Getting To Know Fagin's Gang | An Interview Series | Feature # 9 | Aislynn St. Clair

The St. Clair trio we will get to know in our production of Oliver! finishes today with a feature on Aislynn, the youngest St. Clair in our production. At 8 years old, Aislynn is part of the second youngest age group of kids in our show but she, alongside her sisters and family, is no stranger to the theatre. “I really like it because all the costumes are nice and cozy, and all the people directing this show are nice, not, you know, mean. And all the kids that are in it are sweet and nice, not pushy or mean to each other,” she told me. This is, of course, wonderful to hear and we hope everyone in the cast is having a joyous time working on this production. She told me her favorite song is "Food, Glorious Food” because she can never get the song out of her head. She said that one morning she and her sisters grabbed bowls from the kitchen and then came downstairs very solemnly imitating the way they act on stage during that number until their father (and our music director,) Tim St. Clair guessed what they were doing.

Aislynn’s theatrical resume begins with Lion King Jr. at Mauldin Cultural Center where she played a gazelle. “I died!” she told me proudly making us both laugh. Next up was James and the Giant Peach Jr., also at Mauldin Cultural Center, where she was an ensemble member followed by Beauty and the Beast here at Greenville Theatre. Beauty and the Beast was her first production with Greenville Theatre, showcasing her ability to follow in her sister’s footsteps. In Beauty and the Beast, Aislynn portrayed a young girl and a sugar cube. “Being a sugar cube is hard because you can

barely walk!” she said giggling. After Beauty and the Beast, Aislynn was a part of Shrek where she played Baby Bear as well as a fox, a tree, and a Blind Mouse. That show really meant a lot to her because she was able to have her first role with speaking parts and solos. This was also a show that I had the privilege of seeing and greatly enjoyed! This brings us to the present where we find her working on Oliver! and also currently rehearsing for Aladdin Jr. at the Mauldin Cultural Center where she is playing a beggar as well as some other fun ensemble roles. She is particularly excited to sing some of her favorite musical lines that she loves from the movie in this production. Aislynn has always loved theatre. She told me, “People are funny actually. When I first watched theatre I was 3 or 4 and my mouth was open the whole time. Then I started laughing randomly because I loved it so much!”

Besides theatre, Aislynn also enjoys dancing and had a modern class right before rehearsal that evening. She enjoys pointe dancing as well and has been diligently practicing that in class. Aislynn also likes doing gymnastics in addition to dancing and spoke about how she could see herself working as a dance teacher for musical theatre students when she grows up. She also knows she will definitely want to work in theatre for the rest of her life. Aislynn enjoys hanging out with her family and going outside. She also likes listening to her favorite musical Tuck Everlasting and told me how badly she wants to play the role of Winnie Foster in the production someday. I even got a little rendition of one of her favorite songs from the show during the interview!

Per usual, I ended the feature by asking Aislynn what word she would use to describe the show. She told me, “Funny….and scary.” So I figured we could include both. “It’s scary because people die, but funny because there are lots of moments that make us laugh,” she said.

This sounds likes the ultimate musical to us; don’t you agree? Oliver! runs March 1-17 so be sure to call 864-233-6238 to get your tickets today!