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[0:00] Martín Acuña: Hi, everyone. I am Martín Acuña, and you are listening to Backstage Talk.

[0:16] Martín Acuña: Hello, everyone. Welcome back to another episode of Backstage Talk. Today's guest is Gabe Karr.

[0:24] Martín Acuña: Gabe is a 19-year-old musical theater major from Jacksonville, Illinois. He is currently studying at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and is very excited about the future of his studies and the opportunities the industry has for him. I actually found Gabe on TikTok. Like most of the guys this season have either come from TikTok or Twitter. And I was really, really impressed not only by his talent, but how he lives his day-to-day as a musical theater student. And I'm really, really interested for all of you to listen to the insights he can provide on the audition process, being a musical theater student today, his experience at Viterbo. So, Gabe, welcome to Backstage Talk. I'm really, really excited to have you over.

[1:13] Gabe Karr: Hi. Thank you for having me. Yeah, I'm really excited, too. I love it. So, what did I miss on your bio? Tell us a little bit more about yourself and then share with us a random fun fact about you.

[1:21] Gabe Karr: Well, as my bio does say, I am an energetic, loudmouthed theater kid who is a Jeremy Jordan wannabe. And a fun fact about me is that a lot of people actually, I don't think I've really actually shared it on social media, but I actually am a big gamer, actually. I'm currently talking with a whole two-monitor gaming PC setup right over here. And yeah.

[1:48] Martín Acuña: I could catch that from your seat. That's a gamer seat.

[1:57] Gabe Karr: Yes. Love it. And you also are like an ultimate Disney fan.

[2:04] Gabe Karr: Oh, yeah. I have Splash Mountain Water Essential Oil in my room right now. And it smells great. Absolutely love it. Love it, love it, love it. So, let's dive into your theater journey, your musical theater journey. So, which was your aha moment?

[2:16] Gabe Karr: Well, I remember I was first introduced to the prospect of theater in the first grade. And it was the day before spring break commenced. And the parents were there for some event thing, I don't remember. And my mom and dad were like, we have a surprise for you. And they handed me a ticket that said Shrek the Musical on it. And I was like, what is this? And we saw it and it was the National Tour of Shrek the Musical came to a, I think it was a university's theater in the town next to mine. And we saw it and I was just encapsulated in it so much. But what really got my drive going was when I saw the National Tour of Newsies in Chicago in 2015. And if anyone knows anything about me, you would know my absolute love for that musical.

It is seriously my entire personality. And it just really encapsulated just everything that I wanted to do. And so, after that, I first started performing in this little, the tiniest black box that you could possibly imagine. It was on the square for my town. It was called the Playhouse on the Square. And it was the tiniest thing run by a little old lady. It could only hold like a maximum of a hundred. And my first role I played there was the White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland. And yeah, I was the White Rabbit. Most people start with like Seussical and such. I was the White Rabbit. And I kept doing just like little plays down there. That building is sadly closed down now. But that building is responsible for starting all of this.

And then I started performing throughout high school and participating in the theater department who did a fall play and a spring musical all throughout there. And now I'm in college trying to make it my career. So yeah. I love it. I absolutely love it.

[4:17] Martín Acuña: Plus, you had a really full circle moment because you performed in Muses last year. Like during 2022, you performed in Muses. So that was amazing.

[4:23] Gabe Karr: Yes. I was so happy I was finally able to do that. I remember when I found out that that theater in the town next to mine was doing that, and I got a part of Newsy. Yes, I did actually cry. I absolutely loved it. It was a great moment. Yeah. I let TikTok know all about it. The whole series on that.

[4:41] Martín Acuña: Yeah. Which I remember when I like scrolling through Twitter, I saw that and I was like, I really love this full circle theater moment.

[4:49] Gabe Karr: It was great. I did like every single process, including my hatred for tap. I was so blunt about that.

[5:01] Gabe Karr: And you fake dab during it, right?

[5:06] Gabe Karr: Oh, yes, I did. I was one of like five fake tappers in the back row because I couldn't. But you know what? I was more than fine doing that. I was like, okay, put me in the back.

[5:22] Martín Acuña: So before we dive into your journey into Viterbo, I want to ask you about your audition process. How was it? How many colleges did you apply in? How many videos did you have to record and rerecord and rerecord for that whole process?

