Naples Players’ KidzAct helped seniors pave way to the future




Gigi Kirton in ‘You Can’t Take It With You’Our

Gigi Kirton in ‘You Can’t Take It With You’

The future can seem fraught with uncertainties for high school seniors. But 2020 graduates Logan Szittai, Sade Bassan and Gigi Kirton share one certainty: that performing will remain a part of their lives in the years to come.

All three young artists participated in The Naples Players’ KidzAct theatrical education and performance program for youth. They recently joined four other seniors in capping off their time in the program with an online concert featuring music from such Broadway hits as “Catch Me If You Can,” “Tick, Tick… Boom” and “Avenue Q.”

College awaits the trio. They all credit their experience as performers and with KidzAct with preparing them well for the next phase of their lives.

“It definitely made me a more confident person,” said Szittai, who participated in KidzAct for five years. “It’s a place that I can go to clear my head and focus on working with a group of people to make something amazing and beautiful.”

Participating in KidzAct made him a more confident person, said Logan Szittai.

Participating in KidzAct made him a more confident person, said Logan Szittai.

The Naples High School graduate sang Michael Buble’s version of “Feelin’ Good,” and the rendition of Elton John’s “I’m Still Standing” performed in the 2019 biopic about the singer, “Rocketman.”

Lyrically, “Feelin’ Good” encompasses what Szittai’s mindset is as he prepares to exchange life as he’s known it for Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, where he’s considering majoring in engineer­ing or political science while also participating in student theatrical productions.

“I like the song because it says, ‘Things are changing, but they’re changing for the better.’ It’s a really positive message,” he explained.

Like Szittai, Bassan is a musical theater enthusiast. In fact, she’ll major in the discipline while pursuing a fine arts degree at the University of Tampa.

“I’ve been performing for a while now and it’s always been my outlet to do and feel different things,” she said. “When I’m onstage I just forget everything and focus on the role I’ve been given. It’s helped me to feel centered and to become the person that I am.”

Sade Bassan will pursue a fine arts degree.

Sade Bassan will pursue a fine arts degree.

She joined KidzAct a little more than one year ago. But as a freshman, she began acting and singing as part of Gulf Coast High School’s theater department. KidzAct allowed her to also gain exposure to stage managing and other backstage work, as well as the technical side of theatrical productions.

The program also enabled Bassan to make some invaluable connections.

“I found my acting teacher there, I found my voice teacher there,” she explained. “Through them, I went to California last summer to work on my acting. I got the opportunity to perform in the (KidzAct) Theater Showcase. It opened up so many doors for me that I didn’t even know were possible. The more well-rounded I am in theater, the better off I’ll be. I feel that KidzAct did that for me.”

Jessica Walck, the Naples Players’ associate artistic director, had worked with many of the graduating seniors since they were much younger. “It is so rewarding to see these kids grow up into kind, caring and wonderful adults, and to see them go off and create their own lives,” she said.

Unlike Bassan and Szittai, Kirton didn’t sing at the concert. Instead, she entertained with her skill as a classical guitarist, an instrument and musical style she’s studied since age 6.

“I like to let my guitar be the main voice,” ex­plained the Village School of Naples graduate.

She became a KidzAct participant about one year ago when the acting bug struck and she auditioned for and was cast in the May 2019 production of “You Can’t Take It With You.”

Kirton’s already begun taking online classes at Florida SouthWestern State College in Fort Myers to study classical guitar while obtaining an associate degree in fine arts, before moving on to a four-year institution.

Her career goals haven’t come into sharp focus yet, but she’s intent on making creative pursuits her vocation.

“I have so many,” said Kirton with a laugh. “When you’re in the arts it all kind of depends on luck. But I’d love to perform on all the stages I can with music or theater. I’d love to be in a band and tour, create my own music someday — act, be in films — you know, the dream.”