Dollywood!

I just got back from my summer job performing in the Little Engine Playhouse children's theatre series in Dollywood! I absolutely loved spending my summer in Pigeon Forge, TN. There were so many fun things to do, and the mountains and nature trails were beautiful.

Every summer The Little Engine Playhouse produces three shows in the Heartsong Theatre based on children's books from the Imagination Library. The children's books are mailed to children for free for them to read, and then they can come to Dollywood and see the stories performed live by the Little Engine Playhouse. The three shows we produced this year were: The Little Engine That Could, Betty Bunny Didn't Do It, and Old Bear and His Cub.

My favorite role I played was the role of Betty Bunny, a mischievous four-year-old bunny with boundless energy, who finds herself in all kinds of situations. I loved playing Betty Bunny so much because her energy is is comparable to that of a lightning bolt, and she has all kinds of wacky ideas that spring from her limitless imagination. Plus I got to wear really floppy ears and break a lamp with a baseball every day! Every single show was a blast (and a workout), and I loved seeing the smiles and laughter from the children in the audience. It brightened my day doing what I love for people who enjoyed watching it.

I think children's theatre is so valuable in the performing arts world, because it touches and changes kids in more ways than we know. I have so many stories of meeting and greeting with sweet children and grateful parents who were inspired or had their days brightened by one of our shows.

I would return to Dollywood in a heartbeat if the future yields it. It is a beautiful, family friendly park with very high quality standards and moral expectations. I can't wait to see what comes next in my performing arts career!

Catch a sample of the work I did in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMRX0k_eC8o