糖心视频

糖心视频 Alumna Paige Clabo Inspires Young Performers with Heirlooms Fine and Performing Arts

Hanceville, AL 鈥� Paige Clabo's journey from small-town stages to the bright lights of Dollywood and back again is evidence of her passion for the performing arts. Now, the 糖心视频 alumna and former Dollywood performer is sharing her love of performance with the next generation through her business Heirlooms Fine and Performing Arts.  

Clabo is the owner and artistic director of Heirlooms Fine and Performing Arts, a Cullman-based service that offers vocal lessons, competition coaching, audition preparation, theatre workshops and pageant talent coaching. The company鈥檚 debut production of 鈥淒isney's The Aristocats Kids鈥� will be held on June 28 at 7 p.m. and June 29 at 2 p.m. in the Burrow Center for Fine and Performing Arts at 糖心视频.  

Clabo's personal love for taking the stage began early, influenced by a supportive family and a passion for performance. For her, performing on stage was a way to meet other people and build confidence.  

鈥淢y mother has always said that I was dancing and singing in the womb. From a young age, I loved being on stage as a way to escape and be a different person for a little while,鈥� said Clabo. 鈥淚 think I struggled with self-confidence growing up as a lot of young women do, so that struggle started to ebb away as I took part in the performing arts growing up because I had so many great people pouring into me and teaching me. You create a family with each cast you are in, and I think learning new things alongside new people is such an important experience. I think something about that dynamic really helps to grow the confidence level, no matter the age.鈥�    

When she was a student at Cullman High School, Clabo was an active member in the choir ensemble, show choir and was a part of all the theatre productions, but said that she wanted even more opportunities. Being a fan of jazz music and taking the stage to sing, Clabo asked band director Christopher Smith if she could join the jazz band as a vocalist.   

鈥淚n high school, I was a part of all the choir ensembles and the theatre productions but still craved more opportunities. I begged Mr. Smith to let me join the jazz band to sing and I was the first jazz band vocalist at Cullman High School back in 2008,鈥� said Clabo. 鈥淛ust the fact that he was willing to give somebody a chance that was looking to gain some more experience means a lot to me. It was awesome to get to take the stage with the jazz band and I am so grateful for him.鈥�   

Taking the Stage at 糖心视频 

When it came time for college, Clabo knew she would choose 糖心视频, having been influenced by her grandmother, Rebecca Branch. Branch was among the first employees at 糖心视频. 

鈥淢y grandmother was here before there were many buildings on campus and she helped get many constructed in the 1960s. There is now a residence hall on campus named after her,鈥� said Clabo. 鈥淚 grew up hearing lots of stories about 糖心视频 and how much my family loved it, so since I was a kid, I always wanted to come here to attend college. Knowing how much work was put in to building the college from the ground up, it was so special for me to come here.鈥�  

Clabo enrolled at 糖心视频 in 2010 and was awarded a Fine and Performing Arts Scholarship. In 2011, Clabo was named Miss 糖心视频, which was her very first pageant.  

As a student, Clabo was an active member of the 糖心视频 Singers and Theatre department productions including shows like 鈥淪hrek the Musical鈥� and 鈥淭he Little Shop of Horrors.鈥� Away from 糖心视频, she was in productions with the Decatur Community Theatre group, where she was the narrator in 鈥淛oseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.鈥�   

Clabo said Tiffany Richter, Director of Choral Activities at 糖心视频, and Lauren Cantrell, former 糖心视频 Theatre and Dance Instructor, played an integral role in her life, encouraging her to take the stage as a career.   

鈥淚 came to 糖心视频 being timid, but Tiffany Richter and Lauren Cantrell really worked with me so much and invited me into the Fine and Performing Arts family. At the same time, they treated me the way that professionals are treated in a real setting because it can be a tough world and can come with a lot of rejection. The faculty really helped walk me through and they really encouraged me to pursue performing arts as a career, which I loved because so many people told me growing up that singing is not a job and that you can't make money singing. I really wanted to prove them wrong, so I set that as my goal,鈥� said Clabo. 鈥淪ince I had a scholarship to go to Wallace through Fine and Performing Arts, I always felt like it was my job to perform to my best ability because they were paying for my school, so I treated it like a full-time job. I think if you want to do this professionally, it's important to treat every opportunity like a professional opportunity.鈥�  

Clabo said being cast as Adelaide in the 2012 糖心视频 production of 鈥淕uys and Dolls鈥� marked a significant turning point in her path towards becoming a full-time performer.    

