11 year old Milanis Clark’s recent casting in the new Broadway production Ella: An American Miracle is the latest triumph in a growing list of victories for this young performer. The theatrical work mines Fitzgerald’s iconic songbook and features Clark working alongside such talents as Dee Dee Washington and Charity Angel Dawson, among others. It’s a natural outgrowth of her recent role as Young Alline, Tina Turner’s older sister, in the Broadway production Tina – The Tina Turner Musical.
That production represented, in some ways, Clark’s coming out party. Adunni Rose Talent Agency’s ability to secure plum roles for Clark has a transformative effect on her performing fortunes and it’s tantalizing to consider where the youngster can do from here. Despite her lack of years, Clark is already a seasoned performer. She began exhibiting her skills to an eager public at the age of three when she wowed restaurant goers with her vocal gifts. Those appearances ran alongside her appearances in talent shows.
By age five she progressed to appearing in School House Rocks productions and Michael Jackson vs. Prince Collections. A pattern emerges. She moves from essentially grass roots performing singing for diners before upping her game into actual television productions. It reaches an even higher level when Clark lands a role in the Disney+ production of Better Nate than Never with a cast featuring Friends star Lisa Kudrow, among many others,
This ascent is natural when you consider Clark’s upbringing. Her mother Yeimis is a lauded professional dancer with considerable experience and a co-founder of the nonprofit Designed 2 Dance. Clark’s step-mother Toni Menage is the longtime personal manager for Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam, a skilled performer and singer as well, and Clark’s mother Yeimis has a long professional relationship with Lisa Lisa as well. She’s well served by such associations – not just as a child growing up, but as a young professional.
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The energizing and engaging personality she brings to bear is perhaps the biggest key to her appeal. It is effortless, not a self-conscious construction designed to snag roles, but a reflection of her genuine personality. It’s an effervescence that will help carry her through the long career ahead of her and she’ll build a fan base with each new appearance that will undoubtedly follow her as the years roll on.
There’s no telling where her appearance in Ella: An American Miracle will lead her next. The Adunni Rose Talent Agency has done an excellent job positioning her for better and better roles and the key will be Clark’s continued ability to impress and pull off these increasingly complex parts.
There’s no indication she won’t. She has the wherewithal, focus, and drive necessary to take her talents in any direction she likes. There’s little or no question that following her will prove to be an entertaining and thoroughly satisfying experience. It’s one that she wants to share with everyone and let’s hope she continues developing her need to communicate and entertain. Rarely can we identify child performers destined for greater things and this is definitely an instance of that we can all appreciate.
Claire Uebelacker