Finding Nemo KIDS!

Laura Higdon

Laura stuck her toe in the water of theater three years ago and has been making a splash on stage ever since! Most recently, she was seen as Marie in Paul Laurence Dunbar High School’s summer camp production of Aristocats Jr. Her other notable performances include the Inspector in Agatha Christie’s Rule of Three, and ensemble roles in Cinderella, the Honest, and Fairytales at Wickland. Laura is incredibly grateful for Ms. Katherine Scott for getting her hooked on acting and singing, and the unsinkable support of her family and friends. Laura also extends a special thank you to Ms. Kiefer and Mr. Brooks for their incredible work reeling in so many squirmy fish!

Crosby Andrew

Crosby Andrew is a 4th grader at Bardstown Elementary and is excited to play Marlin! Some of his favorite past roles include Andrew Carnegie in The Stephen Foster Story, Mr. Mayor in Seussical KIDS, and Mr. Bucket in Willy Wonka KIDS. When he’s not on stage, you can often find him in costume anyway—he loves dressing up and bringing characters to life! Crosby also enjoys playing basketball and flag football. He’s thrilled to be part of this production and thanks everyone for their support!

Brooklin Downs

Brooklin is a 10 year old and is in the 5th grade. Her favorite place to be is on stage. Her love of theater began last year when she was in The Wizard of Oz where she played the munchkin Coroner at Thomas Nelson High School. This year she was in Dare to Dream at Stephen Foster. She is looking forward to being Dory in Finding Nemo. Thank you to Mr. Brooks and Katie for the opportunity and for bringing these wonderful musicals to Bardstown!!

Jay McCoy

Jay McCoy is a 4th grader at Foster Heights Elementary School. He loves to act, play baseball, and play video games with his friends. Most recently, Jay was cast as a munchkin in Thomas Nelson High School's production of Wizard of Oz.

Stella McCarty

Stella is a 7th grader at St. Joe. The stage is her happy place! This is Stella’s second performance with the Stephen Foster Story Youth Performing Arts Academy. She was a lead in the Dare to Dream back in the spring. You may have watched her as (Portia) in Something Rotten Jr, (Mae) Junie B. Jones and (ensemble) Lion King Jr at KY Classic Arts. She has also performed with Bethlehem High School Theatre Dept(ensemble) Seussical. Stella’s passion for the theatre shines bright when she’s on stage!

Scout McCoy

Scout McCoy is a 5th grader at Foster Heights Elementary School. She loves to act, play softball, run, and make new friends. She was most recently involved in the Wizard of Oz production with Thomas Nelson High School.

Elle Conway

Elle is in the 5th grade at St. Joseph! This is her first show outside of school! When she is not on the stage, she likes to draw and play volleyball! She has a dog named Polly!

Saylor Blue Dudgeon

Saylor Blue is in her element for Finding Nemo, Jr. and excited to be back for her second show with the Stephen Foster Youth Performing Arts Academy. She has previously appeared in a variety of performances including Dare to Dream (also with the Stephen Foster Youth Academy) and Curious George and Junie B Jones with Kentucky Classic Arts at Centre Square. As always, thank you to Mamaw and Papa--the best Uber drivers!

Avery Bowling

Avery is a 7th grader at St. Joe and has been part of many productions, including The Lion King, Something Rotten Jr., Suessical the Musical, Junie B. Jones the Musical, Cinderella the Honest, and her favorite, The Stephen Foster Story. She has a passion for performing and is excited to be part of another great show!

Hallie Bowling

Hallie is a 4th grader at St. Joe. This is her first play outside of school productions, and she’s excited to be part of the cast! Hallie loves singing, dancing, and being on stage, and she’s thrilled to share her love of performing with everyone.

Halli Smith

Halli is excited to play Professor Ray, a shark,, and a Seahorse in Stephen Foster’s Nemo musical. She has loved every minute of this camp and is already asking when she gets to do it again. Halli also participated in two school musicals, “Willy Wonka Kids”, and “Seussical Kids”. Halli is a 5th grader at Bardstown Elementary where she sings with the Tiger Tunes and plays the cello in the Strings program. Halli enjoys art class at Bardstown Artworx and playing tennis with the “Bardstown Netrushers”. In her spare time, Halli enjoys drawing, singing, writing, animating, mine crafting, playing VR, playing with her many pets, and camping. Halli would like to thank her family and friends for supporting her in this show.

Adalyn James

Adalyn is excited to be a part of Finding Nemo! She recently performed in Big Top Circus Stars at the Kentucky Classic Arts and also performed in Seussical the Musical as a “Who” in her school play. She enjoys being a 3rd grader at Bardstown Elementary School, where she is learning to play the viola. When not in school you can find Adalyn on the softball field, basketball court, or swimming. She wants to thank her Mom, Dad, Ellie, and all her family for always supporting her passions.

Allison Koehler

Allison is 9 years old and a 4th grade student at Bardstown Elementary School. She is excited to be a part of the Stephen Foster Youth Performing Arts Academy's presentation of Finding Nemo! After participating in the Dare to Dream musical back in May, she continues to pursue her love to sing, dance and perform on stage! Allison also enjoys being part of Tiger Tunes, an after-school singing club and playing volleyball. Huge thanks to Katie Kiefer and Allen Brooks for this opportunity and their dedication to teaching our kids about theatre arts.

