Rylee Polk is a rising star.
The first thing that strikes me about her is her confidence. She is cheerful, open, assured. Chatting with her is a true delight.
What’s even more impressive than her charming personality? She landed the starring role of Belle in Allen High School’s production of Beauty and the Beast when she just was a sophomore.
“Isn’t that unusual?” I ask.
She giddily replies, “It was a huge shock for me! In all the movies it’s always the seniors in the lead roles!”
It all started when her parents noticed that she could sing in tune from a very young age, which, she jokes, “They thought was freaky!”
Spectacularly talented and dedicated to her craft, she takes voice, dancing, and acting lessons in addition to her active involvement in theatre and choir.
When asked to choose her favorite performance, she recalls playing Belle with a live orchestra. “It was so magical. The Allen High School orchestra is amazing, and performing with them was just surreal. I look back at pictures every day to relive the magic.”
Rylee is a two-time All-Stater in Choir, accolades she won performing at the Texas Music Educators Convention in San Antonio where over 70,000 students try out annually. After auditioning through four rounds of competition, she placed first chair soprano in the top choir in the state.
What's Next for Rylee
Like many high school juniors, Rylee is going on college campus tours. She’s interested in studying musical theatre, opera, or theatre performance and is currently exploring her options among schools with top-ranked performing programs.
What She's Watching
Only Murders in the Building on Hulu.
“It combines true crime and comedy…It’s SO good!”
Who She's Following
Kristen Chenoweth who played Glinda in Wicked.
“Everything she does is amazing.”
First Role: Apple Tree #2
She had three lines and still remembers them:
“Give her back!”
“The audacity!”
“Get ‘em!”
5 Lessons Rylee Learned from Theatre:
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Hard work pays off
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Be kind to your teachers
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Go with the flow
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See the world through others’ eyes
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Don’t get involved in “drama”