Christine Gnieski ’13 shares love of theatre on summer tour

This summer, children in Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Florida are developing a love and talent for theatre with the help of Christine Gnieski ’13.

Christine Gnieski ’13, right, has been touring with Missoula Children's Theatre.

Gnieski is on tour with Missoula Children’s Theatre (MCT), a company that sends theatre professionals to communities to teach musicals to children and teenagers. Each Sunday, Gnieski and another actor drive to a new town to produce a musical rendition of the Pinocchio story. They hold auditions, select actors and assistant directors, and perform the show twice on the weekend. Then they drive to a new location and start again.

Randolph theatre professor Mace Archer introduced Gnieski to MCT’s artistic director during a theatre conference this spring. Gnieski interviewed for a position and was quickly hired.

Gnieski was well known for her acting career at Randolph, performing in plays such as The Rocky Horror Show, Spring Awakening, Avenue Q, and Uncle Vanya. Her long-term goal is to act on Broadway. MCT is the perfect place to start because it allows her to tour and is helping her gain the experience she needs to try her hand at larger venues. “Also, it’s hard to find a professional actor who has never done children’s theatre,” she said.

“This is a great job to jump-start my acting career because, not only am I teaching younger generations to have a love for theatre, but I'm also really solidifying my love and respect for theatre as well,” she said. “If you can teach sixty 5- to 17-year-olds a one hour musical in five days, what can’t you do?”

Recent graduate ready to begin federal job while continuing dance education

On June 17, Martin Wiley ’13 will begin working for the United States government. Wiley’s ability to secure a great position during a tough economy proves his dedication to preparing for a career both during the school year and on breaks has paid off.

He will serve as an information technology specialist for the Office of Personnel Management, the U.S. government office that manages job announcements, pension plan payments, and other related tasks. Wiley will provide technical support and hardware management for other federal employees.

“I was able to get the job because I had previously interned there for three years during my breaks from college,” Wiley said. “They decided that they would love to have me after graduation because of my work ethic and personality.”

The job’s location also places him in a position to pursue another dream: becoming a professional dancer. He majored in dance at Randolph and was well known for his contributions to dance concerts. However, because he did not discover his talent and passion for dance until his sophomore year at Randolph, Wiley is still new to the art. So when he gets off from his day job, expect to find him studying his passion in dance studios in Washington, D.C.