CHS Freshman Landed Summer Acting Job in Kansas City

"It was almost like a culture shock, because everyone was so nice there. They made me feel welcome," said Austin, who turned 14 this month and successfully auditioned to replace an 18-year-old actress who was headed to college and had to leave the show at the New Theatre in Overland Park, Kan., early.

Austin had spent the beginning of her summer participating in the Paper Mill's Summer Musical Theater Conservatory, and then opportunity knocked. Her father Ron Bommer was portraying Captain Von Trapp in the New Theatre's production, which started in June, and learned that the producers were seeking a replacement for the outgoing Liesl. Austin auditioned in New York, landed the part, and then rehearsed for a week and watched a week's worth of shows before making her debut in a Friday performance. She says she especially enjoyed working with a group of children, ranging in age from 6 to 14, who were all from the Kansas City area.

Though Austin had previously performed in informal concerts with her father, who will play "'Father" in an upcoming Broadway production of "Ragtime," this was her first time sharing the stage with him.

"I loved getting to learn from him," said Austin, who performed in the opening numbers of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade when she was 9 but considers this to have been her first real show. She's been training at Front and Center for the Performing Arts in Springfield for the past eight years.

The show wrapped on Aug. 30, leaving Austin just a few days to prepare for CHS.

"I got home, I unpacked, I got my school supplies, and I went back to school," said Austin who plans to get involved in theater at Columbia and to focus on her training instead of auditioning for professional shows. Ultimately, though, she plans on becoming a professional performer, following in the footsteps of her father and mother, who works with New York City Dance Alliance, a dance education program.

"It's in my blood," she said.