Off to Oz.
Marie-Pier Jean, 14, is getting the chance to play her dream role, Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, in an upcoming production by the Greely Players. The Béatrice-Desloges Catholic high school student has already appeared in 10 productions.
She doesn’t need to close her eyes, click her ruby red heels together three times, and wish.
Marie-Pier Jean, 14, had landed the role she always dreamed about getting: Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz.
“This is the ultimate role,” she said. “Dorothy’s always been a dream role for me, following in Judy Garland’s footsteps.”
The Béatrice-Desloges Catholic high school Grade 9 student will be playing Dorothy in the upcoming production by the Greely Players.
And it isn’t her first time on stage – the young actress has been in 10 shows since starting acting at age nine.
The francophone actress started with the Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet company when a friend of her father was looking for actors.
“I didn’t speak a word of English when I got there, so it was a crash-course in English,” she said.
The now-bilingual actress has been in shows with ASNY, Orpheus Musical Theatre and GOYA Theatre Productions, and will now add the Greely Players to her list.
For her role in GOYA’s production of Homechild, she was nominated for best actress in the Capital Critic Circle Awards. At 12, it was the first time a child had been nominated.
She also keeps busy with vocal training and competing in the Kiwanis music competitions – she won gold in all her categories last year – so the multiple productions combined with school plays mean a busy schedule for the Jean family.
The next step is finding an agent to start looking for television and professional theatre roles, both goals for Marie-Pier.
She’s still several years away from graduating from Béatrice-Desloges, where she is enrolled in the intensive arts program, but studying theatre at the post-secondary level is something Marie-Pier is interested in.
Her ultimate dream would be to land a role on one of the world’s biggest stages: Broadway.
“I’ve always dreamed of that since I was in my first show,” she said.
But for now she’s happy to put on her slippers, which she purchased herself to keep as a show souvenir, and travel to Greely to play Dorothy.
She’s been a great salesperson for the theatre company with 120 tickets sold to her friends, family and school teachers planning to make the trip to see her star in the upcoming production of her favourite show.
“It’s not an easy role to play, but it’s an easier role for me,” Marie-Pier said. “I’ve seen the movie about 100 times.”
The Wizard of Oz runs from March 20 to 24 at the Greely Community Centre at 1448 Meadow Dr. Tickets are available at www.greelyplayers.ca.