Today, I want to talk about the job of a director. It’s a big responsibility, and this is the first time we have brought students along on the job. As the title suggests, the director leads the whole show in a certain direction, helping each designer, technician, and actor know where the production is headed. If a show is a ship, the director is the captain. You can have every deckhand and boatswain doing their job perfectly, but without a captain they don’t know where they are sailing to! 

The job of the director is to bring the creative vision for their specific version of the show. It requires an open mind and creative solutions to practical problems. If you were to copy the original production of the show or rely on another theater’s production for inspiration, that would be taking someone else’s intellectual property. A director faces the challenge of following the story laid out in a script and acknowledging what audiences may be familiar with, while bringing new ideas into it in order to have a unique final product. 

In the rehearsal room, the director leads actors through their blocking and works with them on exploring their characters. It can look like playing improv games with a character or answering specific questions about a character that aren’t addressed in the script. Some directors come with line-by-line blocking already written down, others like to find the flow of the scene when the actors come into the room. Whatever their process, the director is pivotal in shaping what the final show looks and feels like.

There are many paths you can take to becoming a director, and we are so excited to be trying out Student-Directed One Acts this season. Our Season of Courage will be exemplified in their work; it takes a lot of courage to try something new like these students are! In their upcoming interviews, we will hear what brought each director to this project and what they have loved about it so far.

Stay tuned!

Blog contribution by Parker Nelson. Photos by Cindy Kane.

The post Parker’s Performance Playbook – On Directing appeared first on Encore Stage & Studio.

Congratulations on your recent performance as Diana Morales in A Chorus Line! What is one piece of wisdom that you learned from that production?

I learned so much during the process for A Chorus Line. Diana has been a dream role of mine since I learned about ACL, but I never really thought I’d be able to play the role, as I am not a trained dancer (shout out to all the strong movers out there!). As soon as I learned about auditions, I really committed myself to becoming a stronger dancer, and I carried that level of commitment into every aspect of the show. It really taught me to stop putting limits on myself. It is never too late to jump into a dance class and become that dancer that you don’t consider yourself to be! Hard work will win every time!

When did you first start doing theatre?

My first role was ensemble in Claremont Elementary School’s 2005 production of Oklahoma! 

What is one of your favorite Encore memories?

One memory that really sticks out for me was my first production at Encore, Pirates of Penzance. That year, Encored hired two Equity Actors, Erin Gardiner and Chris Sizemore. I had never worked alongside performers of their caliber, and I just remember being so inspired by their talent and work ethic as a young actor. It was definitely a very impactful experience! 

We love highlighting Encore friendships, are there people you are still in touch with from your time at Encore?

It is hard to be away from home as I moved out of VA in 2017, but I love getting to follow many different people I did shows with at Encore on social media and seeing what they’re all up to! I also had the privilege of seeing Encore Alum Usman Ali Mughal in Life of Pi on Broadway in 2023. 

What was it like revisiting Legally Blonde? What is your favorite moment from the show?

Getting to not only do LB again, but also reprise the role of Serena, was amazing! It is one of my favorite shows. I would do it a million times! My favorite moment every night was Bend & Snap. It was a blast to perform. Really felt like a party on stage!

Legally Blonde photo by Larry Clemons

Legally Blonde LTM photo by Chris Huestis

What is one way your theater experience has helped you offstage?

I can 100% attest my confidence to starting theatre at a young age. The courage and confidence you build by performing is something I have carried into school presentations, public speaking, job interviews, and even calling to order a pizza!

Lastly — we’re having an Encore alumni reunion in July at Footloose, will you be there!? Or can you share a message from you to share at the event?

I am so sad to miss it! I would just like to send all my love to my Encore Family! I am so grateful for everything Encore gave me while I had the privilege of performing there!

Thanks for catching up with us, Carla! It is awesome to look back at your Encore memories, and we look forward to whatever you do next.

Blog contribution by Parker Nelson.

The post Never Limit Yourself with Alum Carla Astudillo-Fisher appeared first on Encore Stage & Studio.

So, what are auditions? They are a chance for directors to see you performing and consider you for their show, but more importantly they are a chance for you to perform! Your confidence in the audition room helps directors see your personality more clearly, helping them decide whether or not you are a good fit for the production. In our recent interview with alum Eileen Sugameli, she provided some insight into the importance of courage and confidence in the audition room. 

