"Never Let Someone Tell You What You Cannot Do!" - Chatting with Sophie Miller!
I would like you to meet the wonderful Sophie Miller. You may recognize Sophie from my 2020 edition of "Five Young Performers in this Country You Should Know" article for OnStage Blog. Sophie is currently performing in Oliver! at Myers Dinner Theatre where she is playing the role of Charlotte Sowerberry. Sophie is going into her Senior Year at Millikin University where she is pursuing a BFA in Musical Theatre. Some of Sophie's credits include The Little Mermaid (Andrina), Carrie (Helen u/s Sue), Pete (Her) Pan (Twin 1/Ensemble), and Tarzan (Jane) just to name a few.
I have been a fan of this young lady ever since working with her last summer in The Little Mermaid, and I can strongly attest that Sophie hasn't even scratched the surface of how far she is going to go in this business. And like I have said before, she truly has such a wonderful attitude to back up her crystal-clear talent onstage. I am so happy to have the chance to feature Sophie!
How old were you when you knew you wanted to be a performer?
Ever since a young age, I enjoyed playing dress-up and pretend with my older sister and younger brother, but it would take many years of performing in school musicals and church plays until I was 17 before I knew for sure that I wanted to be a performer and pursue Musical Theatre in college and as a profession.
Where did you study? Do you have any mentors that truly help make you the wonderful performer you are today?
I will be a Senior at Millikin University this fall getting a BFA in Musical Theatre. There are a couple of professors that have pushed me in ways I didn’t think I could be and truly helped me to become the performer that I am today. My voice teacher for the past three years at Millikin, Ann Borders, has gotten me to a point where I not only feel confident in my vocal skills in several different genres but as a performer as a whole. She’s taught me the rough and tough part of being a performer in addition to the magic and joy we make as we get to delve into another character’s world for a living. I’m forever grateful to her, as well as many other professors at Millikin University for my wonderful education.
If you could choose your all-time favorite musical and/or play, what would it be?
I love so many shows for different reasons, but my all-time favorite musical I’ve seen would have to be Newsies, and my favorite play would be Shakespeare’s Hamlet. These stories have always intrigued me, and I’ve found I’m able to relate to some of the female-identifying characters. Both hold special places in my heart.
Are there any roles, shows, or performances you have done in your career that stick out and will always be near and dear to you?
I was able to play the role of Jane in Disney’s stage musical: Tarzan, and that will always be near and dear to me. As a big fan of Disney, I always thought this movie was underrated, and Jane was one of my favorite characters; a spunky and smart woman, not afraid to get her hands dirty and go off the beaten path when it comes to loving others and accepting their differences.
What advice would you give any aspiring artist?
My best advice to any aspiring artist would be to never let someone tell you what you cannot do. You are capable of more than you know, and creating art is one of the bravest, challenging, and most rewarding things you can do in life. Allow yourself to fail, and let those setbacks turn into breakthroughs that keep you pursuing that goal!
Oliver is currently running until August 1st at Myers Dinner Theatre in Hillsboro, Indiana! For more information please visit - https://myersdt.com/oliver