Education Student Spotlight:

Angie Drake, Wila Drake, Juliana Gonzalez & Payton Kozlowski

For this month’s Education Student Spotlight, we are celebrating four remarkable young artists who have truly grown up on the Citadel stage: Angie Drake, Wila Drake, Juliana Gonzalez, and Payton Kozlowski.

Each of these students has been a part of Citadel Theatre Education for several years, and we have had the incredible privilege of watching them grow from young performers discovering their voices into confident artists, leaders, and mentors. Now, as members of the Olympus cast of The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical, they are not only taking the stage themselves; but they are helping guide and support the next generation of Citadel performers.

With a cast of 42 students, these four have stepped into important leadership roles throughout the production. They have helped backstage, supported the Half-Blood cast, encouraged younger students, and helped create an environment where every performer feels welcomed, valued and supported no matter their age, background or experience level. Angie has also taken on the additional responsibility of serving as Dance and Fight Captain, helping lead her castmates through choreography and rehearsals.

Their journeys with Citadel each began at different moments. Payton Kozlowski first joined Citadel through Broadway Bootcamp when she was around 13 or 14 years old, and one of her favorite Citadel memories was performing as Hamilton in Hamilton. Juliana Gonzalez first became involved with Citadel as part of the tech team for Matilda JR. in 2023 when she was around 12 years old, later discovering her love for performing through shows like Newsies, where she played Katherine. Sisters Angie and Wila Drake joined Citadel through The Little Mermaid about two years ago, when they were 11 and 13 years old. Since then, both have continued to grow as performers, with Angie’s favorite Citadel experience being Newsies, where she enjoyed playing Medda and Albert and challenging herself through dance, and Wila’s favorites being Ride the Cyclone, where she played Jane Doe, and Grease, where she played Marty.

Beyond the roles they have played, each student has found meaningful growth through their time at Citadel.

Payton has loved developing her musical theatre skills, especially learning how to harmonize and strengthen her singing voice. She appreciates how Citadel has helped her grow as a performer while continuing to challenge her musically.

Juliana has enjoyed discovering the full “triple threat” experience of acting, singing and dancing. Through Citadel, she has not only developed her performance skills but has also built lasting friendships and gained confidence, communication skills and the ability to connect with others. She has made long-lasting friendships through the program.

Before joining Citadel, Angie had limited experience with theatre, but the program helped her discover her strengths as an actor, singer and dancer. She especially loves the challenge of learning choreography from Citadel’s directors and the feeling of accomplishment that comes with mastering something new. She also shares that performing alongside her sister Wila has brought them closer together and strengthened their friendship.

For Wila, Citadel has been a place where she has been able to explore every aspect of performance. While she originally focused more on singing, the program encouraged her to grow as a dancer and actor as well. She feels that Citadel has been a major part of her personal growth, helping shape who she is today and surrounding her with a community that has positively impacted her life.

What makes these four students so special is not just their talent, but the way they use their experiences to lift others up. They understand what it feels like to be a younger student finding confidence on stage, and now they are helping create that same sense of belonging for others.

We are incredibly proud of Angie, Wila, Juliana, and Payton for the artists and leaders they have become. Watching them grow through Citadel Theatre Education has been a true joy, and we cannot wait to see where their passion, creativity and kindness take them next.