Most children have an early dream about
their aspirations for their futures. Few of them, though, design and work hard at the beginning of their dreaming toward that goal.

One of those few is Lindsay Scheel, who now at the advanced age of 12, has already been building her life toward her ambitions since she was three years old. Miss Scheel, who is playing the part of May in the Gift of the Magi currently running at Theatre Orangeville, is back on the theatre’s stage for the third time in a Christmas show.

“I think that the music is beautiful,” she said of the new show, written and composed by Leslie Arden. “It’s exciting to be in a World Premiere.”
We were sitting on the stage, on the “Cafe” third of the fabulous revolving set on which the stories are told. We talked together last year about her life while she was performing in Everything I love about Christmas and we wanted to catch up with her progress.

Already a passionate and devoted enthusiast to her dancing, making 20 hours a week part of her practice time last year, Miss Scheel explained how she has increased those hours.

“I dance at Citrus Dance Studio almost from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. six days a week,” she said. “They are all lessons except on Wednesday when I assist the teacher with four and five years old students. I didn’t dance every day last year – my hours are definitely more intense this year.”

Also new this year, she added, “I’m usually at P.S. Studios for half an hour right after school on Wednesdays to do singing lessons. That’s Pamela Scott’s studio. I started taking singing lessons after I was in Beauty and the Beast.”

Asked about what chance this busy schedule gave to being with her family, Miss Scheel assured us, “Sunday,” she said, “I usually spend time with my parents.”

The focus on their style of dancing at Citrus Dance has changed from last year’s curriculum of mainly Classical Ballet to a more contemporary form of ballet, more “2015.”

Miss Scheel explained, “The dancers wanted to do something newer. It is nice for my ballet teacher [Cecile Thomas] to start teaching something newer too.”

A great part of the regime of the shows at the theatre for the youngsters in the profes- sional productions is the continued connec- tion with school, attention to homework and, even, but not always, going to school on the days with no performances.

It is an essential part of the discipline of professional theatre for students that their marks are maintained.

The discussion on this point varies. Miss Scheel, who attends Island Lake Public School, prefers dancing to academics but said, “I like school ‘cause it I get to see my friends. I don’t mind learning. I do pretty well at school. I don’t usually read for fun ‘cause I’m usually at P. S. Studio or Citrus. I’m keeping up with my schooling here, though.”

By this point in achieving her life’s plan, Lindsay and her mother are looking for an agent.

“We asked Mairi [Babb] and she suggested a few,” she said. “I’m auditioning for Matilda with Mirvish. It will be the first time auditioning for a performance outside of Orangeville,” she added, with somewhat nervous excitement.

We wondered how much younger members of the audiences attending the performances of The Gift of the Magi for the schools would follow the stories.

“My school grade four to eight is coming,” she said. “They [the younger children] just like coming to the the- atre even if they don’t understand everything.”

Reflecting on her own life in the audience, she said, “I would have paid more attention because I’m a theatre kid. I think that kids in the theatre do focus better. A great way for kids to get involved in the theatre is through Young Company.”

Although her own parents were not particularly involved in theatre, Miss Scheel briefly related her own history: “My mom told me when I was little, I was always moving around. So, she put me into gymnastics and dance. I did competitive gym and dance. And then, I dropped gym and got more involved with dance. I saw Into the Woods here and I thought I wanted to do that, to be on stage. Gift to Last was my first show and then I was in Sound of Music with Young Company.”

She said: “I want to do this; I definitely want to pursue a life in musical theatre.”

The Gift of the Magi continues at TheatreOrangeville until December 20. For details and tickets, the Box Office is on Broadway at the Town Hall and the Tourist Information Centre on Buena Vista and Hwy 10; call it at 519-942-3423 or visit theatreorangeville.ca.