Alyson Gannon (Leasing Representative) fell in love with musical theater at an early age. In fact, having grown up near New York City, one could argue it was almost inevitable. She first stepped into the spotlight in third grade, when she played an Oompa Loompa in a production of “Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka” — a moment that sparked her lifelong passion for performing.
From that point forward, Alyson’s life became intertwined with the world of musical theater. She attended singing, dancing, and acting classes, regularly went into the city for auditions, and performed in as many as five productions each year.
“Just being in New York and around the City, I’ve always had an itch for theater,” said Alyson. “I’ve always had a passion for it. It feeds my creative soul when I feel like I need to step out of my world and into something different.”
That same passion followed her throughout high school and college, and continues into adulthood. Now a seasoned actress, Alyson has graced the stage in approximately 60 full-scale productions, including “Annie,” “Footloose,” and “The Wedding Singer.” Her favorite roles include Elle Woods in “Legally Blonde” and Wendla Bergmann in “Spring Awakening.”
In 2020, she was set to star in “American Idiot,” a rock musical based on Green Day’s album of the same name. However, the production was abruptly cut short as the pandemic shut down the country on opening night — marking her unforeseen hiatus from the stage.
Alyson ultimately grew tired of shoveling snow in New York, and traded in the Big Apple for the Sunshine State. She moved to Tampa, Florida, and decided to dip her toes back into the musical theater world. She joined a local Facebook group and kept an eye out for shows she’d be passionate about, knowing she only wanted to dedicate the time to one she’d truly love.
The opportunity to audition for the New Tampa Players’ production of “Grease” immediately caught her eye. After submitting her credentials, she was given a timeslot to audition. During callbacks, she knew she was being considered to play either Sandy or Rizzo, but had her sights set on the latter.
“Rizzo was just a fun character outside of what I’m normally used to playing,” she said. “I knew it would be a bit of a challenge. Plus, I really, really liked her songs.”
Alyson waited for two days, eagerly anticipating news that could set the stage for her next adventure. She got the call as she was driving back from a property in Naples, and was offered the part of Rizzo, which she happily accepted as a much-welcome return to the musical theater world.
The creative team at New Tampa Players was absolutely exceptional throughout the entire rehearsal process and all the way through closing night,” she said. “They were so supportive of every single person in the cast, which made the experience super enjoyable.
As Alyson performed on stage, a few familiar faces could be seen in the crowd: her coworkers. Among them included Faith Hershey (Leasing Representative), Shannon Erler (Senior Property Manager), and Stacey Roberts (Executive Assistant/Office Manager), as well as a few brokers from the Tampa office.
“I want to give a shoutout to my coworkers who came to support me,” said Alyson. “I could hear them cheering after I sang my songs. It meant a lot to have them come and see what I do outside of work.”