On Saturday, October 3, George Mason University’s College of Visual & Performing Arts (CVPA) will host its annual ARTS by George! benefit at the Fairfax campus. Acclaimed actor and musician Jeff Goldblum and The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra will headline the benefit. ARTS by George! supports student scholarships and funding for CVPA, the Mason Community Arts Academy, the Green Machine Ensembles, and the Great Performances at Mason season at the GMU Center for the Arts. Adelina Mitchell, a 2019 CVPA alum currently appearing on the North American tour of Wicked as the Elphaba standby, will serve as the evening’s alumni performer. DC Theater Arts’ Julia Tucker spoke with Mitchell about her upcoming return to campus, her journey with Wicked, and her experience developing her career in the DC region. This interview has been edited for clarity, length, and flow.
Julia Tucker: You graduated from George Mason University in 2019 with a B.A. in Theater. How did your time at George Mason prepare you for your performing career, and how does it feel to be returning as the alumni performer at this year’s ARTS by George!?
Adelina Mitchell: When I transferred to GMU (from Tallahassee State College) in 2016, the theater program was heavily developing. At the time, it was relatively small and didn’t yet have a musical theater program, but because they were expanding the program you see today, there was room for students who weren’t only involved in theater to also have the opportunity to perform. That gave me a great chance to get involved with their program, and I remember taking this Intro to Musical Theater class. Erin Gardner taught it (it was as an elective), and I loved it so much that I took it three different times. I remember that she (Gardner) challenged me and inspired me (in and outside of the classroom) to believe this was something that I could actually pursue. Having access to those courses helped me connect not only with peers, but with working professionals in multiple fields across the country, as well as professors I crossed paths with and still reach out to today. It truly is an honor to come back as an alum. I can’t wait to see some familiar faces!
You began your professional stage career in the DC area, including appearances at Signature Theatre and Olney Theatre Center. How did your time in the DC theater community shape you as an artist, and what was it like to develop your professional career here?
I love this question, because there is no theater like DC theater. That community is a true community in literally every sense of the word. Being involved in the legacy of DC theater is the greatest honor, and I would truly go back in a heartbeat. The shows are incredible … the number of new works developed in DC, world premieres that got their start in DC before heading to Broadway … performers like myself and creatives and designers who’ve gotten their chance to expand themselves as artists in DC … it’s so incredibly special. The love for not only the art, but the people in DC is simply unmatched. I worked in DC professionally for about four years, and it clearly made an impact on me.
You are currently appearing as the Elphaba standby on the North American tour of Wicked. How does it feel to be performing in one of musical theater’s biggest productions, and can you describe your experience with the show so far?
It’s the greatest honor to be a tiny part of Wicked. Wicked was the first Broadway show I ever saw in 2010. I was all the way in the back of the balcony in the second-to-last row, and I remember after Act One, the blackout happened, and when the lights came on, I finally took a breath because I realized I was holding it in during “Defying Gravity.” In that moment, when I felt everything theater can do to someone, I remember thinking I had to do this one day. The older I got, I started to realize how much of a privilege it is to be an artist and the challenges of being a working artist, and I wasn’t really confident that dream would ever happen to me. But the team at Wicked saw me walk through the door, and I owe them everything. They gave me the chance to fly, and I will be eternally grateful because it really has been the biggest dream come true. I could go on and on about how special I think Wicked is … from the people that you see onstage, to the people running the show backstage, to the people who were in the room creating it in 2002, who are still out here visiting multiple companies today to keep the integrity and the love in the show.
Tell me about your journey with Wicked, from starting as an ensemble member and Elphaba understudy to your current position as the Elphaba standby. What have been the greatest challenges and rewards of taking on such a demanding role?
I started my journey with the show in February of 2024. I was hired as an ensemble member/Elphaba understudy. The difference between a standby and an onstage understudy is that when the full-time Elphaba is out, the standby is always the first to go on, and the Elphaba understudy is onstage eight shows a week in the ensemble track. After about a year and a half of doing that ensemble track, they asked me to bump up to standby, and I’ve been standing by since September of 2025. Of course, stepping into such an iconic role has its challenges, but my main challenge is making sure my body is ready not only physically but vocally and mentally as well. Because I’m in a constant state of “I have no idea when my next show will be,” I’ve learned to prioritize keeping my entire body in check, and it’s something I’ll take with me for the rest of my career. I like to tell myself, “If I can get a 30-minute notice that I have to go on for Elphaba in front of thousands of people, I can do anything” (laughs). The rewards have been endless — I feel like Wicked is the gift that keeps on giving. Of course, stepping into the role is a reward in itself, but I’ve gotten to do a lot of cool things on the road. I’ve connected with people all across the country … I’ve traveled to 37 cities so far (the most I’ve ever been to before), so I’ve gotten to see a lot of the country. I’ve met and inspired new generations of Wicked lovers. When I think of a reward that means a lot to me during my time here, the people who are involved in this production are just so incredibly special. Of course, getting to fly at work is pretty cool, too.
In addition to your work in the DC area, you’ve performed at The Muny and throughout New York City. How does working in DC compare with other regional and theatrical communities where you’ve worked?
Because the DC area is a smaller market, it feels like a family. The love is palpable, and it’s such an incredible place to work; I would recommend it to anyone. Working on the road, I’ve found DC theater’s reputation is much bigger than I realized. I work with people … working actors from all across the country and all markets. When I say that I’ve worked in DC, Signature (Theatre) comes up, Olney (Theatre Center) comes up … there are all these special theaters that come up that people say, “Oh, I’ve always wanted to work there,” so I think that’s pretty cool.
You last appeared at George Mason in September 2021, when you participated in CVPA’s Arts Emerging event to welcome audiences back after the COVID-19 shutdowns. How does it feel to be returning to campus five years later, this time as the alumni performer for ARTS by George!?
I’m so excited to come back; I’m so excited to see familiar faces. I’m excited to meet new faces. I’m definitely excited to meet Jeff Goldblum. He’s iconic, especially after the Wicked movies. To encompass how I’m feeling, “There’s no place like home.” I feel like I’m coming home, and I’m incredibly honored and very, very excited.
ARTS by George! takes place on Saturday, October 3, 2026, from 5:00 to 11:00 p.m. at George Mason University, 4373 Mason Pond Drive, Fairfax, Virginia. The event starts at 5 p.m. at the deLaski Performing Arts Building, featuring a series of showcases and exhibits by students and faculty. The concert by Jeff Goldblum and The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra will begin at 8:30 p.m. at the GMU Center for the Arts Concert Hall. Ticket packages ($350 for GMU alumni and $450 for the general public) can be purchased online and include entry to showcases, premium concert seating, a buffet dinner, an open bar, an onstage dessert reception, and free parking. Concert-only tickets ($75–$145) can be purchased online, by email (cfatix@gmu.edu), by phone (703-993-2787), or in person at the Center for the Arts box office (Tuesday–Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and two hours prior to ticketed events in the Concert Hall).
Click here for more information about ARTS by George!
