Actor Spotlight: PETER!

We love introducing you to our team, and today we're excited to introduce you to one of our newest actors...in the few weeks we've worked with him we've come to love his big laugh and his great physical improvisation skills. Meet PETER!

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My name is Peter Grzeslo. My birthday September 13th and I live in Glenview. This is my first semester with A.B.L.E. but I participated in Special Gifts Theater for six years and also sing with New Trier High School’s High Five Choir which performs on location a couple of times each year. I love being on stage and performing. Sometimes its hard to attend shows and not go on stage and join in. I always give standing ovations and yell “Bravo!’ I look up to performers like Jerry Lewis and Larry, Curly, and Mo of The Three Stooges and am a big fan of slapstick comedy. I love dance party I like all salsa Latin music, but my favorite dance party songs are “I Gotta Feeling” by Black Eye Peas, “Happy” by Pharrell Williams and “My Life Would Suck Without You” by Miley Cyrus.  

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I am funny, empathetic, and brave. I want to make people smile, laugh, be happy and give big hugs to all who look sad or are hurt. I can bowl over 100 without using gutter guards. I have my own bowling shoes and bowling ball that has the CUBS logo on one side and Wrigley Field on the other. My bowling ball doesn’t have holes because I chest pass the ball down the alley.

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I love music. Sometimes you’ll see me shaking my head and really enjoying the song; I may burst into song at any time; You will be amazed at my vibrato. I also love dogs, going out to eat, the CUBS, and fast rides at amusement parks. I also love movies and TV. I like black and white movies like Shane, musicals like Bye Bye Birdie, and action movies like the Avengers, and the TV shows Chicago Fire and Chicago P.D.

I have a really active social life. I have a girlfriend named Stacy we have gone to homecoming dances and the Prom. I participate in all seasons of Special Olympics. My favorite is Basketball Tournaments. My shots are usually bank shots from the backboard! I go horseback riding weekly at Equestrian Connection in Lake Forest. In summer, I attend Camp DUNCAN which is a week long overnight camp, I have attended camp for seven summers and will be able to continue until I am 22. I also participate in North Suburban Special Recreational Association programs. My favorite is T.G.I.F. when we get to go to fun places like Dave & Busters.

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I learn best by watching. Visuals are essential to my processing of information. I know sign language. I also use a voice output device (but not very frequently) mostly at school.  I have an incredibly memory and fantastic mapping skills in that I can visualize exactly where everything goes. I may even put something back to its original spot if someone has moved it.

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Many people don’t realize I have Dysphagia and that I am a silent aspirator which has caused my lung function to be compromised. I have several doctors whom I see annually. I have an overnight nurse who helps me with my BIPAP machine and takes my vitals through the night to make sure my heart rate is OK. My night nurse is very special to me. She also happens to be my grandmother, whom we call ABEETA.

I am happy to be participating with my friends from Chicago again. I have known most of the A.B.L.E. actors since we were toddlers. I am excited to get to know everyone at A.B.L.E. Ensemble and can’t wait for you to see how much fun I am!

Come see Peter in his first performance with the A.B.L.E. Ensemble on Saturday December 2 at 1pm at Victory Gardens. He plays a spooky ghost and a tough bodyguard in our original stories. You don't want to miss it!

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