Christmas has come early for 11-year-old Corlyn Stauffer, who was recently cast in the Great Lakes Theater production of “A Christmas Carol,” celebrating its 30th anniversary year and widely recognized as one of Cleveland’s favorite holiday traditions.
Corlyn, the daughter of North Royalton Dance Academy Creative Director and Owner Amy Stauffer, has been cast as a Street Child and the “Swing,” a theater term that refers to a performer tasked with playing one or more roles when someone else is out due to illness or obligation. The position is vital and a reflection of the youngster’s innate talent.
“She has to learn all the lines of the other characters that she could play,” Amy explained. “It’s very common in theater to have swings ready to go, who have learned all the lines and can step in to play a part, so in the production, she’ll always be the street child and then sometimes she’ll dress for other parts as well.”
It’s an extremely tall order for the pint-sized talent who is enrolled in the sixth grade at Saint Albert the Great School. She will be in 35 performances – some of them back-to-back matinees and evening shows – of “A Christmas Carol,” which runs from Nov. 30-Dec. 23 at Ohio Theatre at Playhouse Square.
Rehearsals, which are held almost daily and for up to 12 hours a day as performance time draws near, started Nov. 13 for Corlyn, who signed a union contract and will be paid for her time. To fulfill her rehearsal duties, Corlyn had to take an extended break from her studies at Saint Albert.
“I’d like to have her be in math class, which is first thing every morning, and then I’ll pick her up and we’ll head downtown for rehearsal,” Amy said.
The rest will be up to Corlyn, who will likely pick up her assignments daily or weekly from school and check in electronically with teachers. In all, she’ll miss more than 20 days of school. But for anyone who loves theater and performance, being cast with Great Lakes Theater, where famous actor Tom Hanks got his start as an intern, is truly a dream come true.
“It’s been really fun and really exciting so far,” Corlyn said in an interview at her mother’s dance studio. “I enjoy meeting all the new people.”
The audition process began in the summer and included a resume, headshot and measurement. To even be considered for the production, children must meet certain height requirements, as they are after all, playing young children. Corlyn sang “I’m Late” from Alice in Wonderland and was presented with a script to present “on the fly” to audition holders, Amy said. Several weeks went by and then one afternoon, Corlyn’s young life changed.
“I came home from school and going up the stairs at home, every step had a letter on it, spelling out ‘Playhouse Square,’” Corlyn recalled of how she learned from her mom that she was cast in the famous local production.
Up next was a costume fitting.
“It was probably the best day of her life,” Amy said. “It was so incredible seeing a real-life, full-time theater seamstress performing alterations on her right there. Great Lakes Theater has their own production company and they do all their own shows at the Hanna with full-time actors. Like the actors who are in “Mamma Mia!” right now are the same full-time actors who will be in ‘A Christmas Carol.’”
Corlyn, who was in the ‘Christmas Carol’ audience herself last year as part of a school holiday field trip and has also appeared in other local performances, is extremely grateful for the opportunity to work alongside some of Cleveland’s best performers.
“Go follow your dreams,” she advises young people looking to pursue the arts. “If you love it, keep doing it and if it’s hard, push through because you’ll get to the finish line.”
For ticket information to “A Christmas Carol,” visit greatlakestheater.org/.

By SARA MACHO HILL
Contributing Writer