Senior Sadie Carr’s characters have left their mark on the theatre scene. She has brought to the stage the regal Queen Elizabeth of Richard III, the spunky Bertha Bumiller of Red, White, and Tuna, and the pretentious Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest, all to amuse and entertain the community.
Carr has been involved in theatre and with singing since she was in sixth grade. However, Carr was never quick to show off her talent.
“My sixth-grade orchestra teacher got me to start singing,” Carr said. “He told me that I looked like I could sing, so I did.I started taking chorus when I got to FHS.”
In addition to singing in the choir, Carr became ensconced in the theatre program, where she realized she had a passion and talent for acting.
“I always liked musicals,” Carr said. “I love to sing and acting was just kind of the gateway to get to musicals. But now I really enjoy doing both normal stage productions, as well as musicals. Plus, in normal stage productions I don’t have to dance, which is good, because I’m not a dancer.”
Since her first role as Alma Hix in The Music Man her freshman year, Carr has become more comfortable with herself and more open to the characters she is given.
“The types of characters I can play has definitely expanded,” Carr said. “I don’t get nervous anymore and am able to step out of my comfort zone more.”
Carr has also been involved in shows at Fauquier Community Theatre and through the FHS Shakespeare Troupe. She favors Troupe over her other theatre endeavors because it strengthens her acting abilities.
“I wish I had auditioned for Shakespeare Troupe sooner,” Carr said. “The cast is always so much closer, and we work well together. Doing Troupe has really broadened my abilities; I always believed the theory that if you can act Shakespeare, you can act anything.”
Her favorite roles include the two she was cast in this year, Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest and Queen Elizabeth in Richard III.
“Lady Bracknell was definitely a change for me, but a good one,” Carr said. “Queen Elizabeth was a challenge, primarily in memorizing all the lines; it gets very intense and takes a lot of focus.”
Theatre teacher Melanie Ankney is proud of Carr’s development.
“Passionate would be the word I would use to describe her,” Ankney said. “She has taken huge steps forward this year and presented more challenges for herself.”
Carr directed a one act last fall, entitled When Shakespeare’s Ladies Met, an endeavor that displayed her in-depth understanding of theatre, and persuaded Ankney to cast her as Lady Braknell.
“She was exactly what I was looking for in Braknell,” Ankney said. “Her interpretation was the most unique and entertaining version of the character I have ever seen.”
Ankney also attended the Richard III performance and was impressed by Carr’s performance.
“Acting in black-box theatre requires tremendous focus and honesty,” Ankney said. “I believe that Sadie captured that perfectly and with great strength.”
Carr will attend Christopher Newport University and hopes to pursue acting. But before then, you’ll have one last chance to see her as Dolly in Hello, Dolly this spring.
“I am proud of my accomplishments in the music and theatre department,” Carr said. “I hope to go out with a bang in Dolly, and I’m so excited to have been cast.”