“PART OF SHOW BUSINESS IS MAGIC. YOU DON'T KNOW HOW IT HAPPENS.” - SAMMY DAVIS JR.
For many of the nine alumni profiled in this issue, their odyssey into the realm of show business is a magical one they did not envision; for others it was one they barely dared to dream. They all grew up thousands of miles from the entertainment epicenters of Hollywood and Broadway, most in small Upper Peninsula towns. But today, they are all making the magic happen in big ways—on stage and screen, in animated films and cartoons, video games and commercials, movies, sitcoms and streaming series. In these pages, they shed light on how their singular sprinkles of magic are made behind the scenes.
These Wildcats are not just providing essential avenues of escapism, they are giving voices to those who are often unheard, exploring topics that are often difficult to discuss, and providing opportunities for others to explore their own passions and how they, too, can shoot for the stars.