Trending
A student from Marietta and another at Marietta College advanced to the finals of the Musical Theatre Intensive competition held in January in Pittsburgh.
They were Emma Gandor of Marietta, class of 2026, and fellow actor Rose Wardlow of Georgetown, Ohio, class of 2025. Gandor and Wardlow were among the 18 students and two alumni attending the event.
"I was thrilled to hear Rose and Emma's names called when the finalists for the Musical Theatre Intensive competition were announced," Melissa Grande, chair of the Department of Theatre, said. "It is a testament to their work ethic and talent that they were part of the elite group of 20 who were chosen out of 93 entrants.
It also speaks to the excellence of the training that we offer at Marietta College, and I'm proud to be a part of that."
Participating in the competition held in and around the Hilton DoubleTree was an eye-opening experience, Gandor said.
"As I have never done anything like it, I was unsure of what to expect and quite nervous," Gandor, an English and musical theater major, said. "However, it ended up being an amazing experience. I learned a lot not only from the responders, coaches, and judges but also from my peers who I got to meet and exchange experiences and interests with."
Gandor also received a commendation for Comedic Performance.
"When I first found out that I had advanced in the competition, I was shocked. I did not imagine that my video would have gotten picked out of almost 100 other submissions," Gandor said. "Furthermore, I certainly did not expect to receive an award for my performance. The experience almost felt like a dream."
Wardlow said the opportunity was daunting, yet exciting.
"The day we got to Pittsburgh, I had convinced myself that I would not have progressed to the final round, not from a perspective of insecurity, just a reflection of probability, as 100 people had submitted auditions," she said.
"You can imagine my immense surprise to hear not only my name, but my friend Emma Gandor's name, as two of the 20 people who would go on to be MTI finalists! It was the burst of energy I needed to carry me through the conference."
Gandor and Wardlow said the experience could lead to new opportunities.
"I now have an experience such as MTI under my belt," Gandor said. "It will definitely benefit me in the future, as many of my teachers say with every performance/experience a performer becomes less nervous and more equipped."
