She peeked around the closed curtain, looking into what seemed to be hundreds of staring faces.

She went over her lines in her head. It was her school’s Christmas concert. She had a solo.

While taking shaky steps onto the stage, she let out a heavy sigh. The bright lights blinded her eyes, forcing her to squint into the sea of people. She opened her mouth, waiting for her voice to capture the audience.

At first she saw the looks of amazement. After her first line, confusion clouded their faces. Her voice had certainly captured the audience’s attention, but it was her words that confused them. The timid preschooler had been repeating the same line.

Since her performance as a preschooler, Eileen Pawlik, 15, has overcome her stage fright, and still loves to sing.

Although much more confident in herself now, Pawlik admits “I still get nervous. I just get really into the music and forget that anyone’s watching.”

She’s even found a passion for playing the piano.

She’s dreamed of becoming a Saturday Night Live skit writer.

Pawlik says she loves theater because she likes to “make people laugh, and take all their worries away.”

The former stage frightened preschooler has performed similar singing roles recently. Last year, she contributed to Mercy’s spring musical Hello Dolly. “It was a lot of fun,” says Pawlik.

As for her piano career, she competes in various recitals and has achieved level six. At first Pawlik recalls hating piano. Looking back she says, “I’m glad my parents kept me in it.”

Pawlik’s future in theater is unknown. She has looked into schools such as Notre Dame and the University of Michigan. The idea of moving to a big city such as New York City appeals to her.

Along with New York City, Paris is another place that Pawlik would like to visit. In Paris, she will be able to pursue her interest of speaking French and experiencing the country’s unique culture.

From the frightened preschooler to the confident teen, Eileen Pawlik has transformed into a gifted performer.