Emory Sadler, a young actor, spreads his wings

Tracey Sadler remembers her son, Emory, returning home years ago from preschool very excited.
“I got on stage today, I got on stage today,” he told his mother, who felt Emory’s excitement about his part in the upcoming stage performance before family members and others.
As a 5-year-old, his excitement level soared again when he successfully auditioned for “Creepy Creeps of Pilgrim Road,” a production of the Children’s Performing Theatre in Independence.
“He got (a part), and the rest is history,” says Tracey, who says Emory portrayed one of the townspeople and performed a “little song and dance” at intermission.
His stage debut was “a blast.” Not only did he love being on stage, but he also “loved singing and dancing, putting on make-up, doing the costumes and everything,” his mother recalls.
Since that April 2005 performance at the Roger T. Sermon Community Center, the Independence youngster has performed in shows presented by the Raytown Arts Council, Blue Springs City Theatre, Theater in the Park, City Theatre of Independence, Leawood (Kan.) Stage Company, University of Kansas and Jewish Community Center.
Emory, who sings, dances and plays the piano, has performed in two different productions of “The King and I” (2005-06), as well as “Once Upon a Mattress” (2006), “Charlotte’s Web” (2006), “Bugsy Malone” (2007), “Alice in Wonderland” (2007), “The Music Man” (2007), “Wizard of Oz” (2008), “Oliver” (2008) and “The Secret Garden” (2009).
On July 9, 10-year-old Emory will join 11 other talented youngsters in “How to Eat Like a Child” at The Chestnut Theatre, 234 N. Chestnut, Olathe, Kan.
Emory, the son of Chad and Tracey Sadler, is the only Missourian in this hilarious, high-energy, fast-paced musical, which serves as a guide to the art of being a child. With revelry and hijinks, the youthful cast – from their point of view – will tell how to torture your sister, how to laugh hysterically and how to act after being sent to your room.
The home-schooled youngster says it was his singing and monologue – not his dancing – that won him a role in the Broadway musical.
Noting his audition dance left much to be desired, Emory has been working hard to improve it. Despite numerous flaws, dancing is what he enjoys doing most in the show, which runs through Aug. 2. Performances are at 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays. For reservations, call 913-764-2121.
“I really like the dancing, actually,” Emory said. Dressed in a blue and white Hawaiian-style shirt and khaki shorts, the 5-foot-2 blue-eyed actor says that even though he’s not a big dancer, “I just like the dance the best and all the moving around.”
And on a scale of 1 to 10, Emory rates his theatrical dancing “in the middle.”
As for the “bunch” of lines he’s had to memorize, the soon-to-be fifth grader – who loves to play soccer and baseball – says his favorite line is “One sister to sell!”
“That gives you what the show is like,” his mother says laughing.
What about stage fright opening night?
Emory and his mom say it won’t happen.
“I’ve never seen him (get) stage fright at all,” she says.
When asked what it is like to perform on stage before an audience, “It is really fun,” Emory replies. “You can’t be stage fright at all,” he continues. “You have to get up there and use good expressions and express what you are saying real good.”
For appearing in the 16 performances, Emory and the other youngsters – ranging in age from 8 to 16 – will receive a scholarship to help pay for theater-related expenses and education in the future, his mom says.
And that scholarship excites Emory, who wants to keep on acting and eventually take dancing lessons. Currently, he’s taking voice and piano lessons. Next year, he plans to take up drumming.
If show business doesn’t pan out, he sees himself as a veterinarian because of his love of animals. His family is involved with Rescue Animal Alliance and fosters cats.
“That is our hobby,” she says. “That is why he wants to be a vet.”
Tracey describes her only child as a typical fun-loving boy who enjoys teasing other kids, playing practical jokes and having fun. He also loves listening to music, playing instruments and singing. Currently he is a member of the Kansas City Children’s Chorus at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
Emory and music have been companions since he was an infant.
“When he was a little baby, he would walk into a room, point at the radio and turn it on. Before he could talk, he could hum or mimic the sound,” his mom recalls.
Emory has been taking voice lessons since he was 6 and one-half years old to prepare him for auditions and a possible stage career.
“It has just gone from there,” she says of her son’s acting and singing talents. “Whenever we hear about a show, he goes and auditions. If he gets in, great! If not, we work for the next one.”
And the next audition was this week for “A Christmas Story,” a production of the Kansas City Repertory Theater.
Landing a role in that classic play would make a wonderful Christmas present for a 10-year-old aspiring to become a professional actor. Here’s wishing you the best, Emory, in your drive to be the best. Independence is behind you.
Now go do it.