“Getting up on stage is scary!  And honestly, I think auditioning can be even scarier.  Theatre is such a beautiful opportunity to practice being vulnerable.  It’s really nerve-wracking to put yourself out there, but the more you do it, the easier it gets.  And you never know what impact your courage will have on others- your courage can inspire others to do the same.”

Whether you’ve been in Encore classes or your school play or if you’ve never tried acting before, auditions are an exciting opportunity to show up and try! Our auditions don’t require any preparation, which can be helpful for some people and scary for others, but you can trust that the directing team will guide you through every step of the process. Here’s a secret: directors want you to be successful because it makes their decisions so much easier! So take a deep breath and step confidently into the audition room knowing that you will do your best with the time you have. The rest is out of your hands. 

And if you don’t get cast this time, there will always be more auditions! I will draw on Eileen’s wisdom once again:

“Don’t give up!  It took me 8 tries to get into an Encore show.  Not getting a role doesn’t mean that you are a bad actor, it just means you weren’t the right fit for that show at that time.  As a professional actor, I have to constantly remind myself about this.  I often think back to my Encore days, and how if I had given up after the first, second, or seventh audition, I would have missed out on so many awesome experiences.”

We cannot wait to see you all at our upcoming auditions!

Photos by Cindy Kane, blog contribution by Parker Nelson.

The post Auditioning with Confidence appeared first on Encore Stage & Studio.

Introduce yourself to the blog! How were you involved with Encore?

Hi there! I’m Abby, I started at Encore trying out for cast and crew when I was 11, and stage managed my first show at Encore as a senior in high school!

What’s your proudest moment at Encore?

The proudest moment I had at Encore has to be the first show I got into. The first couple I tried out for I did not make the cast, so when I was cast I was over the moon. I was a double cast as Scarlet Fever Virus and Real Rabbit in the Velveteen Rabbit and I floated around in a red poncho when not in a bunny suit.

Can you describe an Encore “core” memory?

I really loved doing The Brother’s Grimm. The cast got really close so a lot of the rehearsals and backstage moments was spent building friendships. I think that show stood out especially because we got to perform a matinee on the Mall in DC as a part of the Cherry Blossom Festival. It was beautiful to perform around all those flowers, and the show was one of the more comedic shows I was a part of, so I got to try out an earnest, unassuming comedic role as Cindy (Cinderella). Prince Charming was written as a New Yorker Italian American which was also fun, because my family is Italian American. We had to work out blocking where my character clumsily got his fingers stuck in a closing umbrella, which was more difficult than most blocking I had done before, and really rewarding when we got it down.

What lessons did you take away from your time at Encore?

I think getting off book is such a great skill to take on and accomplish as a kid, and I’m sure helped my brain in ways that are still with me as an adult. Being a part of the tech crew was also critical for problem-solving and thinking on your feet, and gave me a lot of confidence to work with power tools. In college, I studied Sculpture and Extended Media, and became a wood and metal shop monitor because of my prior experience. I still monitor a metal shop at the local visual arts center, and have even decided to start a business of my own. I never used tools at home growing up, so that trajectory I can credit Encore with.

Can you share with us your singer/songwriter journey?

Oh wow, I didn’t even think about that in your last question. Before Encore I would not have sung in front of anyone, at least not without a choir or ensemble. I think acting helped me express emotions that I didn’t get to every day, which has been the best part of performing songs I’ve written. I mostly write about true thoughts and feelings I am working through, and how I feel about situations evolve so much as I perform them over time. I get to understand myself, singing about old feelings while living through new ones, seeing how I’ve changed and what has become ironic or true in a way I didn’t expect. It motivates you to keep writing and performing, even when you don’t see accolades.

What current projects are you working on?

Lately I’m working on a store in downtown Richmond! I met a man who owns a storefront that’s been empty, that he used to run a jewelry shop out of. There are a lot of tools and stones for me to use to make jewelry so I am working on a collection and displays, but I am trying to think about how the space can be more communal for artists like me. I have a friend who works in a tattoo shop, and I think I want the business to be modeled after tattoo parlour businesses, where people come in to connect with any number of individual designers, either for something custom in the style of that artist or something the artist has pre-drawn. In the tattoo world premade designs are called “flash” which I think is a fun term to use for jewelry too. I’ve never dreamed of being an entrepreneur so there is a lot of newness involved, but I’m grateful to be moving towards a new adventure to be excited about.

How would you describe your music?

