Eighth grader Elizabeth Tirado’s love for the arts is undeniable. She sings, dances, plays instruments, and acts. You could even say it’s in her blood. Her grandmother is a skilled pianist, and her father plays several instruments. Elizabeth started taking piano lessons at the age of 4.
But theater? That’s Elizabeth’s passion.
With donor-funded scholarships to cover her tuition, Elizabeth has been taking classes at Straz Center’s Patel Conservatory for several years. “I’m taking improv, musical theater, and acting and performance, and I’m also a technical apprentice,” says Elizabeth.
Lately, she’s been broadening her skillset and developing her leadership skills by exploring the technical side of things. She was behind-the-scenes for the Conservatory’s production of Descendants and was the stage manager at her school for a Christmas show in December.
“I cannot believe it’s my child when I watch her perform,” says Elizabeth’s mother, Massiel. “She puts so much work in – she just does it. I don’t have to ask her. She’s a leader, and she is NOT shy.”
Backed by scholarship support, theater has shaped Elizabeth’s future in more ways than one. In addition to honing her craft and expanding her skillset, Elizabeth has forged valuable friendships with fellow performers who share her passion. “My closest bonds have been built in the theater community,” she says, “It’s so great to be in a place where people have similar interests, and you can nerd out about the same things.”
As she wraps up her eighth-grade year and prepares for high school, her passion for the stage remains unwavering. “It is part of her life,” Massiel reflects, “It’s something she knows she wants to do, and we have integrated it into our lives.”
When asked if she’d continue pursuing theater in high school, Elizabeth replied emphatically, “Absolutely.”