Shining a Spotlight on Annie Live! Star Celina Smith
Shining a Spotlight on Annie Live! Star Celina Smith Celina Smith may only be 12 years old, but she’s had an extensive singing and acting career as Young Nala in the National Tour of Disney’s The Lion King, appears on the mega-hit series, Tyler Perry’s Young Dylan and is set to reprise the role of Annie on Annie Live! We sat down with the Atlanta-born star to chat about growing up on stage. By Rachel Naud You're only 12 years old and have already had such an impressive career, how old were you when you started performing? My parents would say I was born performing but I was probably around 7 years old. I was doing gymnastics, but my parents decided my cartwheels weren’t getting any better and they enrolled my in a performing arts camp, AGI, … and the rest is history! When did you know you wanted to be a performer? I knew I liked performing but I knew I wanted to do it for a living after I booked The Lion King. I think that’s when I realized I could do it professionally. How do you deal with the tough aspects of the business, like rejection? Sometimes it’s hard to deal with rejection, especially when it comes to auditioning because if it’s something I really wanted, it’s a bummer. But I try not to take it personal. What’s meant for me, is meant for me, so maybe that part just wasn’t meant for me. Tell us about what it's like performing on the esteemed Broadway stage? It’s fun and cool to see the lights and the audience’s reaction to the performances. You're starring in Annie Live! What do you love about being Annie? What I love most about being Annie is that she’s so full of hope. I love spreading that kind of message especially after the past year or so. You are working with some of the greats in the biz like Harry Connick Jr. and Nicole Scherzinger. What are they like to work with? Did they give you any advice? I am so excited about the cast of this show. I haven’t met everyone yet but the amount of talent and experience I am going to get to work with is amazing! I cannot wait. How have your parents helped you in your career? My mom and my dad have helped my career by giving up so much so that I can do what I love. My mom toured with me for over
4 Ways to Have Family Fun this Winter
4 Ways to Have Family Fun this Winter It’s cold, it’s dark and we’re all back to navigating work and school, which can make winter seem a whole lot longer. But the fun doesn’t have to stop when the temps start to plummet! A winter advent calendar, full of surprises and activities that the whole family can do together could be just what you need to get through the season, and we have some great ideas! Embrace It This year when the temperature drops, make the decision to embrace winter. Instead of hibernating indoors, start exploring areas around your city that you normally wouldn’t go to. Going on day hikes and getting fresh air is a great way to get invigorated while making fun memories at the same time! Then, after your day exploring, head into the kitchen and cook up some comfort food like beef stew or chili — what’s better than that on a cold day? Get your teen involved, too, because it's very important to teach your teens how to cook. And, if you crank the music and give them a job, it is a great way to get them talking! But remember, after a day of exploring and before you start cooking, don’t forget to wash up, because let’s face it — COVID-19 isn’t over. It’s still vital to keep washing our hands, so why not use a good antibacterial hand soap? Our personal favourite is this limited-edition foaming hand wash from Dial. It's tough on bacteria, while being gentle on our hands. It comes in fun, festive packaging, so it looks nice on your kitchen (and bathroom) counter, but it also smells amazing because it comes in scents like Fireside Crackle, Ice Crystals and Midnight Toast. Dial’s limited-edition, festive body washes also come in three great scents — Glacial Breeze, Sugar Shack and Sugared Plum — making them the perfect stocking stuffer for your family this year! You can pick up all of these holiday-themed items for a limited time at Walmart or Loblaws. Crank the competition Nothing gets you more heated on a cold winter's day than a good ol' fashioned family game night! Nintendo Switch is perfect for family's game night because you can play it at home on the TV, which is great for multi-player games or, of course, you can use it in hand-held mode as well. They also just launched the Nintendo Switch OLED Model, which features a 7-inch