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Local Teen Celebrity Teaches Audition Workshop

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Home-grown entertainer turned television and movie actor Elizabeth McLaughlin took some time this spring to teach an audition workshop at the Hugh Embry Library in Dade City for students of the Arts In Motion Community Theatre. McLaughlin had returned home to Zephyrhills to attend the prom with the friends she grew up with at Raymond B. Stewart Middle School, but took the time to share real life experience with AIM members with aspirations for the stage and screen.“I miss AIM.” said McLaughlin, who acted in three AIM productions: “Trial of the Big Bad Wolf,” The Best Christmas Pageant Ever,” and “Cinderella.” “I do miss the people and the community feel of community theater. I miss doing theater in general and being onstage. There’s nothing like the thrill of being onstage and in front of real people.” AIM gave McLaughlin her first taste of acting. “It gave me a foundation in acting,” she said. “It gave me the foundation of things I needed to learn. It taught me about the audition process and taught me work ethic. It taught me a lot of things about friendship and leadership, but it really gave me my confidence as a performer and it made me know I wanted to do this for the rest of my life.” McLaughlin spent a lot of time onstage growing up. She began singing when she was 6 years old, performing with Graham Music Studios at a Sparklebration Fourth of July celebration in Dade City. As she developed her talents she continued to wow audiences of all ages whether it was from the cafetorium in Chester W. Taylor W. Elementary School, on stage in the Heritage Arts Center Associations Spotlight On Talent Competition or at local events such as Christmas on Main Street (now Festival of Lights) in Zephyrhills. At age 8 McLaughlin joined Entertainment Revue in Tampa and continued to perform in larger venues while still coming home for local events and AIM performances. Just before she left for California, McLaughlin performed in local Bright House commercials, which are still seen from time to time. McLaughlin showed her grit as a performer in 2006 when her 19-year-old brother Nathan died in a car accident three days before she was to perform in a play at RBSMS. While no one expected her to be there, she arrived to play her part. She said her brother who was also a lover of the arts and an actor would have been upset with her if she had not gone on with the show. In the summer of 2007 McLaughlin and her parents Larry and Kim McLaughlin moved to Los Angeles so she could pursue a career in acting. In November of that year, she landed a role on “Ugly Betty” and a few months later was cast in a starring role in the made for DVD movie “The Clique” based on the first book in series of novels by the same name written by Lisi Harrison. McLaughlin played “Massie,” the leader of a self-exclusive group of middle school girls in an exclusive private school. McLaughlin said she has been auditioning “like crazy” lately and said there is a strong possibility that she will be cast as a regular in a well-known television show, but news on that will have to wait for now. AIM is currently accepting registrations for pre-casting rehearsals in August for "Babes In Toyland" the musical, w traditional holiday favorite. Deadline to submit your registration is July 31st. Please visit www.ArtsInMotionPasco.org for all details and forms. For more information you can also call 352-834-1246.