By Trinity Harrison, Online Editor in Chief
Since taking stage in the third grade for “Dickens of a Christmas,” sophomore Grace Hewitt knew she had a place in the spotlight as her undeniable passion for theater arose.
Throughout the various roles Hewitt has played, her true love for theatrical arts started when she began attending Long Lake Camp in Adirondack Park, New York.
“The spark was definitely ignited after I started going to this performing arts camp,” Hewitt said. “Just being in a place where you can have so much freedom of expression and being with so many people that share your same passion is so much fun.”
The camp is six weeks of various lessons on any art of your choice. The campers’ schedules are open for their own creation, so the possibilities of the skills gained and the development of your passion is endless.
For Hewitt and her five years of attendance, she has not only gained an abundance of performing skills, she’s also gained long-term bonds with friends who have similar interests.
“I have a super tight group of friends and some of them are my best friends in the entire world,” Hewitt said. “I have friends from Belgium, France, Spain which is really cool, and of course a ton from New York.”
As her friends have watched her grow, they see great potential in Hewitts future as a performer.
“We were in the same show at camp and we played very similar roles. We spent a lot of time together and after getting to know her for a few days and we instantly became really good friends,” camp mate from New York, Briana Reid said.
Aside from her camp experiences, Hewitt has brought her knowledge back to First Flight to help her be successful in StageKraft Productions.
“She joined us last year with Grease and it was great. I was floored when she came and auditioned as a freshman having so much confidence in her monologue,” director Monica Penn said.
Hewitt is known for taking theater seriously and doing the necessary research of the role and getting to know the character for her performance.
“Her first role was a singer who did a duet with Summer Tonnesen’s character, Sandy, and hearing the two of them together their duet was so beautiful. It gave me goosebumps the first time I heard it,” Penn said. “And I knew right then and there she had a lot of potential and that we are going to see great things from her in the next three years she is with us.”
Hewitt aspires to continue to progress and gain more theatrical skills as she grows as a performer.
“No matter what skills you come on with, the end goal is always to improve so I think if she stays with us she will be a really great talent and asset to StageKraft Productions,” Penn said.
As for after her high school performing days,Hewitt has other aspirations in mind. She hopes to attend a college for performing, some that are on her list are: Marymount Manhattan, New York University and University of North Carolina School of the Arts.
“I know the performance industry is competitive but if I get into my preferred college of choice I would love to be on Broadway one day but that’s not very practical,” Hewitt said. “But I know I want to do something in the industry, like maybe teach theater at a high school or even just do something in my community.”
Senior Trinity Harrison can be reached at [email protected].
