Editor’s Note: This is the tenth in a series of 19 stories about last semester’s Principal’s Recognition  Award winners who were recognized on Wednesday, Dec. 2 for outstanding achievement in specific programs. Senior Nicole Miller received the Fine and Applied Arts – Theatre Award and was nominated by Mr. Andrew Sinclair.

Senior Nicole Miller came into Niles West as a talented singer and dancer, but didn’t think she would add actress to the list. As a freshman, she enrolled in Theatre Production, and it only took hours for her to find her true passion. Two days into the school year, auditions for the first show, The Laramie Project, took place, and Miller didn’t hesitate to try out.

Ever since her part in the first play her freshman year, Miller planned  to minor in theatre in college. However, with her passion continuing to grow, she recently decided to make it her major.

“I love theatre because it is an escape. I can express a part of myself on stage that I might not be able to express in everyday life,” Miller said.

Miller has been a part of 23 shows throughout her time here at Niles West, 13 on stage, and 10 on production crew. Out of all the roles she has had to play, Heidi in [Title of Show] has been her favorite.

“I’ve learned to analyze a situation before going head first into something. I’ve also learned how to take a step back and breathe by playing different roles,” Miller said.

Miller also holds the talent to be able to get into character very quickly, which is something that is very important for an actress to be able to do.

“She challenges the text and will reinterpret roles to find the human aspects of those characters.  This has lead her to play such diverse roles as Jean in “Dead Man’s Cell Phone” and Fiona in “Shrek: the Musical.”  Truthfully, you can’t get too more opposite roles – and she played them both in the same season.  Nicole is ready for the next step – she is already a professional,” Sinclair said.

Aside from high school productions, she has made sure to keep her love for acting in her life outside of school as well. Miller was on the production crew for the 2015 Illinois Allstate Theatre production of Pippin. She also spent 5 weeks at northwestern for the Cherubs program (a university-based camp for outstanding high school students)  over the summer.

“Nicole is as kind as she is professional.  She cares enough to do her best, but also hopes (and encourages) those around her to do the same.  She is the kind of person that people gravitate towards.  She has no ego and wants others to do better so that she has to do even better.  That is the kind of person who makes good theatre.”

Previous installment in the Principal’s Recognition Award series

Kevin Thurman  –  https://www.nileswestnews.org/features/principals-recognition-award-kevin-thurman/