Meet FLVS Students Ellie & Evie

With FLVS Shakespeare Fest just around the corner on April 13-14, it seems all of FLVS is a stage.

Our Student Spotlight this month features Evie and Ellie McPherson, two aspiring actresses who know the importance of learning their lines while keeping up with their academics.

The girls were bitten by the acting bug at an early age—Evie is a second-grade student and her sister Ellie is in third!

Ellie was cast in Seussical the Musical as Cindy Lou Who and Evie was intrigued after seeing her in rehearsals. It didn’t take long for Evie to get cast as the Young Kangaroo. That was all it took!

Since then, Evie has done six different shows at three different theaters, as well as a voiceover for a movie. Ellie has done nine different shows at five theaters, a voiceover for a movie, a music recording, a viral flash mob, and has even sang on live TV for FOX News. Perhaps most notably, Ellie played Young Cosette in the Orlando Shakespeare Theater’s production of Les Miserables, which ran from September to October of 2014.

Both girls are very serious about their acting careers and plan on continuing.

The sisters have different approaches to acting though. Evie said she handles her nerves by connecting with the audience, while Ellie becomes the character so much that she forgets about herself.

“I’m so into being the character that I am not nervous at all,” said Ellie.

When it comes to preparation, Evie prefers practicing at home and going to each rehearsal. Ellie also practices at home and rehearses, but also really relies upon the director for character cues. Both can come to an agreement on acting as a family though!

Evie said, “It’s a ton of fun because I get to have play time with my family.”

Ellie agrees. “It’s awesome and fun because I get to be supported by someone who knows me best and watches out for my best interest.”

Both young ladies, as well as their younger brother, are students of the FLVS Full Time program. Both girls started in Kindergarten and are supported by their father, who is a social studies teacher at FLVS. They both think that FLVS FT has been a beneficial schooling system for them.

Ellie said, “It has allowed me to perform without missing school, to be ahead in school, and to do what I need to do without being in trouble. My teachers have been really supportive.”

While Evie appreciates the flexibility, she also likes the scheduling: “I like to get to be at home and be with my family all the time, even when I’m acting.”

FLVS wishes both young ladies good luck in their acting careers and are so proud to have them as students of our school!

Post by FLVS Instructor / Former Student Activities Coordinator Christin Wheeler