Name: Katie Balen
Age: 13
School: Lakeland Copper Beech Middle School
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Accomplishment: The young actress played the part of Jane Banks in Disney’s Mary Poppins musical and performs in a film.
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The self-described true triple threat (dancer, singer, and actress) was selected from hundreds of girls who auditioned for the role of Jane Banks in the first national touring production of Mary Poppins musical and performed in six cities.
The tour for Balen ended in April but the role of Jane Banks remains her favorite. Among many memorable moments of the show was the opening night in Los Angeles with a special appearance by Dick Van Dyke (Bert in the 1964 film version).
“The main reason I love to act is because I love to make people happy,” Balen said. “I'm inspired by many actors in films, musicals, etc., and I hope I have that same effect on people.”
For eight months while in the show, the Lakeland Copper Beech Middle School student with GPA above 95 was educated by a tutor during the day and was on stage in the evenings.
Now more than five feet tall, Balen has exceeded the Broadway maximum height limit of 58 inches for children but is underage for other roles. So, she is currently focusing on screen and other projects. (She is a member of Actors’ Equity Association and The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.)
On the set of the film Twylight Zones (directed by David Chase), Balen is cast as “Grace’s sister.” Her voice can be heard on a commercial for the Broadway musical The People in the Picture. Her credits also include several regional theater lead roles, such as Rosie in Bye Bye Birdie, Mary Lennox in The Secret Garden and Sandy in Grease.
“It is obvious to me that this is Katie's calling,” said Bolen’s mother, Virginia Conrad. “She is happiest when she is acting or singing. I support her as much as I can, as long as she keeps up her grades.”
The support includes hours of voice, dance and acting lessons and classes. This summer, Balen is enrolled in Theatre Workshops of Yorktown Stage and Tween Acting Camp at New York Film Academy.
Balen, who will enter the eighth grade in September, is also a Girl Scout and peer leader at Copper Beech.
“Balancing academics and my career is quite challenging,” said Balen (http://www.katiebalen.com/). “I always try my best to study hard and practice enough for an audition. It gets a little tiring, but I am learning to manage.”
