Alumni in the Spotlight

We give a special shout-out to Rachel Sawicki!

The first play I did with Children’s Theater was Robin Hood. I was 8 years old and played Beth, a member of Robin Hood’s merry band. One day during rehearsal, our director suggested I jump into the arms of Little John, who was supposed to be Beth’s love interest. I wasn’t a shy kid, but I was nervous. I started laughing so hard that I cried.

Almost ten years later, my final role with Children’s Theater was Eulalie Mackechnie Shinn in The Music Man. I sang, danced, and managed at least three costume changes. And at the final curtain call, I was laughing and crying once again—this time because I knew it was my last moment on stage with Children’s Theater.

What I didn’t realize then was how much those years had prepared me for everything that came next.

If it weren’t for Children’s Theater, and the confidence those experiences gave me, I wouldn’t be where I am today. After high school, I attended the University of Delaware and embarked on a different kind of performance career. Instead of acting on a stage, I found myself reporting live on television and radio. I could no longer see my audience, but I knew there might be hundreds, or thousands, of people watching and listening.

As a journalist, I learned to introduce myself to complete strangers and ask questions. I regularly sat down with elected officials to ask even harder questions—from state legislators to governors to members of Congress. Those experiences eventually led me from reporting about government to working in it. Delaware’s new governor asked me to join his team, and a year after that I accepted a position as Director of Communications in the Maryland Lieutenant Governor’s Office. On my seventh day on the job, I found myself leading a press conference in front of more than 12,000 people.

And standing there, I realized something: none of it felt as intimidating as it should have. Because years earlier, Children’s Theater had already taught me how to step into the spotlight, trust myself, and keep going even when I was nervous.

The lessons you learn here stay with you for the rest of your life. The best part is that you don’t even realize you’re learning them. You think you’re just putting on a play, memorizing lines, and spending time with friends. But along the way, you’re building confidence, resilience, creativity, and the ability to connect with other people.

To the scholarship recipients, congratulations. As you begin the next chapter of your lives, hold your time at Children’s Theater close. And to those who still have a few more years here, or are just getting started, always say yes, be bold, and don’t be afraid to take the leap—especially when your director is asking you to leap into your co-star’s arms...You never know where it might take you.

(This year's Kaitlyn Clendaniel Memorial Scholarship is made possible in part to a generous donation given by our TCT alumna, Ms. Rachel Sawicki. Thank you!)