BWW Blog: Taylor Kyes - The Magic of Disney 

Growing up two hours from Disney World, I was heavily influenced by the Disney Parks and movies. I longed to be a Disney Princess: I wanted to take up my father's place in the army, get woken up with a kiss from my true love, rescue my father from the palace of a beast, or turn into a human and try to win the love of a prince. The magic of Disney can be seen in every kid's eyes when they watch a movie, or visit a park, or even see a show. I still know all of the songs from every single movie by heart. My first ever musical was The Lion King, and I will never forget the magic and awe I experienced. One could say that it was Disney who brought me into the arts.

Being behind the scenes of a Disney show (The Little Mermaid Jr.) was, for me, even more magical. I got to help create the wonder and magic. I was able to bring the beloved film to life. For me, this added pressure, as my 6 roles in the musical (though none leads) were all very vital in the production. I wanted the kids in the audience to wonder at the sights and sounds they were experiencing. I wanted them to have that same love and longing that I did. I remember watching The Little Mermaid when I was younger, wishing that I was Ariel and that I was a part of the movie, and I hoped that the kids in the audience would feel the same.

The moment that made all of the hours of rehearsal worth it was after a few shows; a family of young kids came, all dressed in Little Mermaid gear. As we greeted the family, the kids cowered behind their parents; terrified to meet the people they just saw onstage. When we finally coaxed them to come say hi, the wonder that filled their eyes was inspiring. They felt like they were meeting the real Ariel, the real Prince Eric, the real fish and sea creatures. One of the little girls shyly asked for autographs from everyone, and I could see then that she would be treasuring those signatures for years to come.

I don't know if all of the kids that came to see us perform were touched by the magic of Disney, I hope they were, but most of all I hope that I helped inspire a little girl or boy to join the arts, to learn all of the Disney songs by heart, to quote each movie without fail, and to be able to bring the same magic to another child's eyes one day.