Q&A: Ethan Holder

This 12-year-old grand jetéd from classes at the Indiana Ballet Conservatory straight to Broadway—the Indy native is performing in the Tony-winning revival of The King and I as one of the Royal Children. Shall we dance?

IM: When did you start dancing?
Since I was three. My mom made me do it. But I do like it.

IM: What was the audition process for this show like?
I have an agent in Chicago that requested I audition. I went to three auditions in New York.

IM: How did you feel when you found out that you got the part?
I was extremely excited about it, and excited to move to New York. I used to come here for only auditions. Now I get to see the city and have a different perspective of it.

IM: Do you get nervous before performances?
I was really nervous for the first show I did and when a big group of my friends came from Indiana to see it. Other than that, I’ve been okay.

IM: How do you prepare before going on stage?
We have five or six minutes to stretch and warm up our voices backstage. Normally before a show, those who are in the same area as me, we get a in prayer circle and we talk about what we need for a show, like a focus or energy, and we pray for people who might be out or sick. After the Tonys, a lot of people got sick.

IM: What’s your biggest dream in terms of performing?
I don’t know if I’m going to stay on the acting road. My biggest goal was to be on a Broadway show, so I guess I’ve achieved that goal. I would like to be a physicist at a university.

This article appeared in The Ticket, a 2015 special publication.