Meet Lauren Gaston

Major: Theatre
Hometown: Houston, Texas

Lauren Gaston won the top prize for costume design in a competition sponsored by the Southeastern Theatre Conference for her work last fall on the Wake Forest Theatre production of Arthur Miller's “All My Sons.”

Tell us about yourself.

My thumbs are not the same size, which is an endless source of entertainment for my friends. Yes, hilarious.

What are your plans after graduation?

I hope to work as a costume design apprentice in a professional theatre. This summer I plan to work as the costume technician for La Musica Lirica, a traveling opera company in Novafeltria, Italy. I cannot wait to go abroad again.

How have you grown during the last four years?

A huge part of my creative and intellectual growth came when studying abroad and coming back to Wake spring semester of my junior year. It was at this point I began to trust my independence, my leadership abilities and the power of my creative voice. This is something the theatre department has helped me tremendously with, and I am thankful for my involvement in so many challenging projects on and off stage.

Who has influenced you most?

Lisa Weller, my boss in the costume shop (aka “Lisa's Magic Kingdom”), is a great mentor and role model. Her humor, talent and honesty make her a true super hero in my mind!

Why did you choose Wake Forest?

As random as this may sound, I chose to come to Wake Forest after hearing about the school at an International Thespian Convention in Nebraska. A theatre professor, John Friedenberg, saw my costume design presentation and left me a note, encouraging me to stop by the Wake Forest booth. After visiting the beautiful campus in the spring time and meeting the theatre faculty, I was sold.

What was your favorite class?

This is a tough one. I think one of my favorite classes was Theatre and Education with Brook Davis. We used theatrical games to teach basic arithmetic and spelling in second grade classrooms at Diggs Elementary School. My teaching partner and I had the kids enact giant pizza pies by standing in a circle; they took turns playing the role of a pizza monster in order to understand fractions. I am a kinesthetic learner, so I really wish my elementary school had done this! Outside of the theatre department, I have enjoyed taking Spanish with professor Jorge Aviles-Diz and math with professor Howards. These are both subjects I struggle with, but I enjoyed the classes because of the humor, help and enthusiasm of the professors.

Did you conduct research with any of your professors?

No, but I have worked closely with the theatre department chair, Mary Wayne-Thomas, on my honors project — costume designs for “All My Sons” by Arthur Miller.

Did you study abroad?

I spent a semester studying abroad in London through the Boston University Program. While there, I interned with Almeida Theatre, where I met Caryl Churchill and worked as a costume technician on their production of Cloud Nine. The second half of the semester, I worked with couture designer Nicole Manier, where I had the opportunity to take a millinery workshop with the woman who makes hats for Queen Elizabeth. I could not have asked for a better abroad experience! After studying and working in a city with so much culture and art, I decided to drop my double major in education and concentrate on theatre. I came back to Wake with a renewed and energized appreciation for the arts! It was an incredibly freeing experience to come to terms with my passion; theatre is what I want to pursue.

What was your most meaningful extra-curricular experience?

I was involved with Living Parables drama troupe freshman through junior year. The troupe creates scripturally-inspired skits that are performed at drug rehabilitation centers and churches in the Winston-Salem community. My favorite part was hearing the stories of some of the people we met during performances.

What is your favorite memory of the last four years?

My favorite Wake Forest traditions are Shag on the Mag, Project Pumpkin and rolling the Quad. I remember my sophomore year, when we won the ACC Championship, I could hear screaming from all sides of campus as a mass exodus of people stormed the Quad with toilet paper and oranges. It was an amazing testament to Wake's school spirit!

What will you miss most about Wake Forest?

I will miss the great sense of community and school traditions.

Why should a prospective student come to Wake Forest?

The professors are incredibly accessible and supportive of their students. Also, no other school lets you throw toilet paper on the Quad.

Words of advice for incoming freshmen…

Prepare to work hard, have fun and stay positive! They do not call it “Work Forest” for nothing, but just remember that an education is a great opportunity. Do not waste it! Embrace your time here with curiosity and openness.

— Office of Creative Services
May 13, 2009