It was around Christmastime in 2023 when Katie Hearne got very sick. “It seemed like the flu but I had other symptoms that wouldn’t go away.” Trips to her pediatrician and the hospital couldn’t determine the cause of the mystery illness “and nobody could tell us what it was. They had never seen it before.” She ended up at Children’s Hospital where she says they discovered it was a rare and weird reaction to a virus.

“I stayed there four days. It was traumatic, a lot of anxiety at the time.” But on the way in she had seen a stage, and that’s when she started to wonder if she could bring an Encore Stage and Studio (by kids for kids) play back to the hospital to entertain the patients. She thought being in the hospital, even for four days, can be very, very long and boring.

Hearne, now 15, had been acting in Encore children’s theatre productions since she was nine-years-old, and she chose “Frozen,” which she remembers as her first play, to bring to the patients. “I also chose ‘Frozen’ because it is well known and everyone loves it so they could follow along. 

“I wondered could I bring it there. I was very excited about the idea and started planning a show with Sara Duke who is the Executive Director of Encore.They have a program at Encore called “Encore Cares.” 

Duke explains Encore Cares always features a student director and a community service element. She adds they have visited retirement homes and after school programs, but this was the first time they performed at Children’s Hospital.

Hearne says she had emailed Children’s Hospital with the idea and asked for dates; it took a little while to find a date, and they settled on Oct. 21. Then the work began. “We had to choose the cast. I was afraid people wouldn’t sign up because it was such short notice,” but she had plenty of actors for the cast of 17. “Also I was directing a play for the first time. I’m really proud of what I was able to do. Directing was a little intimidating and bringing it to the hospital as well.

“We started rehearsal a month and a half ahead of the performance. I had to teach the cast the songs.”