Jenison theater student sees first Broadway show
NEW YORK (WOOD) — When Sam Holtsclaw stepped on stage for the first time, she was in fifth grade and played the role of JoJo in Seussical the Musical Junior. From that moment on, she was in love with theater.
“It was really just a wow moment, you know? Like, with all he lights and just … wow. I was the only person on stage because my character was the only one on stage to start out, and the emotion behind it was just crazy… It’s something I still remember to this day,” Sam said.
Jenison Marching Band performs at historic Central Park bandshell
She’s a junior now at Jenison High School, and is still involved in theater, but also spends a lot of her time with the marching band, where she plays the baritone. She is in New York City with the band to play in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, a trip the school has been planning for more than a year. Now that it’s happening, Sam can’t believe it.
“It’s always been a dream of mine to go on Broadway, just see shows and whatnot. So… experiencing that dream? It’s like we’re going to the big leagues.”
Live blog: Jenison Marching Band at Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
Little did Sam know when she picked up the baritone that joining the band would help her realize that dream of seeing a show on Broadway. She and the rest of the band took in a showing of “Back to the Future” Tuesday night at the Winter Garden Theater in New York City. After the curtains went down, she couldn’t contain her excitement. Sam said, “The show was absolutely incredible … it was so mind blowing, I really felt like I was watching a real movie. The atmosphere of this whole theater really just brought my dream to life.”
After this experience is behind her and she starts looking at colleges, Sam said she plans to do something with music. She doesn’t know exactly what that looks like, but doesn’t see herself ever stepping away from the thrill of the performance.
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