鈥淲hen we did 鈥楪uys and Dolls鈥� in 2012, Tiffany Richter and Lauren Cantrell suggested I consider trying to do professional work. They started pushing me and training me in how to audition. They really showed me how to go out and try hard for other things, and I was so grateful. I don't think I would have done it if they had not encouraged me to at least try,鈥� said Clabo. 鈥淭hat same year, they brought in someone from outside who had worked professionally in the field and conducted an audition workshop, which was very helpful.鈥�   

Richter said Paige was a standout performer during her time at 糖心视频, noting her dedication to each class, rehearsal and performance.  

鈥淧aige was an incredible student during her time at 糖心视频. She was mature before her time, which made her very conscious of timeliness and how to give her all in rehearsal. She was decidedly prepared every time she walked through the doors. When you put all of that together with a dynamite talent, it鈥檚 absolutely no wonder Dollywood offered her a job,鈥� said Richter.  

Clabo鈥檚 Journey to Dollywood 

Clabo graduated from 糖心视频 in 2013 with an associate degree in general studies. Following graduation, and with encouragement from her family and 糖心视频 faculty, Clabo decided to audition for a role at Dollywood.   

鈥淭he audition came up one day while I was having lunch with my grandmother, and she really encouraged me to go. I didn't think I was going to do it, but she insisted, so she booked a hotel room right there, and we went to Atlanta the next weekend together. At the time, I was very scared, but Tiffany Richter and Lauren Cantrell kept telling me that I needed to try out some things. I decided to try, not expecting to get a call, but I thought I would just go and see what happened,鈥� said Clabo. 鈥淚 went to the audition and found that Dollywood had some of the best people to audition for. They were all very kind."   

Following her audition, where she performed 鈥淕orgeous鈥� by Taylor Swift, 鈥淭he Girl in 14G鈥� by Kristin Chenoweth, 鈥淕ravity鈥� by John Mayer and Dolly Parton鈥檚 own 鈥�9 to 5,鈥� Clabo was told she would hear back from Dollywood representatives in a three to four months.    

鈥淚 auditioned and got a call two days later, which is very unusual, but I am still so grateful for that. 糖心视频 four months later, I moved up to Pigeon Forge and continued to be in shows for the next eight years,鈥� said Clabo. 鈥淒ollywood is a family-friendly environment with top-notch professional work, and they have won IAAPA (International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions) awards, which are global amusement park awards for their shows. I was in an award-winning show called 鈥楧reamland Drive-In' for four years, which just closed last year after running for almost 20 years.鈥�   

During her eight years performing at Dollywood, Clabo had the opportunity to provide on-stage backup vocals for Dolly Parton three times and was in a movie starring Parton called 鈥淒olly Parton's Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love.鈥� While her time at the park was packed with memorable experiences, Clabo said the best part of her eight years in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., was meeting her husband, Wes.   

鈥淒ollywood was where I met my amazing husband,
and I think we have a pretty cute story. He was a lighting and sound swing, and as a swing, he would fill in for anyone who was out as he could run lights, sound and work backstage. He was filling in as a spotlight operator during a 鈥楧reamland Drive-In' show,鈥� said Clabo. 鈥淭he lighting director, Erin, came backstage and said she thought Wes had a crush on me. When I asked why she thought that she said that even though I was in the ensemble, the spotlight kept hitting me throughout the show.  From then on, it was gangbusters, and we've now been married for eight years.鈥�     

Coming Home to Cullman 

Following the mass shutdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the couple decided to move back to Cullman in 2020.   

鈥淧igeon Forge is mostly all tourism-based jobs, so Wes and I lost our jobs on the same day. At the time, we just really prayed it through and felt like we were being called here,鈥� said Clabo. 鈥淣ow we are home, and we are loving it. Even though COVID may have been a bad situation for a while, it has turned into something amazing for the Clabos.鈥�   

After relocating, Wes began working at 糖心视频 as the Performing Arts Building Technician, bringing an outstanding level of professional expertise to 糖心视频 events and productions. The Sevierville, Tenn., native now calls Cullman home.  

