“What’s Your Superpower?”
Embarking on a Quest Through Arts Education
By Dr. Shanaka & Mrs. Rana Weerasooriya, The Lightning Thief, The Percy
Jackson Musical Sponsors, in honor of their daughter Gianna Weerasooriya
“The things that make you different are the very things that make you strong.” – Sally in The Lightning Thief, The Percy Jackson Musical
Our daughter, Gianna, was an animated and imaginative child. Her preschool teacher, Leslie Novak, noticed these qualities and recommended Venice Theatre’s camps and classes to expand her horizons. Mrs. Novak saw something special in our bold and dramatic child and knew exactly where we could channel those qualities into something great.
Cue, Venice Theatre. Gianna took every class Venice Theatre offered. She loved the dramatic arts. It wasn’t long before our family knew that this was going to be Gianna’s “thing.”
Cue, Kelly Duyn. When Kelly Duyn came on the scene as Assistant Director of Education and Community Engagement for Venice Theatre, the theatre became Gianna’s second home. In the summer of 2017, VT elevated the previous summer showcase to fully licensed and produced productions for the children. We always considered it a children’s Summer Stock. We knew our family had to plan summers around this six-week theatre experience. Gianna appeared in many shows, but the most notable was when she was cast as Willy Wonka. Our most cherished moment was the opening scene for Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka JR. The theatre was dark and quiet. We were seated in the front row, then suddenly I heard my daughter’s voice. She was coming down the aisle from the back of the theatre. The spotlight was focused on her and it was just her voice – that magnificent voice…“Come with me, and you’ll be, in a world of pure imagination.”
Gianna as Wonka was probably the best thing I had ever seen! That bold decision to cast an eighth-grade girl as Willy Wonka was the best thing that could have happened. That summer was the summer that changed Gianna’s life. That was when we knew our child was very talented. We became Gianna Weerasooriya super fans.
Through high school Gianna spent every bit of free time at Venice Theatre. She interned there every summer and if she wasn’t enrolled in a class or camp, she was helping with summer camp for the younger kids. She was surprised when the high school recognized her for having one of the highest numbers of volunteer hours in her school of 2,500 kids because those hours were joyful and did not feel like work. Gianna once said, “When people say, ‘do what you love and you’ll never spend a day working,’ I get it! That is what theatre is for me.”
Recently you may remember seeing her star as the haunting Jane Doe in Ride the Cyclone: The Musical, the Youth Production Company’s 2024 production.
So, fast forward to today. Gianna is thriving at Florida State University and is majoring in theatre. She has joined choirs at FSU, auditioned for some shows, worked some shows, and helped her professors with auditions and callbacks. She’s focusing on performance and stage management.
Gianna is now a well-loved leader with a formidable superpower: She can make a group of random people become a family. That’s the best part of theatre. A new cast for every show means a new group of close friends every time. What could be better than that?
Sponsoring The Lightning Thief was the perfect fit for us as the production highlights younger actors. Several of Gianna’s peers are members of the cast and this opportunity allowed us to support those friends who have become more like family. I hope our gem of a theatre is restored to its glory. We were blessed to have this treasure right in our backyard and it’s imperative that the gift of live theatre be shared with other young people in our community.
For more information on how you can help the youth in our community on their quest to find their superpower through VT’s Education programs, please contact Sandy Davisson at sandydavisson@venicetheatre.net.
To name one of the studios in the Arts Education Center or any space in VT’s three-building campus, please contact Camille Cline at camillecline@venicetheatre.net.