It took a little while for Anquanizia Hall to realize her career path. But now that she knows, she is ready to make a scene – or two.

    “My highest career aspiration is to hear ‘Rolling!’ from the assistant director, and ‘Action!’ from the director of a movie, and my cue would be to start acting,” the Meridian High School senior said.

    “With acting, you get to step outside of yourself and be someone else; and I really like that.”

    Like many high school students, Hall had considered several career choices.

    “Everyone wants to be a doctor or a lawyer, and I’d also considered going into law,” she said. “I’ve changed my career back and forth so many times, I thought I was never going to have my career aspirations set by the time I was a senior.”

     That’s when Hall realized she needed to call on a higher power for guidance.

    “My No. 1 problem was not asking God what He had planned for me, instead of what I had planned for myself,” she said. “However, when I figured out my problem, I fixed it. And ever since then, I’ve learned what my career is – and that’s acting.”

    Hall has been honing her thespian skills a number years, performing in plays both at school and church. Her most recent role was as Glinda the Good Witch in Meridian High School’s presentation of “The Wiz.” She also was cast as Serena in Meridian Little Theatre’s presentation of “Legally Blonde – The Musical.”

    Once her career path was realized, Hall began researching schools to further develop her craft.

    “I knew that I need to get accepted into a college that strongly focuses on acting,” she said.

    Hall found what she looking for at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA). Founded in 1964 by Philip H. Burton along with other prominent people from the New York theatre community to provide practical training by professional performers, for performers, according to the school’s website. Burton, an acting teacher, is best known as having trained and launched the career of his adopted son, Richard Burton – a noted stage and cinema actor. Other notable alumni include Brad Bass (“Wicked”), Tyne Daly (“Grey’s Anatomy,” “Cagney & Lacey” and “Judging Amy”), singer Janelle Monae, Paul Sorvino (“GoodFellas, “Law & Order”) and Becca Tobin (“Glee”)

    And while AMDA has a prestigious reputation, it was something deeper that lead to Hall’s decision to submit her application.

    “It didn’t catch my eye because it is located in Los Angeles, Calif., nor because great actors we know today have graduated from there. It was because it seems as if it was meant to be, and AMDA strongly focuses on acting,” she said.

    Hall auditioned for the college twice in Atlanta, Ga. The first time she auditioned for performing arts, which did not work out. However, she received a call back to the next audition (scheduled two months later), which was for acting.

    “You have to wait a whole year from your last audition to audition again,” she noted.

    Hall was accepted into the bachelor of fine arts acting program.

    “Who knew a small town girl like me would be accepted into something so big like this and told by a professional adjudicator how great and strong her acting is?” an excited Hall said. “I was once told, ‘What’s meant for you will always come about.’ Oh, how true that is!”

    Hall has been awarded a scholarship and said she hopes to start this fall.

    “I’m trying to get additional funds; it is expensive to go there,” she said.

    Should her plans have to be temporarily delayed, Hall said she has been accepted to Mississippi State University in Starkville, where she would like to study criminology and minor in theater.

    Among her activities at MHS are: Jr. Civitan (vice president, past president), the National Honor Society, Wildcat Players, Drama Club (secretary) Rock Band (founding member), Wildcat Band (color guard captain), track and field (shot putt).

    Hall is the daughter of Marquita Hall and Kenneth Ray Brown.