WORDEN — Huntley Project junior Madalyn Gearhart is well on her way to making history.
Gearhart won her third straight drama state championship a few weeks ago, setting herself up to join rare company by winning her fourth title in one event next year as a senior.
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But if you ask her parents, the current event she excels in — Dramatic Solo — is still a bit of a surprise.
"I just assumed she would do a comedy piece because that's what she's always done," said Gearhart's mom, Emily Peterson. "When she first was doing school plays, I just remember she had really great timing."
Those early days were before high school, but they were a big reason why Gearhart got used to performing.
"I liked making people laugh," Gearhart said. "I like knowing that I can make people laugh, so I think that's what made me fall in love with it first."
As a freshman, Gearhart tried something new — testing out the dramatic side of things — and falling in love with a different type of performance.
"I think it dawned on me that I could make people feel emotions," Gearhart said. "It wasn't just laughing, I could actually make people feel things."
Since then, she's ran with her newfound passion, investing hours into perfecting her craft and experiencing success along the way.
"She can just deliver the performance and really pull everybody in," Gearhart's dad Justin Gearhart said. "I always think she's the best, and I'm like 'Well, I'm obviously partial to her.'"
But her dad isn't wrong. For three straight years she has been named the best in Class B. Recognition that her head coach Becky Nay said she wholeheartedly deserves.
"She is one of just a small handful where this is completely innate for her," Nay said.
Nay said that in her 14 years of coaching, Gearhart is among the few who she could tell were extremely confident performing.
"She can be giggling and laughing in one moment and as you watched her perform, you can see her just become this sobbing mess," Nay said. "That ability to just turn it on and off is impressive."
Nay said that she can only recall one other student winning all four years in one event while she was coaching and it was a male student from Baker. She said the fact that it is possible is a testament to Gearhart's hard work.
"It's just very impressive to me how much she in particular pours into making this the best performance that she can," Nay said.
Her parents couldn't be more proud.
"I usually can't watch her without crying," said Peterson. "It's unbelievable to me that I'm her mom and I know it's fake, but I actually believe it."
