Casey Likes is 'Almost Famous'

Jewelz Cox

Reporter

Imagine achieving your lifetime goal at the mere age of 17. Chandler High school student Casey Likes has recently accomplished just that after working his entire life for the role of a lifetime.

After all of his hard work, pursuing his dream of fame, Likes was nominated to represent Chandler High school in the National High School Awards, also known as the Jimmy Awards. This showcase of the country's best high school performers was held in New York in June of 2018. After becoming finalist out of the 86 students who had completed, Likes was quickly cast as the lead role in the Broadway Production Almost Famous.

Stephanie Likes, Chandler High theater teacher and Likes' mother, stated, "Casey has worked hard even though it has not been easy and the level of performance that he has been challenged has grown."

Casey has inspired many and has proven that anyone willing to put in the effort to achieve their goals can do it.

"This event," says Chandler High English teacher Kathrine Kolaki, "impacts the Chandler High theater community because it is a wonderful opportunity for students to see that their dreams truly are achievable and so they can understand that with hard work, consistency, and dedication to their craft, they can receive recognition for the work they've put in."

Based on the 2000 movie of the same name, Likes will play the part of William Miller, a teenage journalist, working for the Rolling Stone magazine who follows the band Stillwater as they tour across the country in the 1970's.

With Casey at the helm, Almost Famous begins its West Coast Premiere at San Diego's Old Globe Theater on September 13th, 2019, and is expected to run until October 13th, aiming for Broadway in the spring of 2020.