13-year-old Sophia Scott first began acting at age four. She also writes, sings, dances and plays guitar. Courtesy of Maine State Musical Theatre

For 13-year-old Sophia Scott, it was an emotional goodbye when the curtains closed at Brunswick’s Maine State Music Theatre for the final showing of “The Wizard of Oz” in 2019.

“Each actor’s eyes are filled with tears, and as they sing sweet harmonies, I feel their loving auras surrounding our cast of fifty on stage,” Scott writes in her memoir. “There are many ways to make people feel happy, and I think I’ve found my favorite one.”

With COVID-19 health concerns halting live theater nation-wide, Scott continued to channel her creativity, and has recently gained recognition for her memoir, “Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road,” in The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. The awards recognize students grade 7-12 for creative achievements throughout the U.S. each year.

For her memoir, Scott was presented with the Northeast region’s highest honor, the Gold Key. Her writing now moves onto the national level and the winners will be announced on March 17.

Scott, who played a munchkin in the musical, lives in Boothbay and first stepped on stage at age four. She has been rooted in Maine’s playhouses for most of her life.

In her memoir, Scott describes the conclusion of the musical and also writes about a larger sense of family that she has experienced firsthand within the world of theater.

“When humans work together they can create art that doesn’t just change the perspective of the people’s lives who are watching the show, but also the ones that work so hard to bring the story to life,” she writes. “No matter how small our part is, when we put in the effort, and dedicate ourselves to the opportunity being given to us, it can be one of the most special experiences of our lives.”

Maine State Music Theatre’s presentation of The Wizard of Oz. Photo by Roger S. Duncan

Scott, who is in 8th grade and also sings, dances and plays guitar, said she loves to perform because the thrill of being on stage never gets old.

“You’re kind of on (stage) for a reason, which is to bring the art of theater to a whole group of people that need it,” she said. “It’s just really a joy to bring joy to other people.”

According to Maine State Theatre Artistic Director Curt Dale Clark, over 70,000 people saw “The Wizard of Oz” in 27 performances over three weeks in 2019.

“Especially for Sofia’s age group, you know, within a range of about 10 years around her, younger and slightly older — that’s their formative years,” Clark said. “And it’s important that we get them back into the theater.”

Scott will be graduating from the Center for Teaching and Learning in Edgecomb this spring, with plans to head to Lincoln Academy High School in the fall.

As a result of the COVID-19 virus, The Maine State Music Theatre, which runs four mainstage musicals a year, closed its doors for the 2020 season in April for the first time in 62 years.

While a slate of shows have been announced for the 2021 season, Clark said that the timeline and path forward is still uncertain.

“The world feels like it’s healing right now, but will it heal quick enough for us to be able to be in full swing in time?” said Clark.