Spotlight On: Whitney Winfield
Spotlight On: Whitney Winfield
Whitney Winfield was just 8 years old
when, after a performance of The Sound
of Music by The Naples Players, she got
up on the darkened stage and looked out
into the empty rows of seats.
Her friend had played the part of the
youngest Von Trapp and Whitney, too,
wanted to perform. She wanted to make
people laugh and smile; to earn their affection.
“Find me a play!” she told her mother.
Barbara Winfield had her daughter audition
and they told her that the elementary
student had perfect pitch.
Whitney would go on to star as Jasmine
in Aladdin as her first of many roles.
Hooked on the feeling of being on stage,
she continued performing at every turn.
“I wanted to be the best that I could
be and that meant doing it wherever I
could,” she said. “I was performing multiple
shows a year.”
Her credits with The Naples Players also
included a hit role as Belle in Beauty and
Whitney Winfield
the Beast and Millie in Thoroughly Modern
Millie.
Whitney performed in the early stages
of what is today known as KidzAct. Her
time with The Naples Players was instrumental
then, not only in introducing her to
theatre, but fostering her talent for it and
preparing her for her future career.
“It allowed me to discover that I had a
natural gift,” she said. “At that age, I
didn’t know.”
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
65th Anniversary Season | www.naplesplayers.org | (239) 263-7990 49
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