That’s tough. It’s undeniably soft and airy, vocally. I pull any interesting guitar chords I can find from jazz and bosa nova, but write simple songs and just try to use a small number of them at a time. Everything is made up with no knowledge of music theory  but what my ears can provide, which keeps me on my toes. I think most people who listen to music can have a good idea of what order to put the notes in without training, although it may take longer. 

Who are a few artists you listen to or are inspired by?

We love Chappell Roan at our house, although she hasn’t inspired any new music. I love Cleo Sol, Syd from The Internet, Corrine Bailey Rae, Lianne La Havas, Hiatus Kaiyote, Gretchen Parlato. I used to focus on music local to where I’m living in Richmond, but I’ve become a homebody since having a baby and don’t know what’s happening outside.

What’s one hobby or interest you wish you got to talk about more?

I don’t know if raising a baby counts as a hobby or interest, but that’s at the forefront of my day-to-day. My little guy doesn’t speak very much so we use a lot of singing and reading to get him to practice using his words. He’s a nut and full of love. He’s beautiful. Very few of my friends have babies, so I feel like I talk about the whole experience too much sometimes, but it is a part of everything I do now. Now I go to the library multiple times a week, and have ceased to have uninterrupted thoughts. It’s just living, so I’ll concede it’s not a hobby. Getting him on the pot, helping little toy farmers find their toy chickens. Very important living.

Our season this year is all about courage– how has theatre/performing taught you courage?

I love that the season is themed! And what a great theme. I’ve had stage fright since I started, which taught me you can always pour that energy into preparing. The nerves are always worth it to get to perform. The way seeing and performing theatre has affected me, I know it’s a beautiful thing to share. 

Lastly, we’re having an Encore alumni reunion at Footloose this summer, will you be there? If not, do you have any wisdom you want to share with our community?

Oh wow, I’d love to! That sounds like a blast. I know the music, but I’ve never seen Footloose! I’ll go with my mom. No wisdom whatsoever.

Thanks for sharing your memories and updates with us, Abby! If you haven’t already, check out our other recent alumni interviews on the blog, and keep an eye out for more coming next month!

Photos by Larry McClemons or provided by Abby Huston. Blog contribution by Parker Nelson.

The post Moving Towards a New Adventure with Alum Abby Huston appeared first on Encore Stage & Studio.

At the top of the month we’ll be closing our new student devised work, Jamila’s Table. Opening weekend was a hit, don’t miss it! 

If you’re looking for your chance to be a part of our next productions, we’ve got two rounds of auditions coming this month. On March 11 we’ll have auditions for our Student Directed One-Acts. These will be an awesome opportunity to work with student directors and bring their creative visions to life! The following week, on March 18, there will be auditions for The Wizard of Oz. The creative teams are getting everything ready and are so excited to see you at both auditions this month!

If you’re looking for a chance to hone your craft or practice theatre skills, we have a new round of Saturday classes starting this week, and we also have minicamps in both Arlington and Alexandria. Spend your day off with us, at Return to Zootopia, Mulan, or Encore Toy Stories Mini-Camps. 

There’s lots to do in March at Encore! Keep an eye on our social media and blog for more fun stuff coming your way this month.

The post Things to do at Encore This March! appeared first on Encore Stage & Studio.

1. Theatre builds community

Much like being on a sports team, getting cast in a play is the beginning of a new ensemble. More likely than not, there are people in the cast you will have never met before. It is also possible that your best friend that you’ve known since kindergarten gets cast, too. All the friendships, new and old, bring value to the team and affect how comfortable the cast gets with one another. Theatre builds community because it brings people together from different neighborhoods and schools, giving young actors the opportunity to meet new people. Encore is situated between many different communities, and our programs are more welcoming places because of that.

2. Theatre builds connection 

In Encore’s long history, there are probably hundreds of stories of friends meeting in class or at rehearsal and becoming friends for life. There are several alumni interviews that include the names of their friends from years ago that they are still in contact with! The hours that young actors spend side by side in rehearsals are powerful. They learn new things together and grow in self-confidence and empathy. Both are important traits that build strong bonds between friends. Theatre emphasizes things like listening to one another and being open to the input of others, which leads students to be attentive to each other and supportive however they can be.

3. Theater builds life skills 

There are so many things theater helps us learn that help us in our day-to-day life. Theater helps build essential life skills by fostering effective communication, both verbal and non-verbal, through activities like acting and rehearsing. It promotes teamwork and collaboration, as productions require people to work together toward a common goal. Additionally, theater nurtures creativity and problem-solving, as actors often need to think on their feet, while also building empathy through experiencing different characters’ perspectives. Confidence, time management, resilience, and the ability to accept feedback are also key benefits, as theater encourages individuals to step outside their comfort zones. Here at Encore we work on those skills so that they become transferable to various aspects of life, from personal relationships to professional settings!

