broadway-bound |
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on Broadway program , whose faculty members are working professionals . The first role she landed in college was Myrrhine , alead in the musical comedy ���i�trata �one� .
The program was rigorous , she says , with show rehearsals and classes in academics and performance consuming her schedule between �a . m . and 11 p . m . “ I en�oyed it , and it prepares you for that life ,” says Mariella . “ The connections Imade there will always be with me .” It ’ snot unusual , she says , for her to walk into an audition and recognize adirector from her time at NYU �or example , Marcia Milgrom �odge , director of the Broadway revival of �agtime . Mariella appeared in aproduction of ��e �ecret �arden that �odge directed on the Tisch main stage� afterwards , �odge sent the cast anote saying they ’ d inspired her to take the show on tour around the country .
After graduating in 201� , Mariella “ did what everyone does , pounded the pavement and waited on line on the sidewalk at 5a . m . for auditions ,” she says . Inayear ’ stime , she got amanager who could set up meetings for her , and after that , Mariella attracted an agent . The first role she landed was in a workshop �apreview to help develop ashow �ofthe musical ��e �i�itor at the Public Theater in Manhattan . The show ’ scomposer , Tom �itt , had won a Pulitzer Prize for �rama after scoring the 200� musical �e�t to�orma� , and was impressed enough by her talents to ask her to participate in the development of another show , ��mo�t Famou� ( which recently opened and closed on Broadway ). “ I played Estrella , one of the �band aids ,’” she says , noting that being in aworkshop is a “ typical path for getting in on the ground �oor of ashow .”
Auditioning is “ a full �ob in itself ,” she says , but because itisn ’ t one that pays the rent , she needed to find a steady source of income that could complement her schedule . Her videography business , which grew out of her college hobby of videotaping friends singing songs for their social media sites , evolved into lucrative work in cinematography and editing �and another great way towork alongside people in the industry .
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�RO� THE HE�RT Mariella sings “ Somewhere ” from West Side Story at Chelsea Table + Stage , adinner theater in Manhattan . |
“ It ’ sa�ob that creatively fuels you ,” she says .“ Youcould beawaiter or work at afitness studio , but it ’ ssoulsucking .” Mariella has been adirector of photography on more than 10 series featured on Broadstream , astreaming platform dedicated to the arts and producing dozens of educational and promotional pro�ects for corporate clients . She has also edited promos and ads for The Broadway Sinfonietta , an all-woman orchestra and production company .
��EAT�N� TH�OU�H �OV��
Mariella ’ svideo work was especially gratifying during C��I� , when she won aSony Alpha Female� �rant to make ashort documentary called �noug� about female creatives on Broadway , and the lack thereof . But the inability to perform with theaters shuttered was devastating , she says . �nce again , though , she found away to use her skills inanew , rewarding way .
“ I had always been good at impressions ,” she says .“ So Ithought , why don ’ t Idovocal impressions of legendary Broadway singers� ” Her musical mimicry , which can be seen on TikTok �gabriellemariella , has drawn ahuge response , she says , with one of her first videos getting nearly 2million views . “ �ne went very much viral and was reposted by Lin-Manuel Miranda ,” she says .
�iewers who ask themselves “ How does she do it��� ” can find out by watching her “ Breaking �own the Impressions ” TikTok . “ I ’ ll watch a bunch of videos of performers singing different songs to see what their mouths
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are doing and what their body language is ,” says Mariella . “ I ’ ll find akind of match for the vowel sounds they make and practice it over and over . The people I ’ m doing have uni�ue voices that make them great . It ’ seasy because they ’ re distinctive , but hard because Ineed tomaster them .”
Mike Ruckles , avocal coach with multiple students in Broadway shows , works with Mariella every two weeks and praises her own range .“ �ab has been training with me since June of 201� , and Iwas immediately struck by her poise , her powerful voice , and her humor ,” he says .“ She is exceptionally funny , and we definitely laugh our way through her sessions . She can sing you an expertly delivered soprano �legit ’ song , and then bring the house down with her incredible belt voice . Ithinkit ’ s only amatter of time before she takes off inabig way inNew York City .”
That future may get aboost from her �5-minute “ Broadway Leading Ladies Sing ” show at Manhattan ’ s 5� Below , which bills itself as “ Broadway ’ sSupper Club ,” on April 25 . “ The artistic director asked if Iwould like todoasolo show there ,” she says , adding that headliners including Patti Lupone and Laura Benanti have performed inthe fabled space below Studio 5� .
She notes that Benanti ( ��p�� , ��e �o�e� �e ) grew up in �innelon , where her mother isavoice coach .“ Iknew in high school how Laura had made it and was really successful ,” says Mariella � successful enough to emulate , perhaps , both in aTikTok impression , and asa career model . ■
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KAYLEEN BERTRAND |