Baleigh McKeehan
Baleigh McKeehan has been involved in theater since she was 7. Her voice teacher suggested she attend a musical theater camp, and she was hooked. Her first role was an orphan in “Annie, Jr.” and she has been in several different shows since then.
“Connecting with people from all different backgrounds interests me when performing. I build friendships with people I would have never met if it wasn’t for theater. Over the years, I have performed at the Paramount Center for the Arts, Theatre Bristol, Barter Theatre, Gregory Center, Niswonger Performing Arts Center and several other locations. While I’m not in any productions at the moment, I recently played Isabel/Helen in ‘Scrooge the Musical’ and Sandy in ‘Grease’ this past December.
“I find that singing is my passion. As a child, I would often sing around the house and perform for my parents. I would dress up, make them tickets and give them a concert of a lifetime with all my favorite songs. If I’m not singing, I’m usually listening to music and looking for future performance pieces,” she says.
Baleigh’s influences come primarily from Theatre Bristol personnel.
“One of my influences is Camille Gray, her countless talents are beyond inspiring to me. She’s an amazing director, choreographer, costume designer, stage manager and so much more. I’m so grateful I had the opportunity to be in ‘Scrooge the Musical’ at Theatre Bristol under Camille’s direction. She emphasizes how important it is to be specific when acting. Every action needs to have a motive. When the motive changes, you have to show it. I definitely prefer performing musical theater. Anything with music I love to be a part of; however, I enjoy reading comedic scripts. I’d really like to improve my comedic skills.
“Glenn Patterson has also made an incredible impact on my life. He made me realize that audiences enjoy when you make a role your own instead of trying to fit what you think they want. Glenn completely changed my outlook on theater and brought out confidence in me that I didn’t know I had,” she says.
Baleigh is also very active in choir. She is enrolled in choir at Science Hill High School, directed by June Oaks, and is a member of the Highlands Youth Ensemble, directed by Jane Morison. At the beginning of the school year, she was voted vice president of HYE. Last May, HYE was given the opportunity to tour France and perform in beautiful cathedrals like La Madeleine in Paris.
“I love that theater gives me the opportunity to express myself and provides a constant challenge. There’s always ways to improve and grow whether it’s in singing, acting, dancing or as a person. While serving as vice president of the Youth Service Board at Theatre Bristol, I’ve learned to appreciate all that goes into a show besides the acting. It’s astonishing to see all the effort a community will put into making the director’s vision come true.
“When looking back at my previous opportunities, Louisa has always stood out. ‘The Sound of Music’ was my first musical with a supporting role instead of an ensemble role. I loved the music and felt as though we made a family throughout the rehearsal and show process. Another show that has a special place in my heart is ‘Seussical the Musical.’ Although I was just a Bird Girl, I fully became Bird Girl, I made the character my own. The fun dances and colors were unforgettable. Even though the shows are completely different, they were both incredible,” she says.
Baleigh is auditioning for musical theater programs at several universities. She hopes to continue to be involved in the arts in any capacity possible. She is a 17-year-old senior at Science Hill High School, Johnson City, Tennessee. She is the daughter of Jon Mckeehan and Mindy Whitaker.
