Campus Celeb: Gillian Gordon

Name: Gillian Gordon
Academic Year and Major: Freshman [Class of 2015] Theatre Major
Relationship status: Single
Zodiac sign: Cancer

Tell us a little bit about what “Anything Goes” is about?
“Anything Goes” is a 1930s musical comedy, with music and lyrics by Cole Porter, set onboard the S.S. American, an ocean liner bound for England from New York.  It tells the story of the passengers madcap adventures at sea.  There are many passengers onboard, including stowaways, gangsters, and debutantes.  A quest for true love, shenanigans, and numerous mistaken identities round out the plot of this period musical.  The show was created to showcase Cole Porter’s iconic songs which were the popular hits of the time, including:  “You’re the Top”, “It’s De-lovely”, and “Anything Goes”. 

What role did you play in the production?
Erma – a gangster’s moll.  She is the sidekick of the “second rate”, yet lovable gangster, Moonface Martin (played by Tyler Strawhecker).  She’s easily distracted by men, especially the sailors.  Erma is not afraid to flaunt what she’s got.  Very often she is offstage  learning “the finer points of stoking” and “how to grease the hawsers” with the sailors.  At the end of the musical numerous sailors ask for her hand in marriage. She explains to them what she would expect from the man she marries in the song “Buddie Beware”.  Erma certainly thinks she knows what she wants!

What was it like to have such an important role as a freshman? Did anyone have a negative reaction to you’re casting because of your age?
I had an absolute blast playing Erma!  I’m appreciative to Marilyn, the Director, and Scott, the Music Director, for giving me this opportunity.  It was a type of role that I have never played before and certainly a challenge that I’ll never forget.  The cast and crew could not have been more supportive.  There was kindness and talent all around me and it was really inspiring.  Anything Goes was an absolute pleasure to rehearse and perform every night and I loved working with everyone.

What other theater experience have you had in the past?
I’ve performed at the American Repertory Theater, Reagle Music Theatre, Wheelock Family Theatre, Boston Playwrights Theatre, Stoneham Theatre, Turtle Lane Playhouse, Arlington Friends of the Drama, and others – all of which are in the Greater Boston area.  In high school I also performed a lot with Alexander Children’s Theatre, which is run by Stephanie Mavrides, a Suffolk University alum.  Some of my favorite roles include: Liesl in “The Sound of Music” at Reagle Music Theatre, Emily Webb in “Our Town” at Arlington Friends of the Drama, and Emily Bates in “Donnie Darko” at American Repertory Theater. 

What has been the best part of your Suffolk experience so far?
Meeting so many wonderful people and making great friends! 

Other then acting, what are some of your hobbies?
Traveling and Photography are at the top of the list.  Photography is my therapy.   I love taking off on road trips with family or friends.  I live on Boston Harbor, and I have been exploring the Boston Harbor Islands and nearby spots like Salem.  I’ll be doing that and teaching theater to kids this summer in Boston. 

What made you decide to go to school in Boston instead of New York or LA to study theater?I grew up in the Boston area and, therefore, I have a network of people in the Boston theatre community, many of whom I consider family.  I didn’t want to pick up and leave all of that behind.  Boston is close enough to NYC that I can take a day trip to audition, see a show or visit friends who have made the move to the city.  For now, I feel I have the best of both worlds in Boston.   The theater scene here is going

through a very vibrant phase.  As theatre students, we’re lucky to be in the midst of that, and I think I am very lucky to be in the theater department at Suffolk.  There is so much talent, the department is strong, I’m learning and it is a great group of people.