Senior Chloe Russell said that one day four years ago she was scrolling through Instagram when a video of Kara Lindsay, her favorite Broadway star, came across her feed. She said Kara was performing “Watch What Happens” from the musical Newsies.

Chloe added that she found herself watching more musical clips, which is how her interest in theater began.

Chloe said that her own career on stage began when she was 14. She added that the first production she ever participated in was called SNOOPY!!! The Musical for RiverStage Community Theatre in Lewisburg.

Mr. Steve Aguirre, High School Drama Club Director, said that he and Chloe worked together for the first time when she was in the ensemble for the Addams Family 1.0 as a freshman, which was never performed because of Covid-19 closures. Chloe then played Wednesday her sophomore year, he added.

Chloe said that she has performed in six musicals and plays, five of them being for Milton High School. Out of those six, she said the Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, which was last year’s fall play, was her favorite.

In that show, Chloe played the role of Bernice, who was an alcoholic that was always doing crazy things. “Bernice, when she’s drunk, is just as crazy as I am when I’m around people and comfortable,” Chloe said.

Chloe added that she didn’t “have to think” as much while playing the role.

Chloe has been nominated for two Ray of Light Awards, which are regional awards for excellence in high school theater. One of the nominations was for her part as Bernice in Musical Comedy Murders of 1940 and the other for her role as Sophie in Mamma Mia!

Chloe added that she has decided to go to college to major in musical theater.

She said that she has been accepted into DeSales University in Center Valley, but plans to audition for Slippery Rock University also.

Chloe said, she doesn’t mind what position she takes in theater since she’s been a part of it for so long, but she will always love performing most.

According to Chloe, the theater department doesn’t have official leadership roles, but everyone still turns to her since she’s been such a prominent figure within the department.

Mr. Aguirre said that Chloe leads by example. “She is always the first one at rehearsal and the last to leave. She is always the most prepared and takes what she does very seriously,” he added.

Chloe said that as a senior, her advice for younger theater students is: “Don’t get in your own way.”

She added that it is something she constantly struggles with, especially now since she’s playing Roxie in the musical Chicago. “You tend to not want to look stupid, and when you’re doing theater you kind of have to look stupid,” she added.

Mr. Aguirre said that the biggest lesson he can teach the students in theater is to not be afraid of being vulnerable on stage, which is what separates struggling performers from performers who excite the audience.

Chloe said that before every show, she takes a walk before the audience starts arriving. It gives her time to de-stress and process all of the work and effort she has put into the show, she added.

She said that one enduring tradition the theater department has kept is the black dot tradition. Before each performance, a senior puts a dot of sharpie on the palm of everyone’s left hand. “It’s a way to signify that while as performers we’re all vastly different, we all have one thing in common throughout the show, and that’s the black dot,” she added.

“My favorite memory of Chloe performing is the climactic dragon fight at the end of She Kills Monsters,” said Mr. Aguirre. He added that a lot of effort went into that choreography, which the entire cast was involved in.

According to Chloe, her favorite memory was, “… when I had a little girl come up to me after either the second or third performance of Mamma Mia! last year and tell me I was her favorite part of the show,” Chloe said. She added that she regrets not taking a photo with the little girl and the memory has stuck with her.