By: Caroline Mccully
Meet Gabriella Walko, a Pitt senior and one of many flourishing artists who bring life and excitement to the University of Pittsburgh! Gabriella is starring as Wendla in this year’s spring musical “Spring Awakening,” which is being put on by Pitt Stages. “Spring Awakening” is a coming-of-age rock musical that examines the universal transition into and exploration of adolescence and questions societal suppression of human nature through a haunting story of German schoolchildren in the late 1800s.
Gabriella has been involved with Pitt Stages since her first year at Pitt. She first encountered Pitt Stages through their walk-in auditions. After auditioning for a choir, Gabriella thought, “Well, I’m warmed up tonight; I might as well audition for Pitt Stages, too. I didn’t sign up, but I’ll just walk in!” This option is available for any student who didn’t get the chance to formally sign up or is just feeling spontaneous! After arriving at auditions, Gabriella remembers being happily assisted by some upperclassmen volunteers. “They told me where to go and what to do.” While waiting for her turn, Gabriella had the opportunity to sign up for the theatre department email list, which “is really helpful for anyone looking to get involved with the theatre community at Pitt.”
Gabriella had proven herself an impressive performer despite only being a first-year and was called back (a callback is when actors have a second audition with given material from the director to see which role they would fit best) however, she decided to explore a different path—one behind the curtains. Most of her work with Pitt Stages has been as a Stage Manager. Gabriella hadn’t had any experience with technical work in shows, so she was excited to explore this new element of theatre. In 2019, Gabriella was the Assistant Stage Manager for “Next to Normal.” Her responsibilities consisted of managing props and costumes and helping actors backstage. “I felt like I knew what I was doing pretty early on, all due to the amazing team I was working with.” As she got more shows under her belt, Gabriella had the opportunity to work as Lead Stage Manager, eventually leading to her work with lighting design. Her most recent gig was as Stage Manager and Lighting Designer of the Performance Collaborative’s production of “The Importance of Being Earnest.”
Despite her impressive offstage record, Gabriella has also had ample experience onstage. Her Pitt Stages debut was in the play “Appropriate” by Branden Jacobs Jenkins, directed by Ricardo Vila-Roger, who also happens to be directing “Spring Awakening.” So far, her favorite performance experience has been “Appropriate.”
“I got to work with a lot of people I hadn’t met. I was terrified to be there but so grateful! I got to be in the show with undergraduate students, a graduate student, a visiting professor, and Kelly Trumbull, an acting professor here at Pitt!” Gabriella finds that it takes more independence and responsibility to perform in a musical than in a play. There is little to no singing or dancing in a play, so actors have more time to delve into their characters and the world of the show in rehearsal, whereas many rehearsals for a musical are dedicated to learning/polishing songs and dance numbers. Actors in a musical must take more time outside their rehearsals to become fully comfortable in their characters, which takes initiative and dedication.
Pitt Stages has provided Gabriella with the opportunity to learn many new skills to prepare her as a young professional. From her technical work, she has learned the importance of communication and organization. She often had to craft lists and messages that all her colleagues could easily understand, even if she didn’t personally know the recipient. Communication was massively important to her Stage Management work, “With Stage Management, you are the crux of communication to all aspects of production. You need to consider the capabilities of the production team while also making sure the creative team is heard to make sure both sides are accomplishing their goals.” As for performance-related skills, Gabriella has found much success through preparedness. “For the type of performer I am, coming in and knowing what my scenes are about and trying to know the music as best as I can before rehearsals begin makes the process easier and more exciting for everyone involved.” She’s also learned about prioritizing time management and finding a schedule that works best for her to balance school and rehearsals.
Gabriella had the unique experience of participating in pandemic theatre. She quickly learned that virtual Stage Management and in-person Stage Management are quite different. The new, socially distanced version of putting on a production became a learning curve for all involved. “It was comforting in a way to know that nobody knew what to do. We were in the same boat, but we had to figure things out.” It was challenging for her to create a new process for Stage Management under those conditions, but it was empowering, too. Gabriella was a Stage Manager and a trailblazer, doing things her way. The end product was the filming of a musical in which all the actors were distanced from each other. “We had little scenic booths for each character. It was unorthodox! I had a lot of people to lean on even though nobody knew what to do, and it brought us all closer together.”
Gabriella says her favorite part of working with Pitt Stages is “Meeting so many people with so many different spheres of interest.” Her exploration of different creative endeavors has also gone hand-in-hand with pursuing a BA. “Most art programs will push students to get a BFA, which is a very focused track. I appreciate how the BA program allows students to learn about many different facets of theatre and performance and remain active in all those spheres of interest. I was able to broaden the horizons of the theatre community I was getting to know. It helped me round out my understanding of how theatre is created, but also connected me with lots of different students I wouldn’t have otherwise gotten to know.” Gabriella found a welcoming, loving community through Pitt Stages. She felt nervous about going to college and was worried she wouldn’t find any friends. She remembers her first week at Pitt being nerve-wracking until she found her people through Pitt Stages. “When you have a common goal with everyone to tell a story and put on a show, it really brings people together.” Gabriella has gotten close with her current and previous castmates because of their shared passion for their craft. “When you spend so many hours a week rehearsing and trying your hardest to create a good final product, you inevitably become friends. When you first start out and don’t know anyone, the environment makes it easy to go up to anyone and strike up a conversation.”
If Pitt Stages sounds like an interesting venture, Gabriella recommends getting involved! Pitt Stages is open to all students, no matter their major! She also suggests reaching out to anyone in the community! “Reaching out to staff can feel daunting to some; just know that students are available too. Everyone involved with the shows wants you to do your best; everyone’s rooting for you!” Ultimately, students who aren’t cast in shows still have numerous opportunities to be involved with the show. There are also audition workshops students can attend for feedback before their official audition. Be sure to see Gabriella and the rest of the cast of “Spring Awakening” from April 6-April 14 at the Charity Randall Theatre. Get your tickets here! Break a leg, Gabriella!