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the BEGINNING
What does a young girl do when she becomes inspired with a big dream? She takes steps to make that dream come true! In the summer of 1983, 11-year-old Schulz had just seen the new movie, “Annie.” Hearing that Star Search was looking for the next young actress to play Annie on Broadway, young Schulz, with her ever-optimistic spirit got ready to be discovered. She asked her grandma to cut and perm her hair, and with her Avon Annie collectible locket, belt and sweater set, she proceeded to sing “Tomorrow” in the grocery store, on street corners, and wherever she thought her chance for discovery might occur.
While she didn’t get a big break at that time, a spark had been ignited for a life-long passion that would not only impact her life, but the lives of her community and family. With encouragement from music teachers, Schulz auditioned for a variety of roles and her first break came when she was cast as “Psalty” in the “Kids Praise” musical at Bible camp, followed by the lead in Moorhead Junior High’s production of “Captain Fantastic.”
Throughout high school, Schulz participated in drama and music, playing leading roles in “Hello Dolly,” “Oklahoma,” “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” and “South Pacific.” She also became involved in the summer theater program at Trollwood Performing Arts School. As she explains, “It was an absolute gift to be surrounded by other youth and adults who truly loved music and theater like I did.” During her years with the Trollwood program, Schulz had the opportunity to participate in four fantastic shows – “Fiddler on the Roof,” “The Wiz,” “The Sound of Music,” and “Peter Pan.” In addition to the mainstage summer show, Trollwood also sponsored an international program entitled “Imagine” which brought together youth and teachers from around the world. Schulz recalls that the exposure to other cultures and people — many whom became internationally famous, was pivotal to her growth as a person. “I learned that art as entertainment is a valuable goal, but even more importantly, I learned that art can build bridges between cultures, bringing people together in ways that can change the world.”