This is a glimpse into why we love theatre, but why do you love theatre? Let us know in the comments or tag us on social media with your “why!”

Photos by Cindy Kane. Blog contribution by Parker Nelson and Mery Estrella.

The post Why We Love Theatre appeared first on Encore Stage & Studio.

This workshop gave students the opportunity to fill their day with music, some songs they knew by heart and others they had never heard of. They learned about King George III through a sort of “love letter” to the United States as imagined by Lin-Manuel Miranda. They perfected how to “toss toss” their hair like the oh-so-popular Galinda. They even journeyed back in time to strike with the newsies of New York.

But it’s hard to find an Encore program that doesn’t give students some opportunities to play and have fun! It was the students’ day off, after all. Teaching artists also led students through fun theatre games to help bring the group together. They focused on ensemble building and listening-and-responding. All the learning and playing came together at the final share where students performed their songs for their supportive audience. Parents and friends even got personally serenaded at the end of the share!

A highlight of the day for me was watching students share their favorite songs with one another during lunch. A speaker played select songs from each of the three shows, and whenever someone’s favorite song came on, there was an impromptu dance party with some students singing every word and others dancing along just for the fun of it! It was a beautiful thing that happened naturally from their shared love of singing, dancing, and all things musical theatre.

If you’re looking for more opportunities to sing and dance, we have two upcoming sessions of winter classes that include “Disney Grooves” and “Broadway: Emerald City” among other awesome titles. Check out our website for all our upcoming offerings!

Photos by Cindy Kane. Blog contribution by Parker Nelson.

The post Dancing the Day Away – Broadway Workshop Reflection appeared first on Encore Stage & Studio.

But what does it mean that Flip the Script is devised? Encore’s Flip the Script program is funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, and gives Arlington students the opportunity to be directly involved in writing an original work about our community. Devised theatre goes through stages from research to collaborative writing, to reading drafts and making changes, until there is eventually a final version that is performed for audiences. Because it is student-devised, there is not just one author. They all work together to bring their personal experiences and their research to the table in order to make the final product representative of many perspectives. 

Jamila’s Table started as an idea, “a theatrical piece on food traditions and stories of three distinct cultures in the global community of Arlington VA.” After months of research, community outreach, and writing, it has become a full-length play. 

“The play follows Jamila, a young African American restaurant owner, as she strives to evolve her family’s restaurant into a community hub on Columbia Pike in Arlington, Virginia. She embraces the diverse cultures of the area including Vietnamese, Latinx and African American through their food and traditions, aiming to unite the community for her restaurant’s future. Join Encore Stage & Studio for an inspiring journey where flavors meet and cultures are celebrated.”

Encore’s devising process focuses on telling stories that emerge from our community, but there are a lot of different ways that you can approach devising. Sometimes groups of actors come together and begin with improvisation, letting a story naturally unfold from spontaneous storytelling. Other companies begin with movement or sound, focusing on the journey more than the narrative structure. It is a naturally ensemble-led form of theatre, meaning that it sometimes lacks the top-down leadership model directed by one person’s vision and opts for collaboration towards a shared vision instead. 

Try it at home!

Devised theatre has little to no barriers to entry. Anyone can come together and decide to create something new. You can do it from your home today! Try this snow day activity to devise a short play. Find a poem (like this one: School – 12:15) and read it together in a group. Next, improvise a scene based on what the poem made you think of (maybe your group in class forgot to prepare for their presentation today). Then you can discuss what characters you came up with or what happened in the story. Lastly, maybe act out the scene again but make one detail more specific (instead of just being in a classroom, you are in the math teacher’s classroom). See what changes! 

You can start with anything: a song, a theme, a phrase, a location. Whatever idea you come up with will be completely new art! You never know where you will end up when you begin devising, and it is so exciting to watch the art transform throughout the process. If you need some inspiration to begin your devising process, I recommend coming to see Jamila’s Table at Thomas Jefferson Community Theatre. 

