World Stages
Abi Mesel
Two recent graduates channel their training across the globe’s most exciting stages
By Diana Kalaji
For Abigail Mesel (M.F.A. music ’25) and Sloane Ptashek (B.F.A. music theatre ’25), studying at UC Irvine Claire Trevor School of the Arts meant having access to the world’s most exciting stages, from Broadway’s newest premieres to historic cathedrals in Ireland. The two artists, who recently graduated, are not only rising performers in their fields but thoughtful stewards of UC Irvine’s creative legacy, carrying forward the vision of their faculty mentors and pushing the boundaries of where performance can take them.
Onstage Breakthroughs
For Sloane Ptashek, a recent B.F.A. music theatre graduate from the Department of Drama, musical theater was never just a pastime. Raised by a mother who played the viola and danced hula, she was surrounded by music and performance from an early age.
“I grew up in New York, going to Broadway shows,” said Ptashek. “I saw Wicked when I was 9, and years later, I got to meet Idina Menzel at a book signing in 2014. I never imagined I’d meet her again years later while at UC Irvine.”
Image: (left to right) Ashlyn Filippone, Sloan Ptashek and Ruby Lapeyre in a performance of 9 to 5: The Musical in the Irvine Barclay Theatre.
She began voice lessons at 8, performed in school productions and found her calling onstage. When it came time for college, UC Irvine stood out for its rigorous training and the chance to build a well-rounded education.
“I liked that I could take classes outside the arts, and that I’d be surrounded by students who cared about more than just making it in the industry,” said Ptashek.
At UCI Arts she found both challenge and community. “The training is no joke,” said Ptashek, crediting mentor Professor Myrona DeLaney for refining her acting and vocal technique, and choreographer Professor Andrew Palermo, a performer in the original cast of Wicked, for broadening her vision of a professional path.
DeLaney directed her in 9 to 5: The Musical at the Irvine Barclay Theatre, where Ptashek starred as Violet. The role proved pivotal — not only artistically but professionally, leading to a connection with the agent who saw her in the show.
“Violet is the kind of woman I want to be; she’s tenacious and self-assured,” said Ptashek. “That show meant everything to me.”
Image: Image: (left to right) Idina Menzel and Sloan Ptashek in 2014 and together again in 2025. Courtesy of Sloan Ptashek.
Soon after, she joined the department’s New York Satellite Program, a full-credit, four-week immersion that places students in Manhattan for industry training. Ptashek took dance and acting classes, attended professional workshops and saw live performances — all while living with fellow students.
“It was surreal,” said Ptashek. “I lived with my best friends in a tiny apartment, took classes with Broadway professionals and saw 15 shows. I met Idina Menzel when we came back to perform for our B.F.A. showcase, and she generously spoke to us for almost an hour about the industry and her recent production, Redwood. It was a full-circle moment.”
Now preparing to return home to New York City, Ptashek is eager to begin auditioning. As a queer, Filipina, Jewish actor, she’s committed to representation onstage and hopes to one day originate a role of her own.
“I didn’t always see people who looked like me on Broadway,” said Ptashek. “It’s powerful to see yourself reflected onstage. Now, I want to help make that space for others.”
As Ptashek steps into the next chapter of her life, she carries not only professional accolades but a deep belief in the power of performance — and in the communities that shaped her.
“I’ve learned that you don’t have to wait until you’ve made it to start creating your own legacy,” said Ptashek. “You just have to begin.”
Familial Harmony
Raised in a musical household in the Bay Area, Abigail Mesel sang before she could talk and grew up harmonizing with her father at the piano.
“He was self-taught and could play anything by ear,” said Mesel. “We would sing along to Disney songs and start making up harmonies.”
Image: Abi Mesel. Photo by Jeanine Hill.
With a mother who played all the woodwinds and siblings who beatboxed, played cello and picked up the baritone horn, Mesel was immersed in music from an early age — even if she didn’t initially see a future in it.
In high school, she was preparing to study chemistry until a conductor from the I Sing Silicon Valley choir encouraged her to consider voice more seriously. She enrolled at UC Irvine, double majoring in music and chemistry. When deciding to pursue a master’s degree, Mesel found herself drawn to the Department of Music’s faculty and vocal training.
“It felt like the right place to be,” said Mesel. “Professor Darryl Taylor and Professor Irene Messoloras supported me in ways I’d never imagined. I wanted to keep learning from them.”
Mesel went on to complete both her undergraduate and graduate degrees at UC Irvine, earning recognition as a soloist and ensemble singer with the UCI Chamber Singers. She traveled internationally with the ensemble, performing at Kylemore Abbey in Ireland, Twilight Mass at Carnegie Hall and most recently in Portugal. Each performance, she said, was both a cultural and artistic exchange.
“You understand that music is a global language,” said Mesel. “And each place you perform, it changes you a little, and you carry that into the next piece.”
Of all her travels, Ireland left a lasting impression. She recalled the electrifying acoustics of Kylemore Abbey, where the music filled the space with unexpected resonance. “When we opened our mouths for the very first note of our first song, which is a big chord, it created a big boom in the small church,” said Mesel. “By the end of the concert, the entire church was packed. It was beautiful.”
Though she deeply values her time in choirs and chamber groups, Mesel has continued to expand her solo repertoire with encouragement from Taylor. She performed at the Barcelona Festival of Song and recently sang the role of Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus in Weimar, Germany.
Image: (left to right) Abigail Mesel and Professor Irene Messoloras inside the Igreja de São Roque in Lisbon, Portugal.
“Professor Taylor pushed me to explore international opportunities as a soloist,” said Mesel. “It’s not just about performance; it’s about connecting cultures through art.”
Now able to sing in more than 10 languages, Mesel hopes to join a young artist program in Europe, where public funding often helps singers build their careers.
“UC Irvine gave me the tools and the confidence,” said Mesel. “More than that, it gave me people who believe in me.”
To learn more about the Department of Music, visit music.arts.uci.edu. To learn more about the Department of Drama, visit drama.arts.uci.edu.
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