Jillian Mueller is an extremely interesting Kaplan student. She is a performer, an actress and singer, who has already been on Broadway and, I have no doubt, will be starring on all of our movie and television screens in no time at all. I got the chance to interview her for Kaplan’s student newspaper, Virtual Village.

Q.  How long have you been performing?

JM:  I’ve been performing ever since I can remember. I starting dancing when I was three, acting when I was six, and singing when I was eight. I tried local productions and then moved on to pursuing it professionally. I’ve just always known that I wanted to do this.

Q:  What influenced you to start?

JM:  It was just always something I wanted to. My parents knew that it was my interest and started taking me to Broadway shows and I loved New York City. I love movies and would always watch them and draw from actors and actresses. Those were the things I loved doing.

Q:  Who is your biggest influence?

JM:  I like to take little things from each person. I love Beckie Newton, Robert Downey Jr., Rachel McAdams, and Meryl Streep. And Lady Gaga, she’s really talented. I like performers that can both sing and act.

Q:  Are you more drawn towards music or towards acting?

JM:  I really enjoy both, I can’t pick a favorite. I like both equally and in different ways.

Q:  How do think they relate to each other?

JM:  To be anything they have to be able to tell a story, dancers as well. To be a dancer you have to act because you portray an emotion. You have to be able to perform in both.

Q:  What is your biggest accomplishment in the arena of acting and/or singing?

JM:  It was definitely getting the chance to perform on Broadway.

Q:  In what ways have your goals and dreams impacted your high school experience?

JM:  I have to do online high school in order to audition and train and pursue my dreams. So it’s big. But it’s also been positive. I really like online school. It allows me to pursue what I want to do in life.

Q:  What was your experience in Bye Bye Birdie like?

JM:  It was one of the best experiences. It was so much fun and surreal. We were doing a show every day. And it was such a great cast. It was like the dream life.

Q:  What was your experience being in a band?

JM:  I want to music and go into the music industry. I want to do something were I’m a performer who dances and sings. It was a great experience and I loved it. I’m trying to mainstream. I’m trying different things and seeing what works best.

Q:  What are the similarities, to you, between popular music and Broadway?

JM:  Musical theater is really important because it makes you a really strong singer and lets you sing anything you want. For example, the singers on Glee are all trained, theater singers. They’re usually really strong singers. And I’m really happy with shows like that because it shows pop and musical theater.

Q:  Do ultimately want to focus on a career in popular music or on Broadway?

JM:  Ideally, I want to do everything. I want to perform on Broadway, perform on movies and TV, and be in the music industry. I want to have a career in everything. I want to shoot a film, then perform on Broadway, and record an album.