{"id":193298,"date":"2026-04-11T12:04:28","date_gmt":"2026-04-11T12:04:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/193298\/"},"modified":"2026-04-11T12:04:28","modified_gmt":"2026-04-11T12:04:28","slug":"from-campus-stages-to-the-new-york-city-spotlight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/193298\/","title":{"rendered":"From campus stages to the New York City spotlight"},"content":{"rendered":"

As a child growing up in Neptune Beach, Florida, Gabby Parker would put on concerts for her parents\u2019 dinner guests, already drawn to the spotlight and the joy of connecting with an audience. Over time, piano lessons led to voice lessons, voice lessons led to theater productions, and theater became the place where she found not only her artistic voice, but her people.<\/p>\n

Parker said her decision to pursue theater professionally did not come from a single dramatic moment. Instead, it unfolded gradually, shaped by years of training, auditions, and a sense of belonging she found within the theater community. \u201cThis is what I do because this is where my people are,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

But while she was committed to theater, she also wanted to attend a university that would let her explore other interests, especially government and public affairs. That combination drew her to the University of Miami<\/a>, where she could pursue both theater arts and political science.<\/p>\n

When Parker arrived on campus, she had a clear goal in mind: complete both of her majors, even when others told her it would be too difficult. She took summer classes, studied abroad, and found creative ways to make the credits work. On top of all that, Parker also served as president of the Theatre Action Group<\/a>, joined the President\u2019s 100<\/a>, worked as a student ambassador, and balanced a demanding performance schedule alongside her academic commitments.<\/p>\n

Looking back, she said her growth at the University was not linear. There were setbacks, including a vocal injury during her first year, but those challenges helped her build confidence and resilience. \u201cI think all of that has taught me to be more resilient and push forward even when it gets really hard,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Now, as she prepares to graduate from the University of Miami with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in musical theatre<\/a> and a Bachelor of Arts in political science<\/a>, Parker leaves with a growing list of accomplishments, including a standout performance in New Box, New Musicals<\/a> and a major professional milestone: becoming the first student signed by an agent through the Department of Theatre Arts<\/a>\u2019 annual senior showcase<\/a> trip to New York City.<\/p>\n

Stepping into the spotlight<\/p>\n

Among the most influential experiences of Parker\u2019s four years were her weekly voice lessons with professor Edgar Miguel Abreu<\/a>. Students in the musical theatre program are paired with one voice teacher throughout their time at the University, giving them the chance to build a close working relationship over four years. Parker said those lessons transformed both her technique and her perspective on life. One of the questions that Abreu often asked her\u2014\u201cDoes it cost you?\u201d\u2014became a guiding principle, helping her think carefully about when to push herself and when to protect her energy and health.<\/p>\n

Another formative experience came during her sophomore year, when she performed in The Wolves by Sarah DeLappe. \u201cThat was a really special experience because it challenged me physically in a way that allowed me to get out of my head about the actual acting work,\u201d Parker said. Directed by Jessica Bashline, who has also become an important mentor, the production reinforced the value of trust, discipline, and collaboration in the rehearsal process.<\/p>\n

This spring, Parker performed in New Box, New Musicals, a collaboration between the University of Miami and New York University\u2019s Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program. The project gave students the opportunity to stage brand-new musicals and work closely with material that was still evolving.<\/p>\n

For Parker, that experience stood out from several other productions she had completed because of how collaborative and open-ended it was. Cast in all five works and playing lead roles in two of them, she said the process gave her a deeper sense of ownership as an artist. \u201cIt really made me feel like a real artist,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

She especially valued the chance to engage directly with the writers, particularly on one production, Leg Up, which followed a young woman who had lost her leg to cancer. For Parker, being able to ask questions and discuss the script with the writers was a rare and meaningful part of the process.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Department of Theatre Arts\u2019 annual senior showcase trip to New York City is designed to help students transition from training to the professional world. The experience included a filmed video showcase, virtual meetings with agents and managers, workshops with casting directors, and a student-produced cabaret performance at 54 Below, a venue in Midtown Manhattan.<\/p>\n

For Parker, the trip led to a major milestone. Just minutes after one of the virtual showcase sessions, she received an email from the agent who now represents her. After a follow-up meeting, she signed with a bicoastal agency. Parker said that \u201cthe chances of that happening are just really slim, and so I was really grateful for the opportunity.\u201d She said the moment was especially meaningful because of the people who helped her get there, including her professors, classmates, and family.<\/p>\n

Moving to the next stage<\/p>\n

After graduation, Parker plans to move to New York City in late summer and begin auditioning. She hopes to pursue opportunities in theater, film, and television, with a particular interest in new works and musicals that incorporate pop and rock music.<\/p>\n

More than any particular title or stage, though, Parker said what matters most to her is the opportunity to connect with audiences through storytelling. \u201cI really just want to tell people\u2019s stories and connect with people,\u201d she said. \u201cEven if it\u2019s just one person in the audience that is moved or changed in any way by your performance, that\u2019s the goal.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As a child growing up in Neptune Beach, Florida, Gabby Parker would put on concerts for her parents\u2019…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":193299,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[77245,77244,77243,77242,1617,77241,9,24,55,54,56,28101,77240,11073],"class_list":{"0":"post-193298","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-new-york-city","8":"tag-54-below","9":"tag-department-of-theatre-arts","10":"tag-edgar-miguel-abreu","11":"tag-gabby-parker","12":"tag-musical-theater","13":"tag-new-box-new-musicals","14":"tag-new-york","15":"tag-new-york-city","16":"tag-new-york-city-headlines","17":"tag-new-york-city-news","18":"tag-ny","19":"tag-performance","20":"tag-theatre-studies","21":"tag-university-of-miami"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/193298","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=193298"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/193298\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/193299"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=193298"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=193298"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=193298"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}