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Meet Campus Leader, Theatre Design Major, & Artist Gabei Williams

Gabei Williams
Class of 2023, Theatre: Design Emphasis
From McAlester, Oklahoma

Senior Gabei Williams has spent her undergrad at the University of Oklahoma diving into countless passions, academic challenges, and career-building opportunities.

During her freshman year, she focused on finding student organizations and events that fit her, which eventually led Gabei to leadership roles on campus, like the Union Programming Board for Dancing with the Stars, a campus tour guide, and a camp guide during Camp Crimson, OU’s freshman orientation experience.

“When I arrived on the OU campus as a student, I immediately felt the love of a community, and that first year, I was put on a path of character development that empowered me to grow,” Gabei said. “I want nothing more than for incoming students to find their own yellow brick road. I strive to help people find their friends and pieces of home at OU.”

As her first year progressed, she landed on a major that combined her creativity and passion, Theatre: Design Emphasis through the Peggy Dow Helmerich School of Drama, which includes classes that teach costume, lighting, and special effect design.

“In my second week of classes, a friend introduced me to the University Theatre office, and I fell in love with the world of design,” Gabei said. “I met all the department heads and scheduled interviews, I had no idea what a portfolio meant, but I showed them my Instagram account and my posts, and I was accepted. From there, I began classes and learned the skills and process of designing shows.”

Throughout her involvement with the University Theatre, Gaylord University Film, Collect Arts Production Theatre, and Gilson Lab Theatre, Gabei worked on 18 shows in several positions—from costume designer to wardrobe head and crew lead to live special effects artist. Her most recent work was seen on The Wild Party, a University Theatre production, where she served as the special effects artist, makeup designer, and assistant costume designer.

“The Wild Party was a musical featuring friends who are Vaudeville performers in late 1920s New York City, it dealt with themes of abuse, addiction, and suicide,” Gabei said. “As a makeup designer, it was simultaneously very rewarding and frustrating. Designing a character’s facial and body features and how this fictional person would represent themselves and then watch it come to life before your eyes with lights and costumes is a feeling beyond words.”

She found another leadership role as part of the Morale team for OU Dance Marathon, an OU-wide philanthropy event that benefits Oklahoma’s children by raising money for the Oklahoma Children’s Hospital Foundation and Children Miracle Network Hospitals. As part of the Morale team, she learned about building costumes, the business side of the event, and vulnerability.

“The Morale team choreographs dances for all adaptabilities and ages for people to learn on the day of the event,” Gabei said.

As part of the OU Dance Marathon, each person who joins the event is encouraged to raise money that will go directly toward research fund at the Oklahoma City Children’s Hospital to ensure every child receives the best care, regardless of pay. This year, Gabei’s goal was to raise $1,004.20, a meaningful number that signified a loss of one of her close friends.

On October 4, 2020, Gabei’s friend of three years, Marissa Murrow, was killed by a driver under the influence.

“2020 was the year my viewpoint on life changed permanently,” Gabei said. “I was scared to drive to class, scared it would be the last time I’d see my mom, scared of hugging someone for the last time. Setting this date as my goal for a philanthropy that holds the tightest grip on my heart not only encourages me to work harder, but to share her story so people know they are not alone.”

Gabei has went beyond volunteer work, extracurriculars, and campus involvement, she has also dived into photography. 7even 7inful 7isters was created to empower women and show beauty in the darkness. As a seven-part photography piece showcasing the seven deadly sins as women, Gabei was in control of the entire creative vision, from costumes, lighting, props, photography, and editing.

“I asked each of my friends to portray a different sin and bring it to life,” Gabei said. “This piece is to prove how incredible women can be no matter what we are facing and coming to terms with the fact that our future isn’t always in our hands.”

On November 13, 2022, 7evenful 7inful 7isters was part of the Norman Artwalk, a free monthly event that celebrates arts and creativity in the Walker Arts District in downtown Norman.

As Gabei sets out on her final semester as an OU student, she is keeping busy by working on her senior capstone installment.

“Have you seen Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory? I think that sums up the OU experience,” Gabei said. “An absolute rollercoaster of character development—so many laughs, smiles, cries, hellos, goodbyes, the list goes on and on. It has been an amazing four years, and I am grateful for every second.”