Natalie McMahon Takes Center Stage at Lake Ridge Academy

The stage is Natalie McMahon's comfort zone. “When I’m on stage, I can step into someone else’s shoes and leave behind the stress of daily life,” she says. From playing Rosie in Bye Bye Birdie to lead in The Drowsy Chaperone, this alto shares why she's eying a performing arts career. 

Tears of Joy. At the International Thespian Festival in Bloomington, Indiana, in June, she sang Andrew Lippa’s I’m Not Waiting, earning a superior score. “Part of the song needs tears. I hadn’t been able to cry until I performed in that room. Coming out, a judge stopped me and said, ‘You made me cry. Wonderful job.’”

Theater Kid. “Theater has given me a lot of different skills, including healthy coping mechanisms because there is a lot of pressure in private school. Theater really prepares you to feel comfortable in front of an audience, carry conversations and adapt quickly.”

So Fetch. McMahon has a big heart but loves to explore a sassy side on stage. “My dream role in a musical is Regina George in Mean Girls.” 

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