St. Charles native joins national tour of musical 'Junie B. Jones'

Her name is Colleen Fee but you can call her Junie B.- just for now.

Fee, 24, will take the stage on Saturday, Feb. 6, at North Central College in Naperville for the national tour production of "Junie B. Jones," a musical about a spunky first-grader based on the book series by Barbara Park.

Fee will take on the title role of Junie.

While Junie's character is only about to enter first grade, playing the role is still no small feat.

"Junie is just this hilarious character who marches to the beat of her own drum and does what she wants," Fee said.

"She's very adventurous and creates things on the spot. She creates all these different characters and friends and they're just as hysterical."

It's all a dream come true for the St. Charles native who graduated from St. Charles East High School in 2003 and studied musical theater at Syracuse University in New York. Fee now lives in New York City, performing in off-Broadway shows and other productions. "Junie B. Jones" is Fee's first national tour with a production.

"I was really, really excited when I found out I got the part," Fee said.

"It's a great opportunity. It's hard to leave New York City (for the tour) because it's such an amazing city. It really has become my home away from St. Charles."

Fee first felt drawn to acting as the age of six after seeing her cousin perform in "Les Miserables."

"I remember thinking that (Les Miserables) was the coolest thing I'd ever seen," Fee said.

"Me and my sisters used to act out musicals in our basement after that."

Fee remained active in musical theater productions in high school and often performed in shows at Elgin Community College and the Steel Beam Theatre in St. Charles.

She aspires to be on Broadway one day.

"Broadway is the goal of every theater performer because you're working with the best," Fee said. "Your art is really at its best when you're on Broadway."

Until then, Fee continues to take acting and voice lessons in New York and wait tables on the side.

"We know all the work that she puts into performing and her persistence in New York and we're so proud of (Colleen)," Fee's mother, Elaine, said.

"It's very difficult to move up and she's paying her dues and sticking with it. She handles everything very well and I think she's going to be successful."

Success is important to Fee, but her passion for acting and singing trumps all.

"There are two things that I just love the most: singing and acting and it is just so beautiful to do something you feel that you were made or created to do," Fee said.

For more information on "Junie B. Jones," visit northcentralcollege.edu or call (630) 637-SHOW.