By MOLLY DAVIDSON / Staff Writer

You may remember Scarlett Walker as Miss Alabama Outstanding Teen 2010 or as Distinguished Young Woman of Alabama 2012. Now a senior at the University of Alabama, the Oak Mountain High School graduate has taken her talent to the theatre as an actress.

From Feb. 16-20, Walker will take the stage alongside Broadway and other professional actors in the UA Theatre and Dance presentation of “The Countess of Storyville.”

The musical is set in turn of the century New Orleans, and is currently in development for Broadway.

“This is definitely very hands on, it’s a hands on experience,” UA Theatre and Dance Marketing and PA Manager Jamie Schor said.

The production gives current Alabama students a taste of life as a professional actor. Student auditions were held in April 2015. Students cast for the play are held to the same standards as the professional actors, spending hours practicing and rehearsing each day to perfect the performance.

“We have been putting in a lot of hours, four hour rehearsals every evening and on Sundays longer,” Walker said. “It’s not just a hobby, it’s work. We’re going in and it’s really preparing you for the work you’re doing in the future.”

Walker plans to continue acting after graduation and has aspirations to perform on Broadway. Although she participated in both choir and dance through high school, Walker didn’t discover her love of theatre until college.

“I danced all my life and I’ve been singing since eighth grade, but I didn’t do my first musical until ‘Bye Bye Birdie’ (in 2013),” Walker said. “My mom just told me I should do it…I’ve always had a dramatic flair.”

Since that first performance, Walker has appeared in a number of productions, including “Oklahoma” at the Muny in St. Louis.

Walker said her education and the experience she’s gained in the UA Theatre and Dance program have prepared her for a career in acting.

“We’re here to learn how to function in the (professional acting) environment,” Walker said. “Really, I treat every show the same, and I can say that for my friends and fellow actors.”