WHO ARE YOU?
My name is Maura Rose Pawelko and I'm a Chicago-based Musical Theatre performer!
I am a proud graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University where I earned my BFA in Music Theatre. There, I learned to embrace the spectrum of wacky ingenue that I live within. Some select IWU credits include: Sunday in the Park with George (Dot), The Fantasticks (Luisa), and Heroes of the Fourth Turning (Teresa).
Growing up my mom had a rule for me and my brothers: we had to be enrolled in at least one arts activity. I tested the ropes in lots of areas; From drawing, painting, dance, knitting, clarinet, guitar, I finally landed on musical theatre when I was 12 years old and I haven't stopped since. I've always loved the way language and music can combine to really expand the way we experience the world. Of all the arts, theatre is where I truly found community.
WHATCHA BEEN UP TO?
In 2025 I got to work at some of my favorite places!
I returned to Surging Theatrics in Chicago to live out my sorority girl dreams in Legally Blonde dancing around as a ditsy Delta Nu and serving perm realness as Chutney.
I then went on to spend another summer in Colorado performing at The Butte with Green Glass Productions! I got to play around as the heroine in their summer melodrama The Colorado Colleen and then spent 7 weeks singing through the hits of the 1960's as Alison in BEEHIVE! The 60's Musical!
WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW?
Right now, I'm in Mansfield, OH for the spring to play one of my dream roles - Sophie Sheridan in Mamma Mia! - at the historic Renaissance Theatre!
After that, I will be heading to Grand Lake, CO for my first season at Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre! I will be playing Gingy in
Shrek the Musical, Jolene in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and I'll be in the Ensemble and understudying Little Sally in Urinetown!
Both of these contracts are dreams come true for me. 2026 is shaping up to be a very abundant year!
