I Don't Think We're in Pleasantville Anymore...

Pleasantville resident Beatrice "Bea" Tulchin has probably been to more United States cities than you.

At 9-years-old, the recent  graduate has been bouncing around to places like Colorado, North Carolina and Ohio since early November, touring and performing with Billy Elliot—all without her parents.

But, she's accompanied by Sophia Skolnick, also of Pleasantville, who graduated from New York University in May and has known Tulchin her whole life.

"I've been helping her family for about 10 years," explained Skolnick, who first flew to Colorado to meet Tulchin soon after her commencement. "So far, we're getting along very well."

Agreed Tulchin, "We have a lot of fun together, I like being with her. She's like a sister."

Skolnick joked, "The most significant issue is how many sugary snacks she can have."

Tulchin has been dancing and singing for five years and auditioned for Billy Elliot at an open call.

After nabbing the part of Keeley Gibson, a young ballerina, she packed her bags and hasn't looked back.

"I really, really like it," she said of the journey so far. "It's really fun. I get to dance and sing."

Skolnick added despite her companion's young age, Tulchin is "very conscientious" about staying on top of her game on the road.

The performer has frequent rehearsals and an average of eight live shows per week.

"We mostly spend time going to performances and rehearsals and making sure she has enough to eat," explained Skolnick. "She's very motivated to be here and knows exactly what's required to stay healthy. It's like watching over a very small adult."

Tulchin said she speaks with her parents about three times every day, while Skolnick added, "They're always careful to visit; they never go very long without seeing her."

With new cities to explore often, plenty of other kids in the production to hang out with, and Skolnick at her side, there's never a dull moment for the young performer.

During the school year, Tulchin receives regular tutoring with some of the other young kids on the tour to keep up with her schoolwork.

The soon-to-be fifth grade student also returned home for her moving up ceremony from BRS in June between runs in Dallas, TX, and her current location, San Francisco, CA.

There, Tulchin and Skolnick have been exploring everything from the Redwoods of California to the Golden Gate Bridge, while keeping a dutiful blog about their experiences.

"We go sight-seeing, do lots of projects, watch movies," Tulchin revealed. "My favorite part is seeing all of these new places."

For Skolnick, the trip isn't just a glorified babysitting job, either.

Armed with an applied psychology degree, she's busy checking out graduate schools along the way and getting a backstage look at the workings of the production as an intern to the show's traveling physical therapist.

"I'm just looking to experience life in different cities, even for brief amounts of time," she said, pointing out being able to check out grad programs is "an added perk."

With the tour winding down at the end of August, Tulchin is looking forward to returning home to Pleasantville—just in time for her (Sept. 14) 10th birthday.

"I'm excited about having my birthday party," she said.

And while Tulchin doesn't think she'll ever get sick of singing and dancing, she's also a big animal lover, and is looking forward to returning home to her dog, guinea pig and hamster.

"I want to [keep] performing," she said, "but, I also want to be a veterinarian."