By Michael Gioia
14 Aug 2012

	Sheldon Tucker

Sheldon Tucker, 22, has been with Bring It On since its first workshop in the fall of 2010. Tucker, from Bentonville, AR, began cheering in high school and continued with the Hawai'i Pacific University coed team. "I have always loved performing and getting the opportunity to create, but I expected that to all end when I moved on from cheerleading," he said. "After being introduced to the world of theatre, I have now found a way to continue doing what I love as a career. I am inspired to see it through simply because I get to make a living doing what I love. What's better than that?!"

Tucker, a part of the Bring It On ensemble, always believed the show would make it to Broadway. During the musical's first preview at the St. James, "it started to sink in that we had made it to Broadway and the audience was so amazing," he said. "It felt like a warm welcoming into the Broadway community."

	Lauren Whitt

"If you would have asked me a couple of years ago," said 24-year-old ensemble member Lauren Whitt, "I never thought I would be on Broadway." Whitt, who was also seen in the film "Bring It On: In It to Win It," has cheered for the University of Central Florida, Team USA Coed and UCA Staff (Universal Cheerleaders Association) as well as all-star and high school teams.

On the road to Broadway, she said her biggest challenges were learning how to sing and dance, having been with Bring It On: The Musical since its Atlanta production. "Cheerleading is performance-based, too," said Whitt, from Orlando, FL. "Taking on Broadway was very scary to me, but it was exciting!"

Watch the Bring It On team talk about the show on its Broadway opening night.