Theater alum Wong becomes CCRI's fourth to earn Gamm fellowship in 2024–25

10/09/2024

An aspiring teacher who has now found their niche in the world of performing arts, Community College of Rhode Island Class of 2024 alum Allison “Sonny” Wong is taking their talents to the Sandra Feinstein-Gamm Theater as one of four new fellows in its 2024–25 Gamm Fellowship Program.

CCRI remains a pivotal player in the Gamm Fellowship Program; Wong is the fourth CCRI graduate selected for the program since its inception in 2021, joining Dan Garcia (2021–22), Ednilson Tavares (2022–23), and Mireya Hoffens (2023–24).

The 10-month Gamm Fellowship Program is a partnership between the Gamm and Rhode Island’s public institutions of higher education to provide on-the-job training and educational opportunities for emerging artists. Fellows are paid a stipend to participate in an immersive experience in which they will engage in select areas of creative, administrative, and educational theater making. Each fellow is also paired with an advanced career mentor who will provide guidance about making a living in the theater industry.

This season is particularly special for the Gamm as it celebrates its 40th anniversary as one of the state’s most well-known non-profits serving the public with educational programming that enriches the cultural and civic life of Rhode Island’s theater community.

“This is such a great opportunity,” said Wong, a 28-year-old Barrington, RI, native who earned her associate degree this past spring in Liberal Arts with a concentration in Theater Performance. “I’m hoping through this fellowship I can get all the tools I need to help keep the art alive and learn from the people here who are really experienced and have carved out a path for what theater is today. The social awareness of what we do has been raised to new levels and I want to continue that tradition.”

Wong attended high school in their hometown, Barrington High, but dropped out before ultimately earning their GED in 2014. They did a “little bit of everything” in between the time they left high school and enrolled at CCRI in 2017, including dog walking, babysitting, and working at a nearby Dollar Tree.

Theater, ironically, wasn’t always on the table; Wong participated in high school, but thought it was “too cliquey,” so they never felt like part of the group. They started out as a part-time student at CCRI to pursue a potential career in education and took Introduction to Theatre (THEA 1090) as an elective. The experience was much different than high school.

“What I had dealt with before really discouraged me from pursuing theater,” Wong said. “I kind of assumed that’s what the community was like in general, but being at CCRI and experiencing something much more inclusive and fulfilling showed me I can do so much more in this field.”

Their professor, Luke Sutherland, encouraged Wong to audition for the CCRI Players production he was directing, Fool for Love, in September of 2020 (performed remotely due to the pandemic). Wong got the part, which they said was “mind-blowing” at the time because they had never performed in any capacity before, whether on stage or remotely.

The rest is history. After rediscovering their passion for theater, Wong enrolled full time at CCRI to pursue their associate degree and became a key member of the Players. Over the next three years, Wong performed in I and You, Water by the Spoonful, Three Years from Thirty, SHREW, Clown Bar, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Their technical theater credits at CCRI include Deathtrap (assistant stage manager), Othello (technical assistant), Yellowman (stage manager), and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (assistant director/dramaturg). Wong also performed and worked in technical roles throughout the state, including at Contemporary Theatre Company, Burbage Theatre Company, Spectrum Theatre Ensemble, and Mixed Magic Theatre.

“CCRI gave me opportunities that I didn't ever think that I could have,” Wong said. “I had old dreams, and they were made real when I didn’t think that was possible. A few very dedicated people who work here and were also students here helped me reach that level. Being a member of the Players was like being part of a family. We really do try to look out for each other more than some other communities that I've now experienced.”

Wong initially considered transferring to a four-year school to pursue their bachelor’s degree until CCRI Theatre Program Director Ted Clement nominated them as a Gamm fellow. Having witnessed the success of others who’s been a part of the program before them – including Tavares, who has since been accepted to the prestigious Juilliard School in New York City – Wong knows “the doors are wide open” when it comes to turning her passion into a stable career.

“When I first got into theater, it was a hobby,” they said, “but now I would love to keep working in the field. I want to pursue theater education and bring this passion to younger children and show them the skills and, more importantly, show them the encouragement and kindness that I didn’t experience until I came to CCRI.”

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