CHICAGO (WLS) — Sophia Leverett, a student from the south suburbs, is in New York on Thursday, rehearsing for her Broadway debut!
Sophia, a talented teenager from various parts of the country, is gearing up to compete for a Jimmy Award in the upcoming week. During an interview with ABC7’s Hosea Sanders, she expressed her deep connection to performing on stage, describing it as finding a place she truly belongs.
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“My brain just flips a switch, I just hone in and look at a spot and I’m there,” Sophia said of being on stage.
Sophia, of Frankfort, just graduated from Providence Catholic High School. She has been performing all her life!
“I would always arrive early for practice at church, singing my heart out at the top of my lungs. Whether it was in the morning, at home, or even in the shower, I was constantly belting out tunes,” Sophia shared. “Eventually, I realized I needed to fully commit and pursue this passion wholeheartedly. When high school rolled around and doors started opening, I knew I had to continue following this path.”
Sophia’s parents, Ophelia and Walter, and her twin brother, Luke, believe her life has been a rehearsal.
“One day, she approached us and said, ‘Mommy, I can cry on cue,’ and then proceeded to do so. I was taken aback by her talent and thought, ‘This child is fearless!'” Ophelia, Sophia’s mother, recounted. “As we watched her perform, we were amazed by her vocal abilities. We contemplated whether to support her, considering she is also a high-achieving student with a strong interest in subjects like math and science. We joked about the possibility of her becoming a doctor someday.”
“To see her work her craft and to see it come to fruition, it’s a tremendous sense of pride,” Walter said. “I am passionately excited when we do theatre things together, because I see other elements of life, and I love it.”
“She’s always been the same sister to me, but I’ll always be impressed at what she can do, always goes beyond and beyond,” Luke said.
So, is Sophia ready for Broadway?
“I think it’s a great opportunity to sharpen your craft. Iron sharpens iron,” Sophia said. “Theatre, it celebrates life. It celebrates humanity. To the people who have helped me, I’ve always considered myself a mosaic of them, of people who have supported me, of life in every step, and I will take them with me in every step to the Jimmys!”
Both Illinois contestants, Sophia and Jamaur Houston, have just moved forward to a group that makes them eligible to be finalists at the main event.
The Jimmy Awards will be presented on Monday night.
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