Pretty but not too pretty, smart but not too smart, talented but not too talented.
That is how 17-year-old Taylor Scott described her character, Sandra-Kay, in her first upcoming professional acting job at the Vancouver Fringe Festival's SMILE.
"Sandra-Kay is a beauty pageant contestant who isn't the prettiest or the smartest but she is always happy," said the Richmond actor, who is part of the junior cast (ages 14 to 18) in Awkward Stage Productions' SMILE, opening Sept. 8. "I was absolutely terrified when I auditioned and so excited when I got the part."
SMILE is a musical satire about the behind the scenes of a 1985 teenage beauty pageant where it seems the young aspiring beauties have a win at all costs attitude.
Throw in a controlling, ambitious pageant coordinator, her sweet husband, their hormone-charged teenage son, and you have a recipe for a singing, dancing pomp and glittery musical, said its producer Sandra Herd.
"The teenage contestants are played by real live gals, but the adults are all a bunch of Muppet style puppets," said Herd.
Fellow Richmondite, 14-year-old Jessica Wong brings to life Agnes, the female head pageant judge puppet. Not only that, this multi-talented young actress also plays a contestant and last year's pageant winner, Joanne Marshall.
"When I was asked to play the role of a puppet I wasn't sure I could pull it off . it was so crazy hard and it's so heavy," said Jessica, who added she attended four puppet workshops. "But you get this weird connection with the puppet.
"Unless I have Agnes on my hand, I don't know her voice."
The Burnett secondary student also plays beauty contestant Heidi.
"She was a fat child who grew up to be a swan but she puts on this façade," said Jessica. "Inside she still feels like a fat person."
In the second act, Jessica becomes Joanne Marshall, the jaded winner of last year's pageant.
"Originally, Joanne didn't want to be in a beauty pageant but then she found a love for it," she said. "But after a year as the winner, she's drained from all the drama and commitment."
Both hopeful future stars went to the auditions armed with training.
Besides taking part in Richmond's Gateway Academy for the Performing Arts for four years, Taylor attends the MainStage theatre program at McGee secondary in Vancouver.
"I also danced at the Richmond Arts Centre for 13 years and was also a part of the Richmond Youth Honour Choir for three years," added Taylor.
"Mom remembers that when I was about two years old I would put on her shoes and dresses and parade around," she quipped.
"Mom told my dad, 'This girl's going to be an actress.'"
By seven, she was taking acting classes. What Taylor loves about the bright lights and the stage is "immersing myself completely into a lifestyle and a character that is foreign to me."
"I can be a beauty pageant contestant, never having been one in real life," she said.
Taylor's dream is to head to the Big Apple to study acting.
"I've already looked into acting schools in New York and will apply this year."
Jessica is also an alumnus of the Gateway Academy for the Performing Arts.
"I started at the Gateway Academy when I was 10," said Jessica. "I took voice and musical theatre."
At Burnett secondary, where Jessica starts Grade 10 this fall, she has been assistant director for the school play called Ash Girl and acted in Cheque Please.
Like Taylor, she knew early on she wanted to perform.
"My friends and I would create musicals and show them to everyone we knew," she said. "Then, my music teacher at Blair elementary pushed me towards acting.
"I love musical theatre because there's so much reaction between the actors and plus I love dancing and singing."
Last year, Jessica appeared in Cinderella Pantomime at the Metro Theatre.
"It's so much fun in a group scene to play off each other," Jessica said.
While Taylor and Jessica's friends head to the beach, these two young actresses wake up early to go to the Vancouver's Hellenic Centre for rehearsals - every weekday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Both young actors are garnering great reviews from the director and producer.
"Taylor is absolutely precious and so very funny," said Cara Tench, director.
"Her comedic timing is ridiculously good. Taylor is very pretty, smart and talented, but she does a good job of toning it down for her role."
"Taylor understands completely her part in the whole process and is totally committed in every scene," added Herd.
Herd went on to say about Jessica: "Jessica is one of our novice puppeteers, but you would never know it to see her perform. From the very early stages of working to bring the puppets to life, Jessica caught on so fast and just shone. She is a natural."
Tench agreed and said: "Jessica plays several roles, with and without a puppet, and she is incredibly good at quickly switching back and forth without sacrificing any part of each character she embodies."
According to Tench, the two might just make it in this highly competitive industry.
"Both girls are super talented and always willing and eager to try new things," said Tench, adding Awkward Stage Productions was the winner of last year's Vancouver Pick of the Fringe with its play 13.
"What more can you ask for in a performer?"
SMILE also features Richmondites Jonathan Hers, 17, and Erika Babins, 20.
SMILE runs Sept. 8 to the 18 at the Firehall Arts Centre. For more information, call 604-809-9260 or visit www.awkwardstageproductions.com.
