Miller, a 2019 graduate of Southeast Valley High School, went on to study dance and performance at Oklahoma City University (OCU) where she focused on tap, jazz, ballet, theatre, dance, partnering, voice and acting with the hope of one day performing professionally.

“While dance is my first love and passion, my career is focused in musical theatre where I get to sing, act, and dance,” said Miller, the daughter of Jeff and Kristie Miller of Gowrie. “OCU dance is a really intense program that set me up for professional theatre work. I truly can’t see myself doing anything other than performing.”

Miller made the transition from college student at OCU to professional working actress this summer when she was cast in the professional touring company of The Little Mermaid.

“My journey was really unique,” said Miller. “I was hired as a replacement during the second leg of the tour in Lincoln, Nebraska, and St. Paul, Minnesota. For my role, they were specifically looking to hire someone local to the Twin Cities and I was lucky enough to be offered the role.”

-Submitted photo
Gowrie native Bailey Miller points at her name on the sign listing the cast of "The Little Mermaid."

Miller said that the auditioning process for the role included submitting her headshot and resume along with samples of her singing and dancing. Later she was asked to record material from the show.

“Getting word that I would be performing in this show was incredible,” said Miller. “This is the biggest, most professional show I’ve done so far in my career and I felt so lucky to have booked it. Many years of hard work led up to that moment. The cherry on the top was finding out that I would get to travel.”

Miller was cast as Attina, the pink-haired sister of lead mermaid, Ariel. She also played various ensemble roles in the show, including playing a fish in the song “Under The Sea,” as well as a maid and a princess.

Miller had just three days to learn the show, which was produced by Equity, a major production company in Los Angeles.

“I was in a production of Bonnie and Clyde with a dance company in Minneapolis that closed on Nov. 3,” said Miller. “On Nov. 4, I flew to Los Angeles where I learned the show in just three days. Following that, the cast went straight to Lincoln, Nebraska, where we performed for a week. By opening night, I had only known the show for about four days. I wore the costumes and wigs for the first time the day before the first performance. It was a true test of my professionalism.”

-Submitted photo
Bailey Miller (third from right), of Gowrie, was cast as Attina, one of Ariel’s sisters, in the professional theater tour of “The Little Mermaid.”

Miller’s first professional theater role ended Dec. 29 with the final show of “The Little Mermaid” in St. Paul, Minnesota.

“I met so many great friends and colleagues through this show,” said Miller. “The cast was a group of such lovely, supportive people. As far as the show itself, I absolutely loved performing ‘Under the Sea.’ It was a giant dance number and the audience was surprised with real bubbles in the house during the scene.”

According to Miller, she also loved being approached for autographs after the show and seeing young children come dressed as Ariel, Flounder, or Sebastian.

“I did have some sweet kids ask for autographs,” said Miller. “I would tell them I was the pink mermaid which was always followed up with compliments. I had a few tell me I was their favorite mermaid, which was special to hear.”