Hallie Kate Hendrix

Hallie is an 8-year-old musical theatre enthusiast who is thrilled to be performing in her second musical! She made her debut this past summer in Hotel Bethlehem. When she’s not on stage, she’s on the soccer field, drawing pictures, or writing fantastical stories filled with adventure. She loves animals of all kind especially her very fat and very loved cat, Rocket. Hallie dreams of one day owning a corgi and opening her own bakery. Hallie is a proud member of Crossroads Baptist Church of Elizabethtown and loves traveling with her family to find new hiking spots. She’s grateful for the support of her family, friends, and church as she continues her theatre journey!

Sadie Kate Jewell

From the moment Sadie Kate made her grand entrance into the world, she was looking for an audience. At the age of 3, she was crowned Little Miss Ham Days. In the last 3 years, she has performed in Matilda: The Musical, The Lion King, and The Greatest Showman, just to name a few. When she is not shining her light on stage, she enjoys spending time with her family, being on the academic team, BETA Club, STLP, volleyball, and sharing Jesus with others.

Evelyn Osborne

Evelyn is thrilled to make her acting debut at age 9! She has a big personality and loves to make people smile. When she isn't performing, she's busy with Girl Scouts, where she enjoys adventures, learning new skills, and spending time with friends. Evelyn can't wait to share her love of entertaining with the audience!

Paige Edelen

Paige is 12 years old and in sixth grade. She loves reading, gymnastics, and making art. She dreams of becoming a librarian one day. This is her first time in theater, and she’s excited for what’s to come!

Caroline Wimpsett

Caroline is a 5th grader at Bloomfield Elementary School. She enjoys ballet and tap, softball, and music. This is her first performance but she is excited to learn and hopefully get involved in other performances.

Lily Hall

Lily is appearing in her fourth production, her second with the Stephen Foster Youth Academy. She is 8 years old and a third grader at Bardstown Elementary. In her spare time, Lily enjoys reading, crafting and hanging out with friends. She loves being on stage and looks forward to more acting and singing in the future!

Emma Simpson

Emma Simpson is joining the stage once again as Chum in Finding Nemo. Emma is 10 years old and attends St. Joseph School; she has had the best time with her fellow cast members. In her free time, Emma enjoys competitive dance, swimming, and reading. She is looking forward to her theatre career and can’t wait for her next adventure. Emma would like to give special thanks to her family and friends for supporting her.

Madelyn Mills

Madelyn Mills is a fifth grader at Bardstown Elementary School who is thrilled to be part of Finding Nemo Kids! She has previously performed in her school’s production of Willy Wonka and Seussical the Musical. When she’s not on stage, Madelyn enjoys playing softball and volleyball, singing, drawing, and playing with her two dogs. She is grateful for her family’s support as she learns to “go with the flow.”

Abbott Andrew

From Bardstown, Ky, Abbott is a 7th grader at Bardstown Middle School. She just finished her first year in the Stephen Foster Story. She previously played an Oompa Loompa in Willy Wonka KIDS. She enjoys softball, volleyball, playing viola, and anchoring her school news program. She would like to thank her music teachers, Yvette Martin and Carman Jones, and her family for their continued love and support.

Harper Burks

Harper is a fourth grader at Bardstown Elementary. When she’s not on stage, you can find her kicking a soccer ball, shooting hoops, or making music on the piano and viola. She also loves getting creative with art and whipping up tasty treats in the kitchen! Harper has loved attending camps with Bardstown Theatricals and is excited to be part of this show!

Katie Kiefer

Ms. Kiefer has been teaching at Bethlehem for 10 years. During that time, she has been the Theatre Director and the International Thespian Society Troupe Director. She received her Bachelor's Degree in Secondary Education from University of Louisville (2016), a Certificate of College Advising from Murray State (2022), and is currently working on her Master's Degree in Theatre Education at the University of Northern Colorado(2025). Ms. Kiefer has always been a lover of theatre and has participated in quite a few productions herself. Her favorite productions include: Mamma Mia (Lisa), Cinderella (Ensemble/Understudy), Carrie (Norma), The Addams Family (Bride Ancestor), and American Idiot (Ensemble). She has worked at The Stephen Foster Story for 10 summers, getting experience in the Box Office, as the Props Master, Stage Manager, as an actor and as the Director of the Stephen Foster Story Youth Performing Arts Academy! She is so excited to see what the future holds for this program! Special thanks to Mom, Dad, and Allen.

Allen Brooks

Allen is a Math Teacher and Theatre Director at Thomas Nelson High School and Music and Tech Director for Bethlehem High School. Some of the recent productions Allen has been blessed to be part of include: The Play that Goes Wrong (Robert), 10 Ways to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse (Director), The Secret Garden (Dr. Craven), The Stephen Foster Story (Sound Designer/Audio Engineer), Cinderella (King Max), Anastasia (Director), and The Wizard of Oz (Director). This production has been a blast and Allen is so proud of what the students have achieved in such a short period of time! All glory to Christ our King! (John 1:14)