“It turns out my crown was sliding down
over my eyes and one of the adults took
it off so that I could see,” said the now
19-year-old. “I wasn’t in trouble.”
Molly would go on to spend the next
14 years learning with the other youth
actors of KidzAct. And theatre became
something that defined her. Molly performed
as ensemble, leading roles, and
even got an early break when she was
cast in an adult show.
“I had the opportunity to perform alongside
very accomplished adults. I thought
to myself, ‘I want to be as good as they
are.’ It really pushed and motivated me
to be better,” she said.
With an education department serving
over 1,000 students annually—many
who return year after year—The Naples
Players not only prepares young people
for performing arts school, but also a
broader undergraduate experience.
A Champions of Change study cites
theatre arts—including performance,
classes, and participation in drama—as
a source for “gains in reading proficiency,
gains in self-concept and motivation,
and higher levels of empathy and tolerance
towards others” among youth.
Director of Education Craig Price takes a moment to sit
down with the cast of Disney’s Beauty & the Beast Jr.
before starting a rehearsal.
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Spotlight On: KidzAct