Addison Garner
Class of 2014
Musical Theatre
I am a 2014 Musical Theatre Magna Cum Laude graduate. Throughout my time at UM, I was blessed to be a part of several activities such as Sofree, Sounds of Mobile, Voices of Mobile, numerous theater productions, as well as Miss University of Mobile in 2012.
After touring the world aboard the Symphony of the Seas as Velma Von Tussle in Royal Caribbean’s “Hairspray,” I am now a professional actor residing in NYC. Due to COVID-19, however, I have been quarantining at my parent’s home in Opelika, AL. After the devastating news of theaters being shut down until 2021, I decided to give kids and teens, as well as myself, their own performance opportunity right from my home. For 2 weeks, over 25 kids were able to work one-on-one on a musical theatre song of their choosing where they learned notes, memorized lyrics and even added choreography to their piece and were able to perform on the “stage,” otherwise known as the front porch of my parents’ home. This heart-warming opportunity was very special to me and turned into a community-wide event that everyone was able to safely (and socially distance-ly) enjoy.
My time at UM is something I will never forget, and I am forever grateful for the life-changing opportunities and life-long friends it has given to me. Working under such wonderful people such as Dr. Roger Breland, singing for Governor Bentley, having dinner with Tim Tebow and getting to serve alongside such strong believers are experiences that I will always treasure. I am thankful for the preparation I was given in order to change lives to change the world. I know mine certainly was!
For more than 50 years, University of Mobile Alumni have launched from our beautiful 880-acre campus to leave an imprint on the world. This is why generations of family members have chosen this special place to grow in their faith while gaining a world-class education. With more than 15,000 graduates, the University of Mobile has been changing the world through this powerful network of doers, spanning the globe in virtually every profession. The University of Mobile Alumni Association invites all members of the UM family—alumni, current students, parents and friends—to connect with the university’s alumni community.