Performance Dates and Showtimes:
Saturday, Feb 22nd, 2025 at 3:00 pm
Saturday, Feb 22nd, 2025 at 7:00 pm
Sunday, Feb 23rd, 2025 at 3:00 pm
Saturday, Mar 1st, 2025 at 11:00 am This performance will have ASL Access provided by GoodSigns. Please email boxoffice@encorestage.org to be seated in our ASL seating.
Saturday, Mar 1st, 2025 at 3:00 pm
Sunday, Mar 2nd, 2025 at 3:00 pm

Tickets: $15 for Adults, $12 for Children, Students, Military and Seniors (ticket fees included). Group rate of $10 for a group of 10 or more.

Photos from Jamila’s Table rehearsals, blog contribution by Parker Nelson.

The post Parker’s Performance Playbook – Devised Theatre appeared first on Encore Stage & Studio.

Hello Encore Family!  My name is Erin Driscoll Gardiner and I was involved in several shows at Encore. Now, I am a full time professor of Musical Theater at George Mason University and a professional actress in the DC area. I have worked at a ton of the professional theaters in town from Signature Theater to the Kennedy Center to Round House Theater. I have been a member of the Actor’s Equity Association for 20 years now. I just recently played Mrs. Cratchit at Ford’s Theater production of A Christmas Carol.

From starring as Maria in West Side Story to being a professional hire for Pirates of Penzance, you have had so many Encore experiences! Do you have any fun or funny offstage memories from your time here?

I am sure there are so many that I just don’t remember because each show I have done with Encore has been a blast. 

What skill or word of wisdom did you take away from working with Encore?

I learned SO much! I basically learned how to act at Encore. I was a good singer when I joined the cast of West Side Story but I was pushed to connect to the material in a way no one had asked me yet. Then when I played Eliza Dolittle, I really had to let go of being the pretty ingenue and commit to getting messy and real with the character. It is something I continue to strive for in my work today.

Why do you think theatre is important for young people?

For some, it it the first time they are working towards a larger goal that is bigger than the themselves. You all have to come together and the show is the thing. Not ego, not friendship drama, not anything. You learn to work with people, you learn to lean on people, you learn how much goes into something…all the hours of work and commitment. You also get the joy of seeing it all come to fruition. You learn how to treat people and basically be a person in a functioning society.

What is one way your theater experience has helped you offstage?

I am not afraid to try. I am not afraid to fail. I can look at the big picture and see how do I help it happen. Oh, sorry, you asked for just one and that is too hard to pick!

We love highlighting Encore friendships, is there anyone you keep in contact with from your days at Encore?

Yes several! This is one of my favorite things to talk about with Encore. I am still friends with many of the people I worked with on shows. One of them was in my wedding party! Friends for life!

What’s your favorite play or musical as an audience member?

Oh, that is hard too! I love ensemble shows. I love when the ensemble is integrated into the story all along and helps tell it, even it means singing and moving furniture while they do it. Like how the ensemble works in Waitress, is really inspiring for me.

Encore’s season this year is about courage — how can we learn courage through theatre?

To do theater is courageous! To audition and be brave enough to show your talents….to stand on a stage or work behind knowing an whole audience is watching is brave. To commit to a common goal and work hard to see it come together is all about courage. To tell stories because they need to be shared is courage. Theater is courage.

Lastly — we’re having an Encore alumni reunion in July at Footloose, will you be there!?

I will try to be there! I am always trying to support and be apart of Encore any way I can! If I can’t, tell them that they are the best and I continue to shout that from the rooftops!

Thank you for catching up with us, Erin! We look forward to seeing what you do next.

Photos by Larry McClemons, blog contribution by Parker Nelson.

The post Not Afraid to Try with Alum Erin Driscoll Gardiner appeared first on Encore Stage & Studio.

Reintroduce yourself to us! Where are you now and what are you up to?

My name is Gabriel Ashton Brown, and I am currently living in southern Utah. I moved here after visiting my grandparents one winter, and I absolutely fell in love with the nature and Red Rocks of Utah. I’m currently working as artistic director at a local community theater here in St. George UT. As artistic director, I have a hand in all of our productions, assist with casting and team building per project, creative planning for events and how to promote our shows. St. George Musical Theater, SGMT, is a family-friendly in-the-round theater, and are currently constructing a brand new building in town which should be finished in 2026.

Do you have any fun or funny offstage memories from your time here?

