“I would not be who I am today if it wasn’t for my time at StageStruck. In my two years there, I learned so much about myself and my abilities as a performer. I learned how command a stage and not to let my stutter stop me. It gave me a level of confidence that I didn’t know I needed. I am so grateful for the pushing and accountability I received in my time there. I am currently an Artist Educator at Kentucky Shakespeare in Louisville, Kentucky. We tour Shakespeare shows and workshops around the Commonwealth and I still use the foundational tools I learned during my time at StageStruck!”

— Tony Reimonenq III (Former Student)

“When I was in the fourth grade, I discovered my love for music and the stage. Shortly after discovering this love, I knew that StageStruck was the perfect place to foster the gift and hobby I had discovered. My first show was Peter Pan where I played the role of Peter! I remember being in the fifth grade and getting the opportunity to learn how to fly with the theater/flying company StageStruck brought in. My mom looked at me and told me to remember the moment because not many fifth graders got that opportunity. I spent the next several years involved in StageStruck. Through my participation in StageStruck, I was able to attend Junior Theatre Festival, step in the role of someone else’s shoes, and do what I love most, act through singing. I got to be Sebastian the crab, Cat and the Hat, Tweedle De, and Peter Pan.

StageStruck brought me out of my shell, taught me to spread empathy, and served as an escape that helped shape the direction my life has headed. I was challenged, encouraged, and inspired by the roles that I got to play. The only word I have for this experience is magical. Hattiesburg is extremely lucky to have a facility like Stage Struck available for students to pour out their energy and creativity into something so important.

Today, I can thank StageStruck for my love of music and the arts. I am a Public Relations major with a minor in music at Mississippi State University. I am a part of the women’s choir and serve as a campus tour guide. These are just a few activities that I utilize the skills I learned in StageStruck in my everyday life. I have even been inspired to create a platform that has been in existence for almost three years now called Music Is Medicine which brings the arts and music to hospitals, nursing homes, and school systems across the state. I believe in the power of music and the arts and the ability that it has to motivate, educate, uplift, and unite. ”

— Emmie Perkins (Former Student)

“Stagestruck is a great opportunity for younger artists to get a jump on their journey to become a performer. The program helped me learn musicality, acting within a song, and how to work with others to create a musical. The skills I have fostered at StageStruck, I have taken with me in my collegiate career. I currently study both Music and Theatre at the University of Mississippi and have had opportunities to take MasterClasses with Broadway stars such as Stephanie J Block and perform in mainstage musicals with the Theatre Department. Without Stagestruck, I would not be in the place that I am in today. I will forever be grateful to the staff for the dedication and belief they have shown towards me."

-Parker Viator (Former Student)