WHO ARE YOU?
My name is Maura Rose Pawelko and I'm a Chicago-based Musical Theatre performer!
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I am a proud graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University where I earned my BFA in Music Theatre. There, I learned to embrace the spectrum of wacky ingenue that I live within. Some select IWU credits include: Sunday in the Park with George (Dot), The Fantasticks (Luisa), and Heroes of the Fourth Turning (Teresa).
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Growing up my mom had a rule for me and my brothers: we had to be enrolled in at least one arts activity. I tested the ropes in lots of areas; From drawing, painting, dance, knitting, clarinet, guitar, I finally landed on musical theatre when I was 12 years old and I haven't stopped since. I've always loved the way language and music can combine to really expand the way we experience the world. Of all the arts, theatre is where I truly found community.
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WHATCHA BEEN UP TO?
In 2025 I got to work at some of my favorite places!
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I returned to Surging Theatrics in Chicago to live out my sorority girl dreams in Legally Blonde dancing around as a ditsy Delta Nu and serving perm realness as Chutney.
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I then went on to spend another summer in Colorado performing at The Butte with Green Glass Productions! I got to play around as the heroine in their summer melodrama The Colorado Colleen and then spent 7 weeks singing through the hits of the 1960's as Alison in BEEHIVE! The 60's Musical!
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WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW?
Right now, I'm in Mansfield, OH for the spring to play one of my dream roles - Sophie Sheridan in Mamma Mia! - at the historic Renaissance Theatre!
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After that, I will be heading to Grand Lake, CO for my first season at Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre! I will be playing Gingy in
Shrek the Musical, Jolene in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and I'll be in the Ensemble and understudying Little Sally in Urinetown!
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Both of these contracts are dreams come true for me. 2026 is shaping up to be a very abundant year!
