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Noblesville East Middle School (NEMS) eighth-grader, Addison McMillan is a Noblesville native and has a genuine appreciation for all the city has to offer. The 13-year-old honor roll student loves downtown and enjoys strolling the footbridge over White River. However, it is the local performance art opportunities that are her passion.
“I love to sing, act and dance. It is so fun to portray a character on stage,” she says. “I am in NEMS Vocal Revolution Show Choir, and I do a lot of theater and performing arts. I play clarinet in my school band and I also play piano, mandolin and guitar.”
McMillan has held major roles in productions at her school. She portrayed Annie in “Annie Jr.” in the NEMS 2019 fall musical. Last year, she took on the character of Jane Banks in “Mary Poppins” and in 2017 she was Lt. Brannigan in “Guys and Dolls.” All NEMS performances were held at the Ivy Tech Hamilton County Campus in Noblesville.
Separate from school, McMillan has participated in numerous area musicals, plays and concerts. She has been in several performances at the Belfry Theatre in Noblesville as well as a production held at the Christian Youth Theater, Marian University, and one at the Westfield Playhouse. In addition, she has sung solos at various city events and fundraisers. This past September she performed in Noblesville’s String Time on the Square Concert Series. In June 2019, she sang and played the mandolin on stage at the Bill Monroe Bluegrass Festival in Bean Blossom.
McMillan continues to develop her talents by taking lessons and participating in workshops. Piano competitions, performance groups and intensive instruction sessions strengthen her skills. McMillan has been able to fund these opportunities with scholarships she has won. She was recently awarded a $500 Encore Association Jean Cones Memorial Scholarship specified for performing arts education.
When asked about her other interests, McMillan replied, “I am in my second year as a Conner Prairie youth volunteer. I volunteer as an 1836 costumed interpreter and also volunteer in blue shirt which means I answer modern-day guests’ questions and teach them about history. I am on the Conner Prairie textiles youth spinning team where I spin, weave and volunteer in the Loom House.
“I played on the NEMS seventh-grade girls basketball team last year,” she adds. “I am also involved in the National Junior Honor Society, in which I volunteer a lot. I like ice skating, arts, crafts and I love my dogs, Rocky, a Golden Retriever, and Daisy, a Parson Russell. I earned blue ribbons in 4-H Dog Obedience and Agility, showing Rocky.”
McMillan is a past president and current vice president of her 4-H club. Hard work in her dog obedience and agility projects paid off. Her dog Rocky was so well behaved that he played the role of Sandy, Orphan Annie’s dog in the last NEMS musical.
“I’m not sure what I am going to do in the future, but I know I will continue to volunteer and do community theater,” McMillan says. “You should do whatever you love to do, and that will get you the farthest.”
