From bubbles to the big time

Lucy Featherston aims for career on Broadway; performing tonight at Haynes-Apperson

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(Editor’s note: This is the third in a three-part series celebrating the efforts of young women in Kokomo and Howard County who are building their own futures and overcoming adversity. Read additional installments at www.kokomolantern.com)

This week, Lucy Featherston is a singing fish. Earlier this year, she was a mandrill shaman. And in a couple weeks she hopes to be named Kokomo’s Rising Star.

At 13 years of age, Lucy is on a fast track to stage stardom. But it wasn’t something that was destined or foretold. While she was a singer from the moment she could form words, this evolution was rather sudden.

“She’s been singing since she could talk,” said her mother, Mandy. “I have videos of her singing when she was just a tiny thing. But I never imagined that I'd have a child that was an actress.”

Lucy, herself, hadn’t envisioned this outcome. It just sort of happened after a casual conversation.

“Nothing really drew me into it,” said Featherston. “One day, my mom was scrolling on Facebook, and she said, ‘Hey, there's an audition for this play.’ It was really last-minute. I just went in there and I sang, and I got a call back.”

The play was the Curtain Call Theatre of Children’s production of “The Little Mermaid.” Though Lucy auditioned for the part of Flounder, she instead was placed in the ensemble. But that was enough. The acting bug took hold.

“I started taking it more seriously,” said Lucy. “I was, like, 10, when I started doing theater. I just kept going, and I got better roles.”

She performed in Kokomo and Tipton through children’s theatre, taking on fun roles like the wise Rafiki in the Lion King Jr. and Matilda, the famously impish psychic. From there, she elevated her craft, and currently she is featured in a stage production at Beef and Boards Dinner Theatre in Indianapolis.

The play is a familiar one for Lucy: The Little Mermaid. It’s her third go-round with the production, having been in the aforementioned ensemble and later landing the role of Dory.

“And now I'm Flounder at Beef and Boards,” she said.

The Beef and Boards production runs through July 13, with performances every evening except July 7. It’s a demanding scheduled for a 13-year-old.

“It’s overwhelming,” said Mandy. “She's so busy. I was never this busy as a kid. I mean, I'm very proud of her, and it's amazing to me.”

Lucy can’t pick a favorite part of performing. She loves it all, and that keeps her pushing forward for the next role.

“I like everything,” said Lucy. “Performing and getting up on stage. I like singing for an audience. I like acting. Everything's fun. I just have a lot of passion. I like to play new roles and do new shows and learn more about theater. It gives me more experience so one day I can do it on a bigger stage.”

A bigger stage?

“Like Broadway,” Lucy said.

Still, Lucy is a 13-year-old. Her acting has to take a back seat to school. Until now, she was a student at Sts. Joan of Arc & Patrick School, but she is considering a transfer into public school. And school will take precedence. She may pursue roles in the fall, but it is a demanding experience.

“I don't do a lot of shows during school,” Lucy said. “I did ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ during fall last year. It was hard to balance it. No other kid was leaving school as much as I was. It was hard to balance school with work and other stuff. I eventually got it, but it was difficult.”

Though Broadway is on her mind, she doesn’t have a production she can’t wait to perform in. When she started acting, “Annie” was on her mind, but those days have passed, the role unfulfilled. These days, she’s open to anything.

“I don't really have like, a dream role,” said Lucy. “I'm just open to whatever. If you give me a show, I'll say, ‘Hey, this will be fun to play.’ But off the top of my head, I couldn't pick a show or role I really want.”

That’s not completely accurate. She does have a goal in front of her. Last week, Lucy advanced to the final round of the Kokomo Rising Star competition at Rhine Hall Event Venue. She will compete on Fri., July 18, against three other singers for the title. Tickets for the finals are available now at www.rhinehallevents.com. Doors open at 7 p.m.

And tonight, she will take to the Performing Arts stage in Foster Park to sing in front of the Haynes-Apperson Festival crowd before Night Ranger headlines the evening. The performance begins at 7:45 p.m. And tickets are still available for her performances at Beef and Boards at www.beefandboards.com.