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Fourth-grader Gabby Tennor garnered recognition for her performance as baby Jesus in “El Niño,” a Nativity tale, at the Metropolitan Opera in New York.
Inspired by her passion for acting and performance, the 10-year-old Hagerstown native tried out for the role. Tennor and her mother made the five-hour drive to New York City from Maryland twice a week during the show’s month-long run.
Her role was to act out the nativity story being sung in the lyrics. She told Fox5, “I am so glad I can do something that is based on my faith because I’m Christian. Let God take you wherever you want to be. It’s not just about yourself, let others help.”
Tennor said she was not nervous in front of the thousands of people who had gathered to watch her perform on opening night. Having been turned down numerous times in the past, the young actress said she knew this part was meant for her.
She told NBC4, “I normally am really nervous for things, especially when it’s a lot of people, and there were 30,000 people at my first opening night, and I wasn’t nervous for some reason. So, I just knew that that was for me.”
Her proud mother, Barbara Tennor, said she cried seeing her daughter’s history-defining moment.
“We are super proud of her, my husband and I cried, actually. I didn’t expect it, but to see that big stage and that many audience, so many people in that audience, it just brought so much joy to my heart.”
The young actress did, however, disclose that she intends to become a pediatrician and does not view show business as her career. She is already a promising straight-A student who enjoys playing soccer, the drums, and the piano in her free time.
“I want to get into a good college because I want to make my parents proud,” she remarked. “So, I’m doing all of this not only because I love it — because I can put this on my college application, and that will open a bunch of opportunities for me.”
The 10-year-old, whose parents are from Ghana, expressed her intentions to make them proud with all she does.
El Niño concluded its month-long run on May 14 this year.
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