Since her childhood, senior Luisa Turner has demonstrated a natural talent for performing. She began singing in elementary school in her church choir and has continued throughout high school, joining numerous music clubs from chorus to acapella. Turner will attend the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) in New York to pursue a career in musical performance, primarily singing.
“[Singing] was the main goal and still is, but theatre has now been added to that goal. If you love something, you will do it no matter the time management,” Turner said. “My goals for the future are to get my degree and then perform on broadway for a couple years, then break off from that and go on performing as a singer.”
Turner became involved in theatre during her freshman year when she took Emmet Bales’ theatre class. After watching a professional production of Into the Woods, she fell in love with theatre. Turner has performed in multiple plays every year of high school. Her favorite part is the double role as the narrator and the Mystery Man which she performs in her final play, Into The Woods. She enjoys the challenge of playing different personalities.
“[Mr. Bales] was really positive and showed us all the sides to theatre,” Turner said. “I fell in love with the sets on stage, the lights, the actors, the choreography, everything put into the show. I realized I wanted to be a part of that.”
According to Turner, the moment she is most proud of is the day she sang the National Anthem at the fall pep rally; she will repeat the performance at graduation.
“I am most proud of my progress from freshman year, a point where I didn’t know how to move gracefully on stage while acting and being afraid to sing in front of others, to now, where I dance and sing and act wherever I am,” Turner said.
Theatre teacher Emmet Bales has grown to appreciate Turner since she has started and has grown to appreciate her as an actor and also as an individual. He especially appreciates her maturity in discussing roles and styles with him rather than arguing. Bales is very proud of her for being accepted into AMDA, which is very difficult to get into. AMDA has more people on and off-broadway than any other organization and requires an audition to be accepted.
“What I appreciate about Luisa, more than anything, is her drive. Once she decides she wants something, there is nothing to stand in her way to do that. She’s focused, she gives her 100 percent all the time,” Bales said. “She is a breeze to direct. I would always want her to be cast in one of my shows; she’s one of those people you always want to have around.”