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The Conversation: Hailey Stewart

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — It’s opening night at C-NS High School on Wednesday, March 16, for the high school musical, ‘Mean Girls.’

In this week’s conversation, Carrie Lazarus took us to a dress rehearsal for a conversation with someone who’s been part of C-NS musicals since she was born.

Hailey Stewart has been in musicals for years and says music holds a special place in her heart.

“My mom started doing this with Caren Patterson 25 years ago. I was 6 weeks old when I attended my first rehearsal.”

Stewart thinks that high school musical is important because it creates a special experience for everyone involved.

“We really create a family and a community we welcome everyone here with open arms no matter who they are or what they do that is our biggest thing at the end of the day is to be a big community and a family.”

Stewart said the best thing kids get out of this experience is creating a family and learning how to express themselves.

“Students learn to express themselves through a way they might not be able to anywhere else they get to be their authentic self they get to sing and dance and tell stories through other people’s eyes,” said Stewart. “We can turn anyone into a singer a dancer or an actor but at the end of the day it’s about believing in themselves and that’s something they can carry through their whole life.”

According to Stewart, the confidence you get from being on stage at a young age helps you take that and go out into the world.

“We make sure every single person from ensemble members to the person who locks our door at night, that they feel important. Our program is for these people to feel important and included and they are bigger than who they are in high school.”

In order to get her nerves under control for opening night, Stewart focuses on rehearsals.

“We rehearse about 20-25 hours a week between singing dancing and acting and by the time that curtain opens on opening night they’re ready to go.”

Mean Girls opens Wednesday, March 16, and runs through the weekend at C-NS High School.

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