Olivia
Threlkeld |
Thirteen-year-old Olivia Threlkeld of Belleville will be
spending nearly half of this month in New York looking for
a part in a Broadway musical. For her, there is a slight
sense of urgency.
Although she's only five feet tall and just entering her
teen years, she said she's already been eliminated in auditions
because she's too old and too tall.
It's hard to believe the slender middle-schooler could
be too old or too tall for any kid's part. But, that's show
business.
Olivia said she and her mother, Lisa Willard, are going
to be in New York for two weeks in June. In addition to
auditioning for kids' musicals, Olivia will be looking for
a Broadway agent.
Olivia
in Wizard of Oz at The Muny with Mickey Carroll (original
Munchkin in Wizard of Oz) |
The sense of urgency comes because Olivia soon will enter
what her mother calls the "dead years" for young actresses.
"The years 14 through 18 are often called the 'dead years'
because the girls are too old for kids' parts and not old
enough for adult roles," Ms. Willard said.
Olivia started dancing lessons when she was three. She
had her first part in a Muny production in Forest Park when
she was eight.
She's appeared in a movie, "Alice Upside Down." Although
starring Penny Marshall of TV fame, the film didn't have
much commercial success.
Olivia's
headshot |
This year, she'll perform in a Stages St. Louis production
and is a member of that group's traveling promotional troupe.
The group publicizes Stages' productions and puts on shows
at schools and hospitals.
She has appeared in eight Muny shows and was in the Muny
Kids promotional group for five years. Two of the Muny roles
were "equity" roles; that's short for meaning she got paid.
Olivia
as Amaryllis in "Music Man" |
Olivia said she saves her acting pay and uses it to help
finance out-of-town auditions.
This month, she's scheduled to take part in a joint Disney
audition in New York. It will seek new actors to replace
kids now in four shows already on Broadway.
Re-casting usually means getting younger kids to replace
those who have been in the Broadway shows for some time
and have out-grown their parts.
The four shows already on Broadway are "Little Mermaid,"
"High School, The Musical," "Lion King" and "Mary Poppins."
She said she's also looking forward to auditioning next
November for a new musical, "Thirteen."
"Most of the kids trying out then will be 14. The whole
cast is kids," she said.
She said, "I had my best chance for a musical role when
I tried out for the national touring company of 'Annie.'
I got a call back and was one of 16 kids trying out for
seven roles. But, the last call back was seven months after
the first.
Olivia
with Ashley Brown who plays Mary Poppins on Broadway
(Olivia was in Annie at the Muny with her too)
|
"By that time, I had grown to 4'10½". They had a maximum
height requirement of 4"10". I was considered too tall and
too old."
She described the audition process for "Annie."
"First, we learned a dance and performed in a group. Then,
each of us danced solo. We also sang the show tune, 'Tomorrow,'
as a group and as a soloist," she said.
And her last New York audition was last November for a
part in "Billy Elliot."
Olivia
(on left) and friends at a second Billy Elliot audition
|
Olivia isn't discouraged. She's planning for college by
checking out performing arts schools in the New York area.
She said isn't considering any California film schools.
"I like to sing and dance on the stage," she said.
Asked about a "Plan B" career plan, she said, "I'm pretty
smart in school and would probably want to become a doctor."
Asked about her best experience so far in the acting field,
Olivia said, "The auditions for 'Grinch.'"
She said, "I was called back six times for that part."
However, she said her favorite musical was "Sound of Music."
She performed in that at the Muny.
She played Marta von Trapp and it was an equity role,
with singing and speaking.
Another equity role at the Muny was as Bielke in "Fiddler
on the Roof."
Olivia has taken dance lessons since 1998. Her lessons
in St. Louis are at the Midwest Dance Academy. But, for
the last couple years, she also has taken lessons at the
Broadway Dance Center whenever she's in New York.
She takes private voice lessons and also has lessons in
gymnastics and tumbling. She's already qualified as a cheerleader
at Belleville East High School, where she will attend next
year.
She has been a featured dancer in the Modern American
Dance Company. That's a group headed by her dance instructor
Todd Weeks. The company has performed at the Touhill Performing
Arts Center on the UMSL campus.
About the arduous auditioning process, Olivia said, "You're
trying for a part. But, I also want to stand out and make
the judges remember me for something later."
On the trip to New York, she and her mother also want
to know if having a New York agent helps. So far, they've
handled all audition arrangements from St. Louis.