[5:30] Gabe Karr: Right. So this is a bit of a long journey because I am in a town that has absolutely nothing for the arts. Like we don't even have a community theater. Well, again, we used to at that old place in the square theater, but it was tiny and it's sadly closed when I was in middle school. So but like no theater classes in high school, no coaches, no nothing. So we started with nothing. And my mom eventually joined a like college audition parents Facebook group because moms and theater moms. Yeah. And well, she was a dance mom before this. So yeah, she had experience with this. But I remember she told me that she first joined it and then she saw people talking about audition coaches, like paid services and intensives and all that.

And she cried like it was like so overwhelming. And I joined one for the kids. And I was just like, how the crap am I supposed to do this? But I was just like, well, I can I just got to do this, I guess. And so like recording prescreens for me was kind of a hot mess because I'm the kind where I overthink like nobody's business. So if I'm playing it back and I hear a note that's like zero point zero zero zero point zero zero one percent flat, I have to just delete the entire thing and start over. So that took like almost a whole month. And my first in-person audition was equally a hot mess because plans changed and it ended up being one of my top schools. So, yeah, that obviously didn't happen. But there was also a tap portion and you can imagine how that went.

[7:30] Gabe Karr: I could see the struggle on your face. I'm fine now, but like, mercy. Back then I was just like, heck no. But I will say that with every single one that I did, I ended up doing like 12 schools total with every single one that I did virtually, non-virtually in person. I really did start to get a lot better at them. And I started getting like the rhythm and just like, okay, this is going to happen. It's going to happen. What I need to bring, what I need to do, what I need to say, how I should do it. And I got like, I don't want to sound brag or anything, but I actually did get a solid amount of offers with that. And so then I had my final few choices, visited all that and did all like the entire months of January and February.

I thank my mom for all of that, for driving me there, doing all the small talk and everything. She's my whole manager over there. And then eventually I found Viterbo and I absolutely fell in love with it. And next thing you know, here you are. Absolutely love it.

[8:33] Martín Acuña: So what would be a piece of advice that you would give people auditioning right now? Now that most schools have moved into in-person auditions, maybe they're going to ask for a pre-screen, but then definitely an in-person.

[8:46] Gabe Karr: Hey everyone! I'm so excited to be here on Backstage Talk.

[9:16] Gabe Karr: So, I’m currently a Musical Theatre student at Viterbo University, and my journey has been quite the adventure so far.

[9:36] Gabe Karr: I started my college experience with a lot of nerves, but also a lot of excitement. The audition process was intense, but it really helped me grow as a performer.

[10:01] Gabe Karr: I remember preparing for my auditions, working on my songs, and really trying to showcase who I am as an artist.

[10:21] Gabe Karr: The support from my peers and professors has been incredible. They really push you to be your best self.

[10:41] Gabe Karr: One of the highlights of my time at Viterbo has been the opportunity to perform in various productions.

[11:01] Gabe Karr: Each show has taught me something new, whether it’s about character development or working as part of an ensemble.

[11:21] Gabe Karr: I’ve also had the chance to collaborate with some amazing people, which has been a huge part of my growth.

[11:41] Gabe Karr: I think one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is the importance of resilience in this industry.

[12:01] Gabe Karr: There are definitely ups and downs, but staying focused on your goals is key.

[12:21] Gabe Karr: I’ve also been active on Theatre TikTok, which has been a fun way to connect with others in the community.

[12:41] Gabe Karr: Sharing my journey online has opened up so many doors and allowed me to meet fellow performers.

[13:01] Gabe Karr: It’s amazing how social media can create a sense of community, especially for those of us in the arts.

[13:21] Gabe Karr: I love being able to share my experiences and hopefully inspire others along the way.

[13:41] Gabe Karr: I think it’s important to remember that everyone’s journey is unique, and that’s what makes our stories so special.

[14:07] Gabe Karr: I’m really looking forward to what the future holds for me in Musical Theatre.

[14:33] Gabe Karr: I have so many dreams and aspirations, and I’m excited to chase them down.

[14:53] Gabe Karr: Thank you for having me on the show today!

[15:13] Gabe Karr: I hope to share more about my journey and connect with more people in the industry.

[15:33] Gabe Karr: If anyone has questions or wants to reach out, feel free to find me on social media!

[15:53] Gabe Karr: I’m always open to chatting about theatre and sharing experiences.

[16:13] Gabe Karr: Thanks again for this opportunity, and I can’t wait to see where this journey takes me!

[16:33] Gabe Karr: Remember to keep supporting the arts and each other!

[16:53] Gabe Karr: Let’s keep the conversation going and uplift one another in this beautiful community.

[17:14] Martín Acuña: Thanks everyone for listening to this new episode of Backstage Talk.

[17:19] Martín Acuña: Remember to follow us on Facebook and Instagram at Backstage Talk Podcast.