She鈥檚 not a boy-crazy teen from the 1960s 鈥� she just played one at the Howe Sound Music Festival.
And now Squamish鈥檚 Teresa Donovan is heading to the Performing Arts Provincial Festival in Powell River after a show stopping performance of 鈥淚 Can Hear the Bells鈥� from the hit movie Hairspray.
Donovan wowed the adjudicators at the HSMF on April 26 to qualify for the honour, and she said it was a complete shock when she learned she was recommended.
鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 expecting it at all, and I was just so surprised,鈥� she said of the win in the musical theatre 14-and-under category. 鈥淎ll the scholarships were coming in and I was happy because I got a scholarship for my duet performance, and I was congratulating all the others but then they called me up and I was shocked.鈥�
She said she has practised once a week since January and memorized the song earlier this year. She enjoyed diving right into the role.
鈥淢e and my instructor decided I鈥檓 at my best when I鈥檓 an obsessive teenage girl,鈥� she said, laughing.
The qualification means Donovan was to head to Powell River on Wednesday and stay until Sunday. She will perform and attend workshops and classes during her stay. If she impresses the judges, she will also get to perform at a highlights concert on Sunday.
The Grade 9 Don Ross Secondary School student said she鈥檚 been training with Squamish Academy of Music for about six years, starting with signing lessons and choir work. She then delved into summer camps like Broadway or Bust for the past two years and she will be returning again this year.
鈥淚 like the feeling of being on stage and being able to perform,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 love musical theatre and just love being around that environment.鈥�
Donovan said it means a lot to perform at the provincials and said she鈥檚 looking forward to it.
鈥淚鈥檓 just going to do my best and see what happens and hopefully do well,鈥� she said.
She said she hopes to continue pursuing her interest in the performing arts when she begins at Howe Sound Secondary School in the fall.
Also heading to Powell River is Squamish鈥檚 Sam Sherlock, who thrilled the crowd at the HSMF with a rendition of 鈥淔amous Blue Raincoat鈥� by Leonard Cohen. Sherlock is competing in the 18 and under classical voice category. Donovan said Sherlock has a great chance to succeed.
鈥淗e had a really good performance at HSMF, and I wasn鈥檛 surprised at all when he got recommended,鈥� she said.
Read The 小蓝视频 for details on how Donovan and Sherlock fared at provincials.
