Student Snapshot
Connor Michael Gerney
Connor Gerney received an Undergraduate Research & Creativity Activity award to help fund his original production of his play “Twilight Boy,” which premiered Feb. 17 at the Whirligig Stage in Greenville.
The play tells the story of the friendship among three sculpting students and what happens when one of them goes missing.
Class: Junior
Major: Professional acting and theater for youth
Career Goals: Actor, playwright
“The show went amazingly,” Gerney said afterward. “We had two shows, and while the crowds were very different, the afternoon more subdued and the evening pretty wild, both audiences had incredibly positive things to say. It really was everything I could’ve hoped it would be, and I’ll never forget it.”
From a young age, Gerney knew he had a passion for theater. An early mentor encouraged him to pursue acting.
“She cast me in my first community theater show and really pushed me a lot. She was a guiding force who really helped me,” Gerney said.
Looking for a university that provides acting training and a program revolving around theater for the youth, Gerney came to ECU. As early as his freshman year, Gerney got involved in school productions and has performed in “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe,” “Wind of the Willows,” “A Midsummer’s Night Dream” and “The Three Musketeers.”
He’ll work at the outdoor drama “Unto These Hills” in Cherokee this summer.