Gabriella Rose Randazzo will be a featured performer in ‘The Magic of Gabriella Rose,’ set for Saturday at the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts in Wilkes-Barre.
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Spring show ends part of journey for graduating senior
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The principal dancers from Dance Theatre of Wilkes-Barre don’t always pose formally for portraits. Sometimes they collapse into hugs.
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Younger dancers are looking forward to their spring time show with the Dance Theatre of Wilkes-Barre.
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If you attend ‘The Magic of Gabriella Rose,’ you might see these dancers performing routines inspired by Harry Potter or The Addams Family.
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From Sebastian the Crab in “The Little Mermaid” to “Snow Queen” and “Flower Princess” and mischievous little brother Fritz in “The Nutcracker,” Gabriella Rose Randazzo has performed a wide variety of roles as a student at the Dance Theatre of Wilkes-Barre.
Now, for her grande finale as a graduating high school senior, she has an entire dance show built around her.
“She’s my only senior,” artistic director Gina Malsky said, explaining that’s why Randazzo is the title star of “The Magic of Gabriella Rose,” set for 4 p.m. Saturday, May 28 at the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts in Wilkes-Barre.
The premise of the show is that Malsky will ask Randazzo for ideas about what best represents her style and various pre-recorded lines will provide natural lead-ins for groups of Dance Theatre of Wilkes-Barre students to all show what they can do.
So you might hear the words “Let’s go, Gabby,” and someone might snap their fingers, which will prompt a group of young dancers to perform an Addams Family routine.
Malsky’s voice might tell Randazzo she expects “something magical,” and that will be the signal for a Harry Potter routine to begin.
Of course, Randazzo herself and the other older teen dancers will have a chance to showcase their talents, and for Randazzo that means she will not only dance but sing a solo.
“I like being able to express myself through dancing and through my song choices,” said Randazzo, who has been a student at the Dance Theatre of Wilkes-Barre since she was 5 or 6.
The daughter of Miriam and Anthony Randazzo of Dallas, she plans to make the song “Go the Distance” from “Hercules” part of her performance.
“A lot of the lyrics symbolize to me that I finished this part of the journey but now I’ll be starting a new journey,” Randazzo said, explaining that after she graduates from Holy Redeemer High School in a few days, she will look forward to studying songwriting and entreprenuership at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn.
With two major fields of study, she won’t be able to add a minor in dancing to her course load in the fall. But she plans to continue practicing that art by joining a dance club at Belmont.
Meanwhile, she’ll savor the final moments of this chapter of her dancing life.
“I like the connections (with the other dancers),” she said, naming that as the best part of being a dance student.
“And I want to thank Miss Gina for doing this,” she said. “It’s like a fireworks display of different genres.”
With a grin, she added, “It’s definitely crazy.”
Dance Theatre of Wilkes-Barre will perform “The Magic of Gabriella Rose” at 4 p.m. May 28. Tickets are available at the Kirby Center box office.