Allie Gomez
From high school stages to professional stages in New York City, Allie Gomez has always been center stage. Having already won multiple awards for her theater and dance performances, Gomez is now pursuing those passions at New York University.
Finding her love of dance in fourth grade, Gomez discovered her passion for the arts at a young age. Although she didn’t begin theater until sixth grade, it has been in her life for as long as she can remember.
“I also was drawn to the musical theater style of dance a lot, which was a category at competitions I would go to. And I kind of found myself gravitating towards that fun, very entertaining, lively style,” says Gomez.
Every year for her birthday, Gomez recalls her aunt taking her to the Ohio Theatre to see whatever show was in town. Starry-eyed, she remembers watching The Lion King and thinking the cast running through the audience at the beginning of the musical was the coolest thing ever.
Allie Gomez
Although Gomez was regularly on stage, she was also a student council member and co-president during her senior year of high school. She was also the dance captain for a vocal ensemble group, a member of the Tri-Village Rotary High School Club and a First Community Church L.I.F.E. guard.
Gomez’ involvement in the arts included school musicals, the Upper Arlington Vocal Music Program, Short North Stage internship and competitive dance at K Studios.
Allie Gomez
Getting on stage
She fully commits herself to every role, whether it’s holding weights up to prepare for Lumière’s costume in Beauty and the Beast or running while singing to build stamina and working with a vocal coach for her role as Cady Heron in Mean Girls. Gomez also trains mentally for her roles by creating a notebook for each performance where she explores her characters emotionally and intellectually. For Gomez, the preparation and rehearsal process, especially when everything comes together, is her favorite part of performing.
“It’s definitely made me more confident in myself,” Gomez says. “It’s been a good way of showing myself what I can do and what can be done with a bunch of people.”
Her dedication has paid off in remarkable ways. As a sophomore, Gomez earned a CAPA Marquee Award nomination for her performance as Peggy Sawyer in Upper Arlington High School’s production of 42nd Street.
Two years later, she ended her high school career winning the 2024 CAPA Marquee Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her portrayal of Cady Heron in Mean Girls.
Winning this award meant taking a trip to New York City for the awards, where she connected with other performers from across the country including other students and professionals. She also got the opportunity to perform on a Broadway stage and go to the Tonys.
“I remember hearing about the Jimmy Awards in middle school and I was like, ‘Oh I want to go to those so badly. That seemed so cool,’” Gomez says. “And then I couldn’t actually believe I made it there.”
The next act
Allie Gomez
Gomez is now pursuing a Collaborative Arts degree at New York University where she’s exploring a wide range of artistic disciplines including painting, crocheting, film and backstage theater.
Her parents are incredibly proud of her and are her biggest supporters, although they joke about her being the first in the family not to attend The Ohio State University. During her first semester this past fall, she had the opportunity to participate in a site-specific dance class that performed outside of St. Mark’s Church and in an academic building. The piece involved gargling water, movement and themes of one’s inner child.
As she continues her academic and artistic careers, Gomez remains open to where her future may lead.
While she would love to one day perform on Broadway, she is still learning what she would like to do. What she knows for sure is that she wants a career in the arts, continuing her passion for theater and dance.
“Anything I do has a dance element in it,” Gomez says. “But I’m so excited to see where it goes, and I’m thinking of broadening my horizons now.”
Korrigan Craddock is an editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