I have so many fond and funny moments on and off stage with Encore. My first show I did with Encore was The Little Mermaid Jr, and my little brother, Zollie, joined me in this cast. In the song “Kiss the Girl,” all of the ensemble characters were involved in some form; either as seagulls, starfish, water, moving the boat around, etc. However, Zollie, was the only fish put on stage, which I found extremely amusing, as the fish costumes were the felted fish heads. I nicknamed him “lonefish” and together we created a VERY silly backstory for this lone fish singing chorus to this romance song. Every time I listen to that song, I think of my brother and I know he does too!

What skill or word of wisdom did you take away from working with Encore?

I have learned so much from working with Encore. Both from doing shows and from working throughout their summer camps and from interning with Encore. It is the foundation to everything I do as an artistic director in a family-friendly theater. I feel very confident teaching and working with people of all ages and backgrounds. One of the greatest takeaways I’ve had from working at Encore was improving on my active listening skills. And that’s been useful in my work and in my day-to-day life!

Why do you think theatre is important for young people?

Theater is SO important for young people, even if it’s not what you decide to pursue for your career. Theater, like sports, a club, or social hobby hones team building skills AND creative problem-solving. It can build confidence and be an avenue of expression, and it can be a creative playground for people to make friends, get up on your feet and move your body, and to feel a shared experience with other people. The power of community, especially in the disconnected, 21st century and in an AI-driven world, cannot be stressed enough. Encore, I would argue, is not just a fun outlet for kids, but rather an essential tool in connecting communities together when so many people are feeling pulled apart.

What is one way your theater experience has helped you offstage?

 Doing shows at Encore helped me become more aware: aware of myself, aware of others, and aware of my environment. It was a crucial step towards being the person in a cast who says “I’ll play” to whatever game/scene/activity. At a certain point, once you’ve internalized that awareness, you don’t need to be reactive to what goes on on stage, you just behave and do. I also know so many games from my time at Encore, and they’ve become handy in EVERY show I’ve directed.

We love highlighting Encore friendships, is there anyone you keep in contact with from your days at Encore?

 There’s a ton of people at Encore that I love! Both from a teaching and production team standpoint, and also from a cast perspective; Meagan Pierce, Carla Astudillo-Fisher, Martha Grace Berkeley Moore, Lisa Shaw, David Armando, Will Westray, just to name a few gems!

What’s your favorite play or musical as an audience member?

My favorite musical changes very often, but right now I would say my favorite musical as an audience member is Jersey Boys. All the Frankie Valli songs are so much fun and the way the story is told has been my favorite format for a jukebox musical!

Encore’s season this year is about courage — how can we learn courage through theatre?

The first step to cultivating courage through theater is by pretending you are “a brave person”. What does that look like to you? Is there someone this embodies in your life or maybe look up to? Are you outspoken about your beliefs? Are you leading with curiosity and compassion? You have the ability to be a hero, too, but first you have to believe it and adjust your self-perception. Courage is grown.

Lastly — we’re having an Encore alumni reunion in July at Footloose, will you be there?! Or can you share a message from you to share at the event?

 I won’t be there, unfortunately, but to everyone there I say hello, I miss you, and that if I’m ever in town again, we’ll all have to catch up <3 . Love Gabe!

Anything else you’d like to share?

I’ve been doing voice over professionally since 2021, when I booked my first commercials and have been working in VO ever since. I mostly do commercials and explainer videos, but really enjoy educational content, video games and character roles. I can’t say what the next job is yet because I’ve signed an NDA, but it’s an animation and I’m SO excited!!

 Just this past May, I joined the creative team at the St. George Musical Theater in St. George, Utah, where I was brought on board to be their new artistic director. This means I have a hand in how each show gets created, who’s on board for each team, and am there to help the directors and production team create a cohesive show.

I still perform from time to time, and have even worked on some film projects.

Encore really propelled my career forward. I did my first show with them when I was 16 for their 2013/2014 production of The Little Mermaid. Then I was in their summer production of Once Upon A Mattress and then in The Music Man.

After doing a few shows with Encore, by the time I started studying musical theater in school, I knew I wanted to intern at Encore. This was so valuable for me, as I learned to hone my craft as a director and then was brought on to work their summer camps and classes throughout the year.

Community theater and educational theater are a driving force for me. It’s so important in building communication, teamwork, social, and confidence skills. I really do believe that extracurriculars like community theater, a club sport, a book club, etc. are how we “save” young people. I believe this, because I have lived it.

Thanks for catching up with us, Gabe! It’s awesome to see what you’re up to now, and we look forward to seeing what awesome things come next!

Photos contributed by Gabriel Ashton Brown, blog contribution by Parker Nelson.

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