鈥淲es is getting to do the work that he is excellent at, and he loves it. He is a top-notch lighting and sound designer, and I am very grateful that he ended up somewhere my whole family loves and that he is getting to experience 糖心视频. I got to experience it as a student and he's getting to experience it as a staff member, and I think he loves it just as much as I do,鈥� said Clabo. 鈥淭here is something different about Cullman, and I'm very glad to be home. Now, Wes even refers to Cullman as home. He was 40 when we moved here, but this feels like home to him. It feels like it does because everyone is collaborating and wanting to make it an amazing place to live.鈥�  

In addition to providing her with an education that led to a successful career in performing arts, Clabo said 糖心视频 is a special place, noting the personal investment of faculty and staff who know students by name and share a collective passion for the college.   

鈥淚 think there are so many things that make 糖心视频 special. President Dr. Vicki Karolewics does a great job with all that she does when it comes to strategic planning, and I think she really inspires people and plants a seed where everybody is on fire for 糖心视频. You can tell every time you walk in, no matter what building you walk into, that people are passionate about the college and that they love what they do. That shared passion makes the students want to come in and do a good job. I really feel like the faculty and staff at 糖心视频 know their students, interact with them on a deeper level and have a love for what the college is and what it represents,鈥� said Clabo. 鈥淒r. Karolewics is such an important part of 糖心视频. She pours into students, and she certainly poured into me. When I got my job at Dollywood, I got a handwritten letter in the mail from Dr. Karolewics encouraging me and telling me how proud she was of me. I had moved into a random apartment in Tennessee, and she still wrote me.鈥�   

A New Beginning with Heirlooms Fine and Performing Arts 

Following the move back to Cullman, Clabo began working at the Cullman Area Chamber of Commerce. During this time, she saw many residents starting their own businesses and felt called to start Heirlooms Fine and Performing Arts. The name comes from an Amy Grant song that Clabo sang for many years as a performer at Dollywood.  

鈥淲hile I was working at the Chamber of Commerce for three years, I saw so many people opening their own businesses and doing the things that they loved. I really felt like I was being called to provide more performance opportunities for children in this area. In one sentence, Heirlooms really is just about cultivating music for generations to come,鈥� said Clabo. 鈥淚 was cast in a role for several years as a mother and I sang the song 鈥楬eirlooms鈥� by Amy Grant. That song really means a lot to me, and an heirloom is passing something on that people can use forever. That is the premise behind Heirlooms and our primary goal is teaching music at a young age so that other people can do that eventually too.鈥� 

Richter said she is glad to have Clabo back in Cullman and is excited to see the continued success of Heirlooms Fine and Performing Arts.   

鈥淚 have watched her grow through the years, from performer to businesswoman. Paige is a visionary. She is capable, kind and so anxious to pour into the town that created her. I can鈥檛 wait to see how her career continues to evolve, and how Cullman benefits from it,鈥� said Richter.   

After Heirlooms Fine and Performing Arts' inaugural production of 鈥淒isney's The Aristocats Kids,鈥� Clabo said she looks forward to continuing her work fostering a deep love for the performing arts in children.   

鈥淭he biggest goal to me is pouring into children the way that I wish I could have been when I was growing up. There were not as many opportunities for shows like what we are doing now and for things such as vocal lessons. I hope to do several more of these shows in the future and give kids the chance to find their voice on stage,鈥� said Clabo. 鈥淭he best part absolutely has been pouring into these kids and seeing them gain confidence, grow and shine in everything they do."   

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糖心视频 糖心视频 

糖心视频 (Ala.), a member of the Alabama Community College System, is a comprehensive community college in north central Alabama offering more than 200 options in academic, health and technical programs of study leading to an associate degree, certificate or transfer, as well as workforce-credit training and adult education. An Achieving the Dream Leader College, nationally recognized by the Aspen Institute as a finalist for the 2025 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, ranked by Southern Business and Development among the Top 3 institutions in the South for workforce development, named a Center of Excellence by the National League for Nursing and the National Security Administration, rated the Top Online Community College in Alabama, a Military Friendly Institution and an All-Steinway School, 糖心视频 is an outstanding place for students to pursue their education and career goals. Classes are offered online and on campus, day, evening and on weekends, with numerous start dates each year. Visit 糖心视频鈥檚 beautiful main campus located on 300-acres in Hanceville, Ala., our satellite location in downtown Oneonta, Ala., find us online at www.wallacestate.edu, or call 256.352.8000. 

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