Sentiment and nostalgia are in the air during the holidays. For Grand Canyon University alumna Mikayla Cavanaugh, that means bringing a Christmas classic to local theatres as part of the national tour of “A Christmas Carol.”
“I was really excited because a few years ago, I never thought I would even really try to pursue performing professionally,” Cavanaugh said. “Now I am doing it and I am living that dream that I didn’t even really know if I had.”
When Cavanaugh was in eighth grade, she joined a local youth theatre company in her hometown of Las Vegas. Cavanaugh immediately fell in love with acting and made her way to the top of cast lists for every one of the company’s biannual shows.
“That place is what really helped me fall in love with theatre."
Early on, she knew she wanted to spend her college years at GCU because of family members once attended. While her studies were focused on psychology, she was no stranger to Ethington Theatre on campus.
From “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” and “SpongeBob SquarePants The Musical” to “Mary Poppins,” “Beauty and the Beast” and her college finale, “Little Women,” Cavanaugh did not let stage fright keep her out of the spotlight.
She established a consistent presence quickly on stage as an actress and behind the scenes as a crew member. Before graduating in spring 2025, she put on her best college performance while portraying “Little Women’s” Amy March, the youngest of four sisters.
“Mikayla grew so much in her time here,” said Michael Kary, assistant theatre professor. “She works hard, and she pushes herself. Her turn as Chip in ‘Beauty and the Beast’ was just as adorable as her Amy in ‘Little Women’ that shone with innocence and maturity.
“When I heard she was cast in the ‘Christmas Carol’ tour, my first thought was, ‘Wow, aren’t they lucky to have her.’”
Her role as Amy March and being in a small production such as "Little Women," played an integral part in preparing her for the future that would come in acting, including "A Christmas Carol.”
“This tour is really small and everybody in the cast also has some type of other job,” Cavanaugh said. “I felt prepared for that because of all the experience I had at GCU, because the theatre department is really focused on creating well-rounded theatre people. Not just actors, but people that can do the tech side of things.
“Michael Kary ran rehearsals very professionally, so it felt pretty natural moving into an actual professional environment. He constantly pushed me outside of my comfort zone. I always felt safe, supported and encouraged, and it really helped me grow.”
Since late November, Cavanaugh has been living out of a suitcase traveling along the east coast, recreating the magic of Charles Dickens’ Christmas classic. Beloved by many, the tale follows a miserable old man Ebenezer Scrooge, whose distaste for Christmas and the community is changed after being visited by three spirits, Past, Present and Future.
Through dramatic flashbacks, Scrooge experiences a radical transformation, turning into a man embracing the joyful Christmas spirit and the gift of giving to the less fortunate.
Cavanaugh portrays Martha Cratchit, daughter of Scrooge’s clerk, Bob Cratchit, but when needed understudies for other roles and serves as the team’s wardrobe supervisor.
In her first professional experience, Cavanaugh has gotten a glimpse of the high demands that include a rigorous schedule of frequent rehearsals, late nights and gruesome traveling days. But there is nothing like getting in the Christmas spirit and spreading the holiday joy.
GCU News staff writer Izabela Fogarasi can be reached at [email protected]
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