“I never really expected myself to be this dedicated, spend as much time, and love it as much as I do,” said senior student Mieke Moll. “I always have the best of times and it’s where I feel the most passion.”

There are so many aspects: the dancing, the makeup, the costumes, the sets, the people, the audiences. And it all comes back down to one particular thing: a passion for performing.

“[From the time] I was little until now, I would definitely say I have had a thing for being in front of an audience,” Mieke said.

Beginning by taking dance classes, Mieke started out her devoted lifestyle by taking jazz, ballet, tap, lyrical, and hip-hop. She competed in competitions across the state and  won many titles. Some of the studios she has danced at include CARE Ballet, The Moving Company, Kathy’s Dance Studio, and now, Balletmore. Soon after the competition circuit, Mieke discovered her passion not only lied in performing by dancing, but also by singing and acting. Over the past few years, she has performed with the Grand Rapids Civic and Circle Theatre learning new, challenging, and invigorating roles.

Throughout the past 4 years, Mieke has performed in over 18 shows, including Fiddler on the Roof, Mary Poppins, Evita, Catch Me if you Can, South Pacific, The Sister Act, Cats and more. In The Sister Act, she played the featured role of Sister Mary Robert.

“When I first began working with Mieke in 2013, I could see her talent,” said Executive and Artistic Director of the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre, Bruce Tinker. “Her singing and acting skills have come a long way and I have noticed her improvement throughout the years. Last winter, she played Mary Robert in our production of Sister Act and she was superb. Her featured solos and scenes brought the house down.”

According to Mieke, the aspect of working with new people all throughout our community is valuable and rewarding. With each show, she gets to meet new people and learn from everyone’s talent.

“Everyone I work with is very fun,” Mieke said. “We spend so much time together and I have learned a lot from [fellow] cast members. I absolutely love it.”

Mieke said that when she is performing, it’s easy to forget about everything else in her life. Most of her time spent on stage is a positive experience.

“For me, [when I think of musical theatre], I think of sharing a story with a significant impact for each individual in the group,” Tinker said. “I have seen performers in the cast gaining new perspectives on life, and perhaps this perspective allows them to find a way to improve their own and others. Sometimes, they just get a break and get to enjoy the fiction and fun of all of it.”

And due to the fact that Mieke loves it so much, she has an altered schedule. She comes to school at FHC for only first hour, and then the rest of her day is spent at an online school.

“This year I have been very devoted to college applications, just because I have to audition and send in a video for some,” Mieke said. “Also, when I started performing in [multiple shows], I wouldn’t get home until midnight every night. The schedule for a theatre kid is very devoted and vigorous, so I was always exhausted from staying up so late. So my schedule this year has been very beneficial.”

Mieke hopes that her future will include musical theatre. She has applied to different colleges for the arts across the country; some of them include the University of Michigan, Point Park, University of Southern California, Cal Arts, and more.

“Mieke has always been very mature and behaved as older than her years,” Tinker said. “She has served as dance captain for many productions and she is a very proficient teacher and counselor in that role. Beyond innate talent, I think what makes Mieke a very effective performer is that she does the work without any drama. She is working incredibly hard and conscientiously, but you would never know it, she just does the work.”

Mieke’s hard work and obvious talent are what will lead her to success in her future. According to Mieke, she wants to have a career where she can act with film or television.

“I have been a dancer since I was three, and I have been very involved with theatre these past few years,” Mieke said. “This is what I want to do with my life, so hopefully I can make it happen.”

According to Tinker, he has seen growth in Mieke’s artform and he believes that Mieke is very talented and has a chance at making it.

“When I first started working with her in our 2013 production of the Fiddler on the Roof, Mieke was a very accomplished dancer,” Tinker said. “I have seen her acting and singing skills grow throughout these past few years. She is a very effective performer and I have learned a lot from her and everyone else I have worked with.”