Coldwater High grad's musical theater career takes her places

COLDWATER — As a child, Sara Grace Odom sat in the audience in awe of Tibbit's Opera House Popcorn Theatre productions.

Just over 15 years later, the 2017 Coldwater High School graduate performed "The Emperor's New Clothes" from the other side of the footlights for a new generation of Tibbit's youth audience.

Tibbits brought back the 2022 Oakland University Bachelor of Fine Arts graduate this summer to appear in "Sweeney Todd," "Rent," and "Pop Corn Theater" as part of the theater's summer professional company.

Admittedly a shy, home-schooled girl until the fifth grade, Odom's parents put her in Tibbit's youth program to interact with other kids.

Odom said, "At first I was like do I gotta get up on stage? Eventually, I made some friends and just started having more fun with it."

Odom looked forward to auditions and parts in productions.

After eighth grade, when students age out of the Tibbits youth program, Odom said, "I started doing musicals at the high school, and community theater."

Unsure, Odom decided as a junior a career in musical theater, "This is what I have to do. I'm not too great at anything else, so I gotta stick with this."

After enrolling at Oakland University in 2017, the university did not accept Odom into the musical theater program.

With an infectious smile, Odom said that began, "My little story of perseverance and the universe kind of falling into place for me."

Tibbits veteran Trevor J. Powell from Quincy was a year ahead of Odom at Oakland. Powell helped Odom get vocal coaching and talked to professors. "I don't know if I would have been able to finagle my way into the program without Trevor."

Finishing the last two years under COVID-19 restrictions, Odom graduated and then moved to New York to start a theater career when a friend needed a roommate for her rent-controlled apartment.

Working with an agent in New York, Odom found work around the region.

Rejection is part of the profession. "I'm very used to hearing 'No.' I'm very used to being called in for something and then not hearing back about it ever," Odom said. "I won't say I don't get discouraged sometimes. I am grateful for every opportunity that I have."

Working on the cruise ship Disney Wonder for eight months was an early job.

The troupe performed a rotation of three one-hour-long shows twice a night on the cruises.

After COVID-19 restrictions ended, Odom said, "The Disney Magic really locked in for me, seeing the kids run up and hug the characters, giving them gifts, telling them stories. That was just so special."

A Broadway role remains on Odom's "bucket list."

Odom enjoys working around the country. "(Theater work) took me to Hawaii, Alaska and Mexico. There is nothing like climbing up a mountain in Alaska.”

Work at Tibbits brought Odom back home to Coldwater to visit her parents.

"My mom works in the prosecutor's office. My dad works in IT at the library," Odom said.

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The talented singer, actor, and dancer now waits to hear about a job for the fall to take her to more new places.

— Contact Don Reid: dReid@Gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: Coldwater High grad's musical theater career takes her places