Caise's Disney Goal

Hi my name is Caise McCormack, I’m 16 and currently a year 12 student at Wainuiomata High School, in Wellington. I have a passion for acting and dancing. I have been dancing since I was 4 and last year completed both levels 4 & 5 in NZ Hip-hop grades, obtaining a pass rate of 89 – 93 % in both grades. I achieved the Overall Dancer in my dance school in 2018. This award is given to dancers who attend more than 3 classes each week, so drive, passion and commitment, and stand out from the rest. My drive for making it in this world is 2nd to none and I would love a career in acting/dancing.

In December I heard there were Disney Talent Scouts in my area holding auditions. I put my name forward asap. I went through a 2 day audition process. Day 1 was nerve racking, we had a choice of auditioning from a script provided or a script from a Disney movie or programme of our choice. I chose to audition using 1 of their scripts. My audition was #2 of the day. There would have been at least 1,000 people auditioning that day. Kids from about 3 years old to young adults in their early 20’s! My nerves had taken over, knowing I was 2nd up, however I got through my audition and had a huge smile (more from relief possibly) after it was done. The next stage was a waiting game. I was told that if they wanted me back for the 2nd stage of the audition process I would receive a phone call the next day between 9am and 12noon. My nerves were a wreck again!!

I didn’t sleep too well that night….my nerves and thoughts of an exciting future kept me awake. My thoughts kept trailing off to what could possibly be in store for me or what I would have to improve on to get to the next step another time if I didn’t make it through this time. The next day the phone rang! I was sitting in class at school……my phone rang, it was Mum. She either had good news or disappointing news.

It was good news!! I had made it through to the next stage of the audition and was required back to the stage at 4pm that afternoon. My nerves were back, with my heart pounding I was feeling excited and anxious at the same time. We got there and went back into the audition room from the day before. We were shown a video of what was to be offered to a very small number of us that had made it to stage 2. What was offered was a 5 day TCE acting Seminar in L.A. with some of the Disney actors that I have watched since I was a little girl.

The owner Adrian A’Mante who was offering me a space in TCE (The Celebrity Experience) was the actor from the Disney sitcom The Suite Life of Zac and Cody. He played Estaban the doorman. All of you with young children in the early 2000’s will or should remember this programme. It was decision time. Both my mum and I had a good chat about what I was being offered, how we could fit it in and what it could possibly do for me as a person. It could make me the next Disney star, it could make me a household name or simply give me an experience of a lifetime. We have chosen to take the offer and we are heading to L.A. in August 2019!

The cost of this is all up to me. There is a fee to attend the TCE Seminar along with flights and accommodation to pay for. My aim is to raise the total fee amount of NZ$8,000.00. I have a couple of other small fundraisers like raffles and sausage sizzles that I will also put towards this target.

You never know, a little girl from Wellington could be the next “Anna Paquinn” after this experience. I am giving all my energy and spare time to practice the pieces I have been sent to ensure I give my full potential when I’m in L.A. I really want this experience to shape or start my acting career. Any help is very appreciated.

Thank you

Caise 