Lexi Kinniburgh, a talented 16-year-old, stepped onto the stage of the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center in Old Saybrook, prepared to deliver her first show-stopping musical performance under the professional spotlights. In a world where bullying has been normalized, Lexi prepares to combat this through her role as Rea Spencer in the musical Stand Up and Speak Out, by Kayleigh Joseff, Riki Klaskin, and Jill Nesi, a professional production that premiered on Friday, October 4, 2024.

In a production centered around the struggles teenagers face with bullying, the play acts as a call to action. Stand Up and Speak Out (SUSO) is about a girl named Stephanie Lawrence who encounters two bullies in school, Rea and Phil, that are always trying to ruin her life. In a dream, Stephanie’s old friend Ian shows her that there is always a reason why bullies act the way that they do.

Lexi is a Junior and has been doing theater for many years. She started off with roles in community performances and small roles. However, then she moved to bigger roles, such as her role as Mary Poppins in Mary Poppins Jr. with the Pierson School. She has also starred in performances in Morgan, such as Gloria in Damn Yankees as a Freshman. Lexi is currently planning on auditioning for the Morgan musical, Mama Mia.

Lexi’s portrayal of Rea Spencer, a tormentor of the fictional main character, Stephanie Lawrence, played by Karrington Trice, sheds light on the fact bullying is a part of nature and that most times behind the scenes people have tough things going on. Lexi prides herself on drawing awareness to bullying because it affects so many, and she hopes that through this musical people find the courage to stand up for themselves. “Lots of people that watch the show find themselves relating to the bullying issues of the show every day,” Lexi shared.

Lexi’s opportunity to stand up to bullying first arrived last summer through her voice coach, Karen Wagner. For Lexi, the audition process was pretty simple. Lexi said, “All I had to do was record myself singing a song.” Lexi already had her song prepared because she had just finished playing the character of Regina George in Mean Girls with Shoreline Theatre Academy in Clinton. It took about six months for her to be cast. This is because they first had to perform a concert preview where there were no assigned roles. According to Lexi, “I did sing one of Rea’s songs at the concert, but was not officially told I got the role until around June.”

Lexi explained that this is a huge step forward in her professional music career. “SUSO is definitely the first show I have done starting my professional career, because the show had so many amazing opportunities, including performing five shows at the Kate Theater, four for middle schools around the state to come and see, and one for the public.”

Lexi is not the only Morgan musician interested in taking their talents elsewhere. Lexi inspires other students to take their talent elsewhere. Hayden Darr, who starred in last year’s musical, Curtains, stated, “Yeah, I’ve thought about it now and then, but nothing I fully committed to or invested much time in.” Ever since he played Michael in Mary Poppins Jr., he has been cast in many lead roles. Lexi will continue to motivate others to take their talents professionally.

Thanks to Lexi’s producer, Jill Nesi, they recorded the rest of the original soundtrack for SUSO, where she will be on the soundtrack as the vocals of Rea Spencer in three different tracks. The soundtrack will soon be out and available for people all over to listen to on Spotify, Apple Music, etc.

Through Stand Up and Speak Out, Lexi is helping bring an important issue to light, reminding audiences that change starts with one voice. With each performance, she not only entertains an audience but also takes a stand against bullying. Every time Lexi stands in the spotlight, her message is clear: everyone has the power to make a difference and stand up and speak out.