Faces of Xavier: Nicolas Gangone '15

Nicolas Gangone ’15 is a senior from Howard Beach, Queens. Since he first mistook the Xavier Dramatics audition for Biloxi Blues during the Freshman Drama audition in his freshman year, he has performed in seven straight Xavier Dramatics performances. Most recently, Nick performed one of the leading roles in the fall production of the 1981 Larry Shue play The Nerd. We had the opportunity to sit down with Nicolas recently to discuss his time as a performer, Xavier Dramatics and the lessons that he has learned from the stage.

Could you tell me how you became involved with Xavier Dramatics?

I initially came to Xavier wanting to play sports. I tried out for the J.V. soccer team my freshman year but I was cut during tryouts. After that, I knew I wanted to get involved with something else here. I enjoyed acting in middle school, so I decided to join the theatre program here. I wanted to first try out for the Freshman Drama production to see if I would enjoy it, though I accidentally confused its audition for the Xavier Dramatics audition for Biloxi Blues. I ended up auditioning for Biloxi Blues, and, I got a role in it. I was initially worried about stage fright, but thanks to the support of others it went off without a hitch. I’ve been involved with the plays here ever since, and I think it was the right decision.

Save your Freshman Drama mishap, you’ve been involved in every play possible as a Xavier student. What do you most enjoy about the program?

I really enjoy spending time with the people I perform with. When I was a freshman, it was a great help to have upperclassmen helping us learn the ropes, and now that I’m a grizzled veteran of the stage, I’m able to work with freshmen and sophomores who are excited to learn and contribute to the program. I also enjoy working with the girls who audition from other schools. One of the greatest things about theatre is that you are able to meet people from all walks of life. We’re all different from each other in our own ways, but we come together to put on these performances because we love theatre and we want to make sure that the audience has a good time. Xavier Dramatics is like a second family to me. We spend many hours after school rehearsing, and I usually see them more than I see my own family.

Could you name a few of your most memorable experiences on the stage?

After my freshman year, I wanted to try something else other than Xavier Dramatics. Though I made some really good friends and had fun performing, I wanted to do another activity, something different for my last three years here. One of the seniors, Juan Villar-Ojito ’12, got word of my decision and convinced me to stay. He spoke a bit about the program and the improvements I had made since the beginning of my freshmen year, and he told me that it would be a shame if I moved on to something else. He convinced me to stay, and I’d like to thank him for going out of his way to help me out.

Also, at the end of last year’s spring musical, one of the graduating seniors, Connor Siemer ’15, gave a speech to all of the performers. He thanked us for working with him over the years, and he spoke about the reason why performers bow at the end of shows, - we want to thank the audience for being there to support us. Without them, we wouldn’t be there to perform. Connor then bowed to us. It was a great moment for many of us, which made me remember why we still perform.

Is theatre something you plan to pursue after Xavier?

I’m pretty sure I want to double major in physics and theatre in college. Theatre is an important part of my life that I would like to continue long after I graduate from here. I’m looking at schools that are strong in both areas. I’ve already been accepted into the University of Scranton, so that’s good news and a definite possibility. I’ll find out about the rest pretty soon.

What are some lessons you have leaned as a performer?

One of the most important lessons that I have learned is that you can’t really know yourself until you know others. When I perform, I look at the characters I have to play, and I see how their characteristics and actions relate to myself and my own. Stepping into the shoes of another character can help you view yourself and even human nature from another perspective, to see how you may be and appear to somebody else.

How has performing affected your time in Xavier, in general?

At Xavier, I feel that I’ve learned to better empathize with others. As I mentioned before, performing requires you to understand the motivations of others, to understand why they choose to do what they do. It’s been helped with Christian Service, as well as in my history and English classes, where I’ve been able to look at the perspectives and motivations of many different groups and individuals. It has also helped me live out being a “man for others,” by allowing me to relate to others and others’ needs,
who perhaps have less than I do.