Star of the Show

by Olivia Hermsen

Three sold out shows and three standing ovations from a delighted crowd.  Kelsey Weidman, who portrayed Fiona in the musical Shrek, couldn’t contain her excitement and pride for the show.  The role of Fiona gifted the audience with Kelsey’s musical talent but it also gifted Kelsey with some unique opportunities.  It allowed Kelsey to build strong cast relationships with the show’s ensemble (many of which are close friends to Kelsey), who she credits to helping her perform as incredibly as she did.  The lead role also enabled Kelsey to break out of her comfort zone and and with the help of her incredible directors she was able to improve on her overall acting and singing skills.

After all of the hard work that Kelsey and the rest of the cast and crew put into Shrek, it was with great pride that they sold out all three of their performances.  Kelsey states, “I was completely blown away when I heard about the shows being sold out. We've been so close in the past and we finally did it this year. Being sold out was a big step in the right direction on expanding ourselves within the theatre department. It will stand as one of my highlights from senior year.”  As a senior in the Little Chute Theatre Department, Kelsey is a role-model to many of the underclassmen.  When asked what advice she would give to students auditioning for a role, Kelsey replied, “Nerves come to everyone. Don't let them get the best of you. The directors understand that everyone will be nervous and not be at their max potential in the audition. Everyone hates the audition process, so you're not alone. Just be super prepared, take a couple deep breaths, and it will be over soon.”

Along with being deeply involved in the arts, Kelsey has always found time to keep up with her school work.  During the school day Kelsey looks forward to her two favorite classes, choir and creative writing.  Outside of school and extracurriculars a common place to find Kelsey is at Culver’s hanging out with her friends.  Whether she is covered in green make-up or sitting in creative writing class, Kelsey is one of the friendliest people to walk the halls of Little Chute High School.  Kelsey earned the role as the star of the show in Shrek and she continues to shine throughout her involvement in the Little Chute School District and community.