In the Student Spotlight: Arielle

Arielle has been coming to KVPAC since the summer of 2007. "We were driving around Katy after we moved here and saw the sign on Mason Road," Arielle recalls. "My first performance was as Mowgli in Jungle Book." She has enjoyed KVPAC, but likes it even more now. "The plays are getting better and better," she says. "My favorite role has been Duchess from The Aristocats. I had fun and thought the costumes were cool. I would love it if we got a larger theater with dressing rooms and a bathroom!" Arielle has also performed in Sleeping Beauty (Queen Stephanie/broom), The Velveteen Rabbit (Andrea), Aladdin Jr. (Carpet/baker), 101 Dalmatians (Perdita), and School House Rock, which she performed with the Ahwatukee Children's Theater. Arielle is also a math loving 6th grader and has started the viola with her school's orchestra this year.

When not on stage, Arielle is a competitive ice skater. In June 2007, her team was the International Silver Medallists with their 'Game of Clue' freestyle program and the Pewter Medallists with their choreographic exercise. This past June, they were the International Gold Medallists with their choreographic exercise and won Bronze with their 'Spelling Bee' freestyle program. They won Pewter at Nationals in freestyle.

Arielle travels frequently for competitions, but her preferred trip of choice was a recent vacation to New York. "My family and I saw Beauty and the Beast and Tarzan on Broadway," she says. "I also went to London the year before and saw Chitty Chitty Bang-Bang and Mary Poppins. But I was there during the bombings and was scared, so New York was definitely my favorite."

Arielle has a house full of pets she lovingly refers to as her brothers and sisters. Her Samoyed is almost 16 years old. Her golden retriever/chow mix is almost 14 years old and her Rottweiler/ lab mix (she thinks) is 1 year old and loves to play ball all day. She lost her Siberian husky to a rare disease recently. She also has a beta fish and some shrimp.

"When I was little I wanted to be a Power Ranger. Then I wanted to be an actress playing a Power Ranger," remembers Arielle, when asked what she wanted to be when she grows up. "I have also thought about fashion design." For now she is just very glad to have made COMPANY again this year at KVPAC.

"I was named after a character in a science fiction book. Arielle was a French, astrophysicist, pilot. My father has high hopes!" And so he should, KVPAC kids can do it all.