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Actor Lucas Aurelio will address Russell Sage College’s Class of 2025 and guests at the college’s 108th commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 17, 10:30 a.m., at MVP Arena in Albany. He will also receive an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree at the ceremony.
Aurelio is a 2018 Russell Sage College graduate and a rising star in television and film, whose credits include Netflix’s “Bridgerton” and “The Witcher,” the CBS show “FBI: International,” and an upcoming Noah Baumbach film with George Clooney and Adam Sandler.
Aurelio grew up in Albany, New York, and was involved in theatre and soccer as a high school student. He wanted to continue both activities in college, which led him to nearby Russell Sage. He was on the college’s Skyline Conference championship-winning men’s soccer team in 2015 and earned consistent accolades from critics in performances with the college’s Theatre Institute and with The Public Theater in New York.
His first experience as a television and film actor — and his Screen Actors Guild card — came when James Franco filmed The Pretenders on Russell Sage’s Troy campus in 2016. The following year, he performed off-Broadway in the Theatre Institute at Sage’s Backbeard: The Musical, during its run in the New York Musical Festival. Backbeard, by Professors Matthew McElligott and Michael Musial, student Brian Sheldon, and writer Larry Tuxbury, was honored as a Grand Jury Selection at the 2017 festival.
After completing his Bachelor of Science in Musical Theatre, Aurelio performed with Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble in Pennsylvania before moving to London in 2019.
“I felt like a working actor at Sage,” he said, referring to the full season of productions at the college every year. “Sage really did set me up for the resilience of life as an actor, the ‘going, going, going’ of life as an actor. I’m grateful and still very close to my professors. I am thrilled to be this year’s commencement speaker.”
“Our graduates are entering careers in the arts, healthcare, education, business, and beyond — and the strength of Sage’s academic programs has prepared them for that wide range of impact,” said Russell Sage College President Matthew Shaftel. “Lucas’s story is a testament to how a Sage education equips students for meaningful, purpose-driven work. As a recent graduate with a promising career ahead of him, his insights and experiences will resonate deeply with the Class of 2025. We’re thrilled to welcome him back to inspire our newest alumni.”
“Lucas was a wonderful student, and I’m blown away by his trajectory since RSC, though not entirely surprised. He is a very gifted actor,” said Professor of Theatre David Baecker. “His selection as commencement speaker is obviously very exciting for the entire college, but especially meaningful to theatre graduates in the Class of 2025 and the entire Visual and Performing Arts department.”