Abby Thompson

Though hard for those who know her now to imagine, Abby was quite shy when she was very young. In fact, after having been in the audience for many cheerleading competitions, she was excited when turning three meant she was finally able to begin gymnastics like her big sister. However, she declined being part of a cheer team with, "There's too much people," as the only explanation. This, however was destined to change. When still a shy preschooler, Abby announced suddenly that she wanted to tryout for the church musical. Moments later she marched unaccompanied into the audition room. When asked if she could sing, she belted out "Give My Regards to Broadway" -- She got the role. Abby has always been captivated by music and after being particularly mesmerized by a dance recital as a very young child, she began attending Lisa Morgan Dance Studio in Scottsburg, Indiana. Besides gymnastics, she also had brief forays into soccer, softball, and basketball. Prior to starting kindergarten, Abby broke both bones in her forearm doing what was to be the last of countless back handsprings...still dance remained; the need to twirl her baton to the music helped her heal. A couple of years later would find her and and her sister performing as the vocalists for the band "First Impressions," which they did for four years under the direction of Bob Schmidt through The Conservatory of Music in Jeffersonville, Indiana. Friends from the Conservatory introduced her to the idea of competitive swimming and she spent nearly 7 years with Pacesetter Aquatics, a USA swim team also in Jeffersonville. Abby made it to state on relay teams and placed 7th individually in a state open water meet. She enjoyed swimming and her swim family very much. The butterfly is still her favorite stroke. Unfortunately, a shoulder injury led to the end of competitive swimming for Abby...dance did still remain, but when faced with the void created by the loss of swimming, she decided to revisit the stage. Abby had modeled and been chosen for small roles in projects and commercials and had also been in various church, school, and community productions sporadically from the time she was a baby. She also had competed in one pageant, National American Miss, in which she placed in the top 25 out of 152 contestants at the state level. But she hadn't devoted herself to the performing arts, partly because swimming had consumed much of her time. She resumed accepting audition opportunities through Babes 'N Beaus Model and Talent out of Chicago, who had been patiently representing her, even when swimming made her unavailable, for years. She quickly landed a lead role in a student film entitled "Mighty Hands" (2015) which was shot in Chicago through Tribeca Flashpoint Media Arts Academy and was subsequently cast in the role of Annabelle in the web series "Coping" (2016) which is through Unfiltered Dreams Productions in Louisville, Kentucky. She had also begun attending Southern Indiana School for the Arts in Clarksville, Indiana at that point and could not be happier to have found a home there as well. She enjoys drama and musical theater, but comedy is her favorite. It has always been a major part of Abby's life, much to the amusement of those around her! In fact, years ago when questioned about being quiet and lost in thought the night before her first sleepover, she brightened and is quoted as saying, "I hope they think I'm funny!" after which she went to sleep with a hopeful grin. Besides Lisa Morgan Dance Studio and SISA, Abby attends Salem Homeschool Academy, works for Classical Conversations out of Louisville, KY and does the remainder of her schooling at home. She and her family are members of Scottsburg First Christian Church and they make their home in the woods of Southern Indiana, where Abby has lived her whole life with an ever-changing cast of adopted strays which currently includes 5 dogs, 3 cats and one parakeet.