1940’s Youngest Cast Member Carries Herself with “Grace”

Grace Muawad is a natural as wide-eyed Connie Miller

At age 15, Grace Muawad is the youngest member of The 1940s Radio Hour cast, but she is poised and precocious beyond her years.  Grace plays the role of Connie, a 17-year-old girl who has recently moved with her mother from Utah to the Big Apple, hoping for a career in show biz with dreams of becoming a Rockette.  Grace describes Connie as “a small town girl who is new to the big city.  She is a little bit star-struck and wide-eyed while still being a typical teenager who doesn't like her mother checking up on her.” Grace really relates to Connie: “She's the youngest performer on the radio show, and I am the youngest actress in the cast.  We both love to sing and dance, and just as Connie has only been on the radio show for a few months this is my first production with the Farmington Players.  Also, Connie drinks a lot of Coke, and so do I!”  But while Connie always seems to be in love – she has a boyfriend, but is also infatuated with an older man – Grace is “a little too sensible and way too busy to have these problems, so I'm working on seeing love from Connie's naive point of view.” 

While not star-struck herself, Grace has been performing since she started dancing at age 5.  She “caught the singing and acting bug when I was about 11” and has been involved with the Michigan Opera Theater Children's Chorus and has studied musical theater at Interlochen Arts Camp.  Now a high school sophomore, she is involved in choir, student government and photography and continues her dance, piano and voice training.  She hopes to study performing arts in college. 

Grace really appreciates her directors and cast mates.  Director Rachael Rose has been “very warm and welcoming to me as a Farmington Player newcomer and a young person.  Rachael has lots of energy and a positive and encouraging manner.  She is also very musically talented.  And so is Jose Reyes, the music director.  The cast is lucky to have two such talented musical resources to draw from.”  Grace sees parallels between the cast and the characters in The 1940s Radio Hour: “Everyone comes to rehearsal from someplace else, generally from work or in my case, school or dance class.  So we all have other things on our minds as we race to rehearsals but we all love theater and put those thoughts aside when we are together, preparing to put on a show, just like the Cavalcade at WOV!”

The 1940s Radio Hour opened November 30th and runs through December 22nd.  Reserved seats for this musical comedy sponsored by Weinstein Jewelers are available now at www.farmingtonplayers.org or at the box office (248) 553-2955.