Rebecca Bolick
Rebecca Bolick’s first line on stage was “Tuna Melt” in “The Little Mermaid” Her latest role is Ariel in Theatre Bristol’s production of “The Little Mermaid.” She has a great deal more dialogue in the latest production.
“I started in theater at the age of 6 when I was in my first musical at Stage Door Productions in Fredericksburg, Virginia, of ‘The Little Mermaid.’ I played a fish and a little chef. I had one line, ‘Tuna Melt.’ Since then I knew I wanted to be on the stage and have been in 17 other performances. My family’s love for the arts sparked my interest in theater. I grew up going to shows in NY and DC or every local production that existed. My childhood was spent watching my siblings perform, whether it was my sister in ‘The Nutcracker,’ my eldest brother in ‘Pippin,’ or my other brother’s piano concerts. Theater has always been a big part of my life, and I couldn’t love it more. My mom is insanely talented and never got to do much acting after college, but she certainly passed down her love for the arts to her children. My two brothers and sister have all been in countless shows and without them I would not be where I am today. I love that I have a family that will belt out show tunes with me in the car,” she says.
She has performed at the Theatre Bristol Artspace, Abingdon High School for both One Acts and musicals, Chancellor High School, EB Stanley Middle School, Fredericksburg United Methodist Church, Stage Door Productions in Fredericksburg, and Radford University. She predicts her favorite role will be Ariel. Other favorites include The Witch from “Into the Woods,” and Lefou from “Beauty and the Beast.” She says she will never forget playing Cindy Lou Who at 7 with her older brother in his high school production of “Seussical.” Her favorite play is “The Diary of Anne Frank.” She played Margot Frank in Theatre Bristol’s production.
“I love performing because it allows you to leave the stress and expectations of real life behind, and you become a totally different person developing all their own emotions and reactions. I no longer have to be the overwhelmed high school student balancing school and social life but can instead become a Disney princess, evil witch, goofy sidekick, teeny, little ladybug or a Who with their own backstory and concerns.
“Theater, above all else, is a home. It’s the place where you can feel safe in being yourself, where you don’t have to be worried about being judged because everyone is so accepting. The theater is where I found my people. I let all my personality show and found that other people not only accept it but are similar to me. I can be loud, outgoing and not afraid to take up space. Being in theater since such a young age has let me grow into my own person, and without it, I would be very different. Since I found such a home in the theater, I strive to help others feel as accepted as I have, especially the little kids in all the shows, because I love working with kids,” Rebecca says.
She prefers acting to working in the background and has worked hard on her craft. She took acting lessons with Sprinkles and Pfeiffer Productions, which helped her learn more about the fundamentals of taking on a character and connecting to different scenes. She studied contemporary acting and Shakespeare last summer at the Governor’s School for the Performing Arts at Radford University. She takes voice lessons with Rachel Helton at Bristol Academy of Music, sing in choirs at school and at Abingdon United Methodist Church. Last month she sang with the All-Virginia choir in Richmond. Her sister is a dancer and ballet teacher and is working with Rebecca on her dancing.
“One of my biggest influences is my brother, Brandon. He is the other big actor in my family, and I want nothing more than for him to be proud of me. He was beloved in his high school and college theater programs and has acted professionally. As a kid, I wanted to be just like that. Another influence is Camille Gray because she was the first to teach me all about tactics, objectives, beat shifts and basic character work when she was my director for ‘The Diary of Anne Frank.’ My mom is another big influence on me not only in theater but in normal life too. She has taught me so much and initiated my love for theater, especially my love for the role of Ariel. As a college student, my mom worked as a singing waitress and her go-to song was ‘Part of Your World,’ which makes playing this part that much more fulfilling,” she says.
Rebecca is the daughter of Shannon and Matthew Bolick and graduated from Abingdon High School, Abingdon, Virginia, in May. She will attend the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, in the fall and plans to double major in political science and theater. After college, she hopes to move to New York City and work as an actor.
