Since her second-grade production of the annual thanksgiving play “The Pilgrim Plantation,” freshman Sariah Reed has been doing musical theatre and has loved performing ever since. After playing the lead last year in the Cedar Park Middle School production of “Mary Poppins,” Reed started her freshman year, looking forward to the choir and future productions.

“I always loved singing ever since I was little,” Reed said. I was a part of many small musicals and the music, action, and lights were mesmerizing for me. I think that’s what really got me into musical theater.”

Reed’s first musical in sixth grade was the CPMS production of “Beauty and the Beast” in which she played the wardrobe and she was also a part of the next year’s musical as well. Reed said that while she loved both, that they were very different experiences. She also said that these being her first real productions as a performer helped her to prepare for both Mary Poppins and whatever may come in the future of her high school career.

“[Beauty and the Beast] was very fun to star in and gave me a chance to experience what musicals were like,” Reed said. “My second one was ‘You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown’ and I just played in the ensemble. That musical was [more] fun and goofy.”

While she enjoyed being in both productions, Reed said that “Mary Poppins” was a whole different experience with her being more a part of the process than ever before and also having an exemplary cast that made it all worthwhile.

“[The] musical by far was the best one I was in,” Reed said. “Learning all of the lines and dances were very hard and very stressful yet it was so fun to be in. On the third night, we were doing our show [during a scene] the projector started to come down. It was hilarious and we just had to make the best of it. It was a very bonding musical.”

Reed said that being part of the “Mary Poppins” production allowed her to learn both new performance skills as well as life skills as she was someone that the rest of the cast looked up to. She also said that while this was a difficult expectation to live up to, she enjoyed being a part of the production. 

“In ‘Mary Poppins,’ I definitely felt as though the directors expected me to be a good example to the rest of the cast, but playing the character Mary Poppins was the most fun I’ve ever had,” Reed said. “It was a hard musical but I think that’s what really brought everyone together. The cast was the closest one I’ve ever been in [and] it was extremely hard to let go.”

Coming into the choir program as a freshman is something that Reed said she is looking forward to as the environment is always welcoming and accepting.

“The theater community is probably one of the most welcoming and fun communities you could be in,” Reed said. “Everyone is so closely knit together, and ending a successful musical or play is heartbreaking for the entire cast and crew, but the memories and friends I’ve made throughout musical theater, I’ll never forget.”

While Reed isn’t currently in theatre, putting more of a focus on the vocal side of musical theatre and maintaining her grades, she does participate in choir and plans to be a part of future high school productions and possibly join theatre in the future. She is excited to continue to learn and meet new people and most importantly continue her passion for both herself and others.

“There’s something satisfying about performing something you’ve worked hard for, for so long in front of your loved ones,” Reed said. “It’s like you get to express to them the things that you love and put effort into. It also inspires other people to try new things.”