CUT: Truro’s Adam Smith, 18, is performing in the Truro Music Festival for possibly the last time this year. Smith is performing in the musical theatre discipline and is hoping to attend Sheridan College in Toronto this fall. The musical theatre, jazz and blues disciplines run March 18 to 20 at the Marigold Cultural Centre. Raissa Tetanish – Truro Daily News
By Raissa Tetanish
Truro Daily News
TRURO – Adam Smith was “terrified” when he first participated in the Truro Music Festival three years ago.
The Truro teen was 15 at the time and entered in the musical theatre discipline.
“I was scared to take something that I treasured so much and put it into a competition situation,” recalled Smith, now 18.
Fortunately he did well and was most pleased about discovering the areas he needed to work on.
“After that, I started taking more classes, I learned more and I heard more feedback,” said Smith. “It is an awesome feeling and that’s what I like about musical theatre and the music festival.”
Now in it’s 91st year, the music festival kicks off on Monday with the musical theatre, and jazz and blues disciplines.
Smith is registered for the 16 and over class and will sing ‘Along the Way,’ a song cycle from Edges.
“It’s very clever, but at the end it gets real,” said Smith about the song cycle.
Smith always had loved music and singing, but he didn’t get serious about it until Grade 7 when his school staged a production of ‘High School Musical.’
“I loved High School Musical so I decided to audition and I made it into the ensemble,” he recalled. “At the time, I had a bad habit of quitting things before I finished them, so I stuck with it and worked harder, studied and learned.”
Smith got his first speaking role the next year and his first lead in Grade 9.
“Musical theatre is so much more challenging than anything I have ever done or tried,” he said. “If there was something I could do to make it better, like changing a character trait, I would.
“It’s very rewarding and makes you feel good when you work this hard and have it pay off.”
Smith knows this Truro Music Festival may be his last, as he’s hoping to attend Sheridan College near Toronto in the fall for the Bachelor of Applied Arts, Musical Theatre Performance program.
“Musical theatre has always been a dream, but I was always too afraid,” said Smith, who will find out early next month if he was accepted.
One of his inspirations was Lynn Erskine, the former musical director at Immanuel Baptist Church, who died suddenly last year.
“He always believed that I had what it took and could go far and be a star, or that I could teach others,” said Smith. “Last year when he passed away, it was hard for me, but it brought home the idea that if he believed in me so much I should too, so that’s what I’m doing.
“I’m allowing myself to chase after my dream.”
The musical theatre, jazz and blues disciplines run from March 18 to 20 at the Marigold Cultural Centre. The final concert is March 24 at 2 p.m.
For more information on the festival, visit www.truromusicfestival.ca.
rtetanish@trurodaily.com
Twitter: @TDNRaissa
