As the curtains come up and the lights go down, senior Julia Lester graces the stage, starring as Carrie in the Young Artists Ensemble production of Carrie: The Musical. Lester has been involved in theatre since she was a young girl, playing all sorts of different characters and completely immersing herself in the craft. Lester prepared for the role by diligently going over her lines to leave a lasting impression on the casting directors. Lester’s talent and passion for acting is what contributed to her accomplishment of landing this leading role in the musical.

“I was going in thinking there was no possible way I would get this role; I had never auditioned for this company and I just thought there was no way I could get it, but I really wanted it,” said Lester.

After Julia was awarded the prestigious part, she worked diligently to preform at her absolute best in the musical. Every day before rehearsal Julia would watch the production on YouTube and go over all of her music until she was confident she was going to amaze audiences. Lester’s ability to put herself in a vulnerable frame of mind each show is what kept the excited crowds on the edge of their seats. Lester has been in over 20 different shows, none of which have compared to a show of this caliber. Her beautiful vocals and unparalleled talent gave the show prestigious reviews and high praise.

Lester’s expertise in theatre makes her a wonderful source for advice about acting. Lester believes that to be a great actor one must have a passion and be able to focus. Being able to work hard at what one loves is the basis for development of strong characters and believable acting. Lester uses this mindset to influence her acting in every role she takes on. Lester’s father is a huge inspiration to her. As a fellow actor, the two often bond over theater. He is her biggest supporter and continues to encourage her to work harder with every part she gets.

“The best part [of Carrie]? The whole entire experience, I will never forget it. Being able to step on that stage and do what I love really showed me that [performing] is what I was born to do,” said Lester.

Lester’s inspiring experiences as an actress is what continues to drive her to challenge herself with roles like that of her character in “Carrie”. Lester is extremely excited to see what the future holds and strives to create a career out of her passion. For now she is very excited to be in her next show right here at CHS. Lester plays the nurse in the CHS production of Romeo and Juliet. She hopes that her wonderful talent and ability to transform herself into different characters will open doors for her all throughout the industry in her future.