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"It was a miracle to even get an audition and when I got the part I assumed not many had tried out," Kemp said. "But the director told me hundreds had, and that one of the things in my favor was my resume showed I had gotten some good training and was prepared." Released in December, it can be seen on YouTube, across other media and at onjuno.com where Kemp's smiling face graces the company's splash page. It's a commercial, yes, but being just under two minutes it's a mini- movie as well. "I loved it," she said. "It's a period piece – a funny, medieval, Monty Python-style thing – where I get in trouble because of the apps' 'sorcery.' But it turns out well. I haven't had that many lead roles but I've gotten a reputation for outdoorsy girl parts – even though I'm not that much of an outdoors person." Other auditions are in place and Kemp was finishing a supporting role in a short film in late January. She was unable to talk about that, but her central role in an independent feature film being made in Middle Georgia is no secret. It's a film called "Midknight" by writer- director Phillip Wheeler. In 2019, Wheeler won top honors in Macon Film Festival's Macon Made category with his work "Euphorica." "'Midknight' is about a young woman, a college student, who's kidnapped and trafficked; that's Hanna's role," Wheeler said. "en the main action is around her brother trying to find and rescue her. It was actually through Hanna that I met and cast Levi Shelton as the brother, the main character." Wheeler was impressed by Kemp's abilities and glad to have her in his film. "Hanna is very talented and very professional in how she goes about what's asked of her," Wheeler said. "She's a great collaborator who understands what's needed and just nails it. Her role in 'Midknight' is very physical and requires a lot of running. It's not the easiest thing to run a lot and stay in character, stay real and express emotions. She nailed it." COVID-19 severely impacted the movie's shooting schedule, but Wheeler hopes it will be ready by late summer. Jimmy and Shannon Stricklen are Jamie Stricklen's parents and the Perry Players' president and house manager, respectively. Like others at the playhouse, they've known Kemp and her family for years and were surprised – but not surprised – when she offered to bring "A Christmas Carol" to the stage. It would be her directorial debut. "Hanna said she had a proposal," Jimmy Stricklen said. "She wanted to direct 'A Christmas Carol' for free and said her family and other volunteers would raise the money for it with no cost to the theater. Proceeds would benefit Perry Players. Hanna came to us with amazing proposal notebooks with budgets and all the right plans." Jimmy Stricklen said Kemp hadn't turned 19 yet and the board was momentarily hesitant to trust the theater's reputation to someone so young. "But it was Hanna who was asking and we knew if she wanted to do it she could pull it off," he said. "You have to realize that year after year she's broken the labels put on her. First, she was a great musician and young actor. en, without having dance lessons she was a really great dancer. She did some choreography, excelled and we looked at each other saying, 'We have a choreographer on our hands.'" Jimmy Stricklen said with all its stresses, "A Christmas Carol" could have fallen apart at any time but audiences agreed it was an outstanding show. "As is typical of her, Hanna didn't take the easy way and do the show like we'd done it before. She designed a new set, had her own costume ideas and even brought in a steam-punk look for parts," he said. "She might have been a little timid at the first rehearsal but quickly took her authority as director and got everybody on board carrying out her vision. at's an amazing ability for anybody – much less someone her age." e show sold out immediately. Unfortunately, two cast members tested positive for coronavirus mid-run and the show's final week was postponed until January with cast substitutions. "I'd like to keep Hanna here forever but I suspect she's too big a ABOVE: A YOUNG HANNA KEMP AS SALLY BROWN IN THE PERRY PLAYERS PRODUCTION OF 'YOU'RE A GOOD MAN CHARLIE BROWN.' CENTER: AN 8-YEAR-OLD HANNA SINGING ON STAGE. RIGHT: BEHIND THE SCENES SHOTS OF HANNA'S RECENT COMMERCIAL WORK FOR ONJUNO.COM. OPPOSITE PAGE: HANNA VOLUNTEERED TO STAGE AND DIRECT 'A CHRISTMAS CAROL' AS A FUNDRAISER FOR PERRY PLAYERS. 70 maconmagazine.com | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2021