Chelsea Rose found music in the silence — and hope in the hardest year

In the stillness of 2020, School of Drama graduate Chelsea Gabrielle Rose sat alone at her out-of-tune piano in Durham, N.C., unknowingly starting a journey that would shape her final years at UNCSA and leave a mark far beyond the stage.

With the world turned upside down, Rose turned inward, capturing ideas in her notes app. What began as a loose concept became "Loving This Year," an original musical exploring how we endure life’s hardest moments.

Over the next year and a half, that concept grew. Rose added and deleted songs, rearranged the story and deepened the emotional core of what would become "Loving This Year."

As the piece grew, so did her purpose.

“I did 'Loving This Year' first because it was fun,” she explained. “But I continued pursuing it because of the story… I think that the world is in a poverty of hope, and that really breaks my heart.”

Chelsea Rose leaves UNCSA not just as a playwright and performer but also as a changemaker — someone who led with heart, built community and gave her world a reason to hope. Her legacy is simple, powerful and unforgettable: we can still love this year.

by Natalie Shrader

May 12, 2025