From a first grade parody performance of “The Princess and the Pea” to professionally directing for regional companies in his home state of Arizona, Colgate University first-year Antonius D. Robello has never let a theatrical opportunity pass him by. While his early experiences with theater were less serious, they gave him an understanding of theater as an art form conducive to the entire emotional spectrum.
Robello began assistant directing shows in middle school, but it wasn’t until his senior year of high school when he was working on a school project that Robello used theater to personally connect with himself.
“I wrote this play called ‘A Train Ride with Dad,’” Robello said. “It’s about this son and his dad and they go through this train and each train car is a different stage of grief, so you kind of metaphorically get to go through the stages of grief with these people. I wrote that as my final stage of grief, I wrote that to finally accept the fact that my dad passed away. It was kind of beautiful. I directed it, I wrote it. I played my dad in the show.”
Robello was not concerned with how audiences would think about this show — it was a chance for him to grapple with loss and was not made with the intention of connecting with audiences, but it accomplished just that.
“When I was writing it, it was just for me, but a lot of people after the show who witnessed it were like, ‘Wow, like I saw myself in that’ or ‘Wow, this was really interesting,’” Robello said. “It kind of allowed me to realize a different part of how theater affects people.”
After the show, a producer from a local vocal and theater company reached out to Robello. She wanted him to direct her production of the musical “Ride the Cyclone” the summer after his graduation. This opportunity was unique to Robello, and it gave him the chance to work professionally in theater before he started college.
“Through that experience, I learned that being a director isn’t being the boss of everybody,” Robello said. “It’s my job to channel everyone’s ideas into one cohesive idea that everyone can get.”
This directing experience was formative for Robello. To see his work realized in performance, Robello would have to miss his required pre-orientation program at Colgate. Robello was faced with the decision between his creative passion and an academic opportunity. He was ultimately able to choose both, deferring his acceptance to Colgate and getting to continue his work on the musical. It didn’t end here, though.
“I started getting phone calls,” Robello said. “Different theater companies wanted me to work with them. Arts Express was doing ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ and the director was like, ‘I saw your show. I need someone like you on my team.’ I got hired to be the assistant director there [before being hired by the same company] to act and dance in ‘Kinky Boots.’ I got to learn what it’s like to be paid to act or dance in a show, and it’s pretty crazy. I did that for about a year, worked with four different companies, and it was just really interesting.”
Once it was time for Robello to finally step onto Colgate’s campus, he was far from ready to give up theater. An intended double major in psychology and theater, Robello is interested in exploring how live performances force people to think in a world that is so consumed by social media.
Robello was a director and playwright in this year’s 15 Minute Fest where he got to know members of Masque & Triangle — fellow theater lovers at Colgate. He also acted in Senior Lecturer in the University Theater Simona Giurgea’s recent play, “Master and Margarita.” Through these experiences, Robello has been able to explore his role in the theater as a writer, director and actor.
“I’m taking different aspects of myself that I want to see and putting myself into it,” Robello said. “Putting your whole self into your work is what achieves the best work … I believe that in a different sort of way — if you’re not connecting to it, how do other people connect to it?”
Robello’s investment in his intellectual growth through theater serves as a reminder that learning doesn’t look the same for everyone. At Colgate, there are opportunities to thrive in different ways if you know where to find them, and Robello has certainly found his place on and around the stage.
