West Milford senior sets sights on Broadway
West Milford. Anna Youngren, a West Milford High School senior with 14 stage productions and a state theater competition award to her credit, plans to study theater and business at Muhlenberg College as she pursues a future in performing arts.
| 07 Apr 2026 | 08:37
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A first experience playing a masked zombie in middle school sparked a passion for acting that has grown into a standout theater career for West Milford native Anna Youngren.
Although hidden behind makeup and costume in that early role, Youngren said she quickly realized she loved performing. The following year, she landed the lead role of Elsa in a school production of Frozen, beginning a run that has since included 14 productions — 10 at West Milford High School and four with The Highlands Stage.
Her most recent performance came as Cosette in the school’s production of Les Misérables, where she played a leading role in one of the school’s most ambitious productions.
Youngren also represented West Milford High School at the Speech and Theater Association of New Jersey competition at Montclair State University, where she and a classmate placed fifth in improvisation among 1,100 competitors. Their scenario involved portraying roommates trying to hide a kangaroo from a landlord.
To prepare for a role in Noises Off last fall, Youngren studied videos and pronunciation guides to master a Cockney accent. She also has completed two years of voice lessons and nine years of dance training, including ballet, jazz and acro dance.
Her family has supported her theater work closely. Her father helped build the turntable used in the staging of Les Misérables, while her mother and twin brother assist with rehearsing lines. Her brother also works backstage during productions.
Outside theater, Youngren serves as president of the school choir council and competes in jazz choir events, including the Roxbury Invitational, with upcoming competitions scheduled in Philadelphia and Princeton. She also volunteers with Special Olympics, practices Taekwondo, and studies Spanish and Korean, inspired in part by her interest in K-pop.
In the fall, Youngren will attend Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania, majoring in theater and business. She has received both a talent scholarship and the President’s Scholarship and plans to continue seeking additional aid.
Her long-term goal is to combine business work in New York City with auditions for Broadway productions.
