College: St. Louis Community College – Meramec
Major: Undecided
Under the bright glow of the spotlight in Keating Theater, George Gansner takes center stage, effortlessly bringing his character to life. With every scene, he captivates the audience and with every song, he leaves a lasting impact. Gansner said the experience has been enlightening, with last year’s musical, “Something Rotten,” being his first show.
“Music and acting [are] a really good place to learn how to be uncomfortable,” Gansner said. “There’s a lot of different things you can express through music and on stage that you can’t anywhere else.”
Though acting has become a newer interest, Gansner said he grew up always loving music. After learning the guitar in third grade and taking vocal lessons in eighth grade, Gansner said he realized how differently he viewed music compared to others.
“I can see music in my head and how it all plays out,” Gansner said. “Sometimes, I try to explain some things musically to people and how it sounds [to me] and they’re just like, ‘are you okay?’”
Gansner’s talent is not only seen by spectators, but also those who share the stage with him. Ella Hansen, junior, has been in four shows with him and said she feels supported every time.
“He’s always someone [who] you can go to backstage when you’re stressed and he’ll help you out,” Hansen said. “He’s really good at what he does, so he makes it easier for me to do it too.”
Since Gansner’s acting debut two years ago, those around him have said to have noticed his journey of improvement. Kelly Schnider, director, said she has seen the difference in his leadership and how he portrays a character unlike himself.
“His growth of how he approaches a character and what risks he’s comfortable to try is in a totally different world,” Schnider said. “He sometimes acts as a mentor for the newer kids.”
Looking forward, Gansner said he wants to focus on improving his musical ability because of how much more he wishes to learn. He said self-improvement is what he has fun doing.
“I love writing songs and expressing [myself] through them,” Gansner said. “Music will always be a part of me.”
