about me
Hey there! My name is Gabe Borken, and I am a current Junior at Drake University pursuing a BFA in Musical Theatre and a minor in Directing. I am a Minnesota-based actor with experience working with professionals all across London, New York, and the midwestern U.S. Additionally, I have experience in playwriting, songwriting, directing, and video editing & production.
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Growing up in the beautiful Plymouth, Minnesota, my parents encouraged me to try just about every sport before I got into theatre; soccer, basketball, baseball, etc. But all I did was sit in the middle of the field, court – what-have-you – singing songs and dancing, and when I did score a goal, it was probably for the other team. Oops. I was ten years
old when my parents sent my sisters and me to a week-long theatre camp where I played the Tinman in The Wizard of Oz... and unlike my namesake role, that was the week I found my heart.​
​Throughout grade school, I continued my journey in theatre in community theatres, middle school, and high school productions, performing in nearly thirty productions before my first year of college at Drake University. Throughout my youth, I also discovered a passion for creative writing and video editing, which only enhanced my love and dedication to the arts!​
I used to believe that I was cursed, never to land a role I wanted in any show, EVER. Pretty stupid, right? But in my sophomore year of high school, I was cast as Man In Chair in The Drowsy Chaperone, marking the first time I had ev-
er landed the role I wanted in a show. And strangely enough, this didn't imply to me that the curse wasn't broken. I instead realized that the stupid curse never even existed. And it didn't matter, because even if it did, I loved it anyway. As cheesy as it sounds, this marked a huge step forward in my theatre-making career, but also in my personal life. I opened myself up to new friendships, found a new level of confidence, and most importantly, the voice telling me I wasn't good enough was finally being challenged. That was also the year I started therapy, which has completely changed my life for the better.​
When it came time for the college decision-making process, I knew that I could only be fulfilled with my life if I was doing what I love with people that I love, and there is no world in which theatre is not a part of that happiness. By the spring of my senior year of high school, I was committed to fulfilling this life for myself with an actual contractual commitment to Drake University to study theatre.
Now, a couple of fun facts about myself... I don't like travelling. And I don't like cities. At least that's what I would've told you before my junior year of college, before I spent a semester abroad in London at Florida State University's Theatre Academy in the heart of England's beautiful capital city. I knew that the career in which I was so desperately in pursuit involved two big peeves of mine... travelling and cities. So when the opportunity arose to travel across the planet to live in a city for four months, I was quick to fill out the
application. In London, not only did I break these peeves – I did a 180º and turned them into passions of mine. During my time abroad, I visited 3 other countries, got the privilege of witnessing 41 shows across the West End & beyond, and trained with industry leaders in directing, acting, stage combat, & playwriting.
I am driven by the belief that the art of storytelling is what makes us human; it is what allows us to understand each other, and in turn, ourselves. Engaging with the world of storytelling can encourage us to keep learning & growing, even when we are at our lowest. I will follow this belief wherever it takes me, anywhere from Des Moines, Iowa to London, England or all over the world. By dedicating myself to creating and sharing stories, I hope to influence others to discover their own meaning in their lives, as I continue to explore mine :)