcoming holidays, Angell said his family traditionally spends Thanksgiving with the Hayes/Wyatt-Hayes family.
“It’s a big group, and it changes every year, depending on who has family in town,” Angell said.