PETERBOROUGH — Montana Schultz got a glimpse of her Broadway dream last week when her voice landed her the opportunity to perform on a Concord stage with Broadway stars.

“Everything happened quite quickly,” her mother, Gloria Schultz, said.

It was a little over a week ago that Schultz and her 13-year-old daughter, Montana, were cleaning the basement in their Peterborough home, while listening to the radio. When an advertisement for the “Singing with the Broadways Stars” contest came on, mother and daughter stopped.

“We looked at each other and laughed and said ‘We should do that,’” Schultz said.
Using Montana’s small digital camera, mother and daughter made an audition tape of Montana singing “Legally Blonde,” from the Broadway hit of the same name, and then rushed it off to the contest.

After a panel of Broadway professionals reviewed the audition tapes, Montana was selected as one of five young performers from the state to sing in the finale of the Broadway tribute show “100 Years of Broadway” at the Capitol Theater in Concord on Friday night.

“It makes me feel really special and it feels unbelievable to hear the professionals in the field feel that I have something special to do on Broadway,” Montana said.

The show, which was put together by Broadway composer and lyricist Neil Berg, is touring the country with today’s Broadway stars singing Broadway’s biggest hits.

Days before the performance, Montana was sent a copy of the song she was to sing with the chorus — “Seasons of Love,” from the Broadway show “Rent.”

She practiced at home, then on Friday had a pre-show rehearsal at the Capitol Theater.

“It felt amazing. ... I think it really helped me develop stage presence. It was just amazing to be up there with people who do that for a living,” Montana said. “It was a great experience. The whole cast and musicians were so nice.”

Montana said she hopes to be a Broadway star when she grows up. Her parents, Gloria and Joe Schultz, moved from New York City to Peterborough 10 years ago when Montana was only 3. Every year the family makes a trip back and Montana sees a new Broadway show.
“I loved ‘Wicked’ and I got to see ‘Beauty and the Beast,’ which was awesome,” Montana said.

“Every year we take Montana to a show. She’s quite a show seer,” her mother said.

Montana is a South Meadow School eighth- grader with years of singing and performance experience behind her. She has performed as a member of the Peterborough Children’s Choir, the South Meadow School drama club and Select Chorus and Andy’s Summer Theater. She was also one of the children chosen to sing at the MacDowell Centennial celebration.
“She’ been busy doing her thing,” mom said.

As a student at ConVal High School next year, Montana plans to get involved with both the Drama Department and the Peterborough Players Ascending Stars program.

“I’m looking forward to doing Andy’s this summer and whatever comes to me in the arts. Whatever,” Montana said.