energy and limelight of a theater show , but through the connections it brings .

“ Theater is also family for me . I ’ m not married and I live alone with my dogs . It ’ s a place where I can go be with other people who are very supportive and exercise my creativity .” Four years ago , when she lost her father , theater was also an outlet for her grief , and the time when she added costume designing to her impressive repertoire .

When the pandemic shut down local theater , she entered a bleak patch , depressed at losing access to her most important outlet . Through the support of other theater friends who offered safely distanced front-yard camaraderie , Wilkinson found her way through the worst of it with a renewed commitment to her craft .

“ The pandemic made me think about the future and how much I love theater .” Before the pandemic , she was focusing on only costume-designing for her next show , but she channeled the gumption of one of her favorite roles , “ Truvy ” the bold salon owner in the well-received South Valley Civic Theater ( SVCT )’ s Steel Magnolias ,” originally played by icon Dolly Parton and recommitted to acting , too . “ I don ’ t think I ’ ll be fully myself or whole until I ’ m back on stage again .”

She is excited for the joy theater will bring prospective audiences , too . “ It ’ s an exciting time . We don ’ t know what ’ s ahead but it seems like the sun is coming out and it will be better because we will have theater , hopefully in a renewed way .”

Playing “ Drood ” in “ The Mystery of Edwin Drood ” at Foothill Music Theater , the show ends with Drood “ belting out a huge note and the entire cast behind her harmonizing ,” Angst said . She nailed the note and the audience and cast loved it . “ At that time , I had no idea it was going to be the last moment I would be in that situation ,” she said .

For Angst , theater is more than just a hobby . Having acted since age five , and with a degree in music , theater is a quintessential part of her life . “ I think theater is my religion ,” she said with a chuckle . She has performed in more than two dozen shows in the Bay Area , mostly musicals , including “ Gypsy ” at SVCT and “ Little Shop of Horrors ” at Pintello Comedy Theater . Theater has helped her significantly with mental health issues such as anxiety and depression .

“ This year has been really rough . I felt a complete void and went through a grieving period because

theater was such a huge part of my life .” Unable to pivot to a virtual mode , citing that live theater is too “ unique ” an experience for her to replicate online , Angst knew she had to do something . “ I needed to spend my time in a way that was productive and useful , because I could not handle all the down time .” She took up another dream she ’ d been too busy to pursue while doing theater , obtaining a master ’ s degree in applied anthropology at San Jose State University . The rest of the time she works as a mortician for a funeral home .

After a year , she said she can now listen to showtunes without crying . “ I see a little bit of hope on the horizon . Theater is one of those things you don ’ t realize how important it is until it ’ s gone .”

Top Left : Chloe Angst . Top Right : Whitney Pintello at Pintello Comedy Theater , Grange Hall , Gilroy . Above : Whitney Pintello , Chloe Angst , Adrianne Wilkinson . Bottom Left : Adrianne Wilkinson as Truvy Jones in Steel Magnolias . Photos courtesy Whitney Pintello and Adrianne Wilkinson .

GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN SPRING 2021 gmhtoday . com

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