While most Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati productions star professional adult actors, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: the Musical puts the spotlight on some truly phenomenal kids, including Claire Hunkler. Claire was cast as the spunky smarty-pants Patty Farrell in this MainStage production, and Cincinnati Family Magazine was lucky enough to catch her in-between school shows to chat about what it’s like acting on stage at The Emery, her process, advice to future middle schoolers, and also her BIG goals in life. Read on and get to know Claire Hunkler…

Cincinnati Family Magazine (CFM): For kids who are familiar with the book series, can you introduce your character and tell us a little bit about the musical?
Claire Hunkler (CH): I’m playing Patty Farrell in Diary of a Wimpy Kid: the Musical. Patty in the books is definitely a suck-up to the teachers, and she always has to be the best at everything. And it’s the same way in the movies. The musical is like a collage of a bunch of the different vignettes from throughout the books. You know, because the books are comics. So that’s kind of the style of the show. And it has a bunch of different little stories in it like when Greg is running for treasurer, that’s my big scene, because Patty wants to run for treasurer too, so she can beat him!

CFM: What do you think your character, Patty, adds to the production?
CH: I think that Patty might be one of the main antagonists. The story is told from Greg’s perspective, so he feels like everyone is targeting him, but Patty specifically. In the show, we learn that Greg poured glitter glue down Patty’s back in second grade.
CFM: Ah, so she has a little bit of a villain arch. That’s the moment it all started!
CH: Yeah, they’re gonna be enemies forever. I think that she’s most determined to crush him. Haha!

CFM: On that note *laughs*, do you have any similarities to your character in the show?  I have heard that you’re a very good student. That you’re very intelligent, you’re very driven. It sounds like you have those things in common with Patty, but maybe not so much the villain arch.
CH: *Laughs* I do think that, yeah, I definitely am a perfectionist like Patty. But I’m not mean about it!

CFM: That’s a good answer! So how do you bring Patty to life on the stage then?
CH: I grew up reading almost all the books, and I’ve watched the movies, too.  So I definitely have been able to take inspiration from the book and movie characters. And from my own personal stories and life, too.
CFM: Ah, yes. We all have unfortunately encountered mean girls in our life time. *laughs*

CFM: Go ahead and eat your lunch, Claire. You have a day of back-to-back school productions today, you have to fuel up! *motions to lunch box* Can you tell us about the day in the life of a student actress?
CH: *politely takes bites of a sandwich* So today, I woke up pretty early to get myself ready and do my hair and show makeup. We come to the theater an hour before the show open, so we’re just getting ready and getting our costumes on and warming up. Then we do the show, which is usually about an hour long, and then we have a little Q and A afterwards, so kids can ask questions. Then we get an hour break for lunch, and then we go back and do it all again!
CFM: That is a busy but really fulfilling day! With being such a good student, how do you fit in school during a production?
CH: Well, after the last show, I actually go back to school for my last two bells. I make sure to check in with my teachers to make sure I know what I am going to be missing, and I can work on it during my down time. When I have a little break like this, I do some school work.

CFM: So you really are driven like Patty! It’s wonderful that you are able to be on this professional stage acting—most of the Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati productions star adults with kids in the audience. Can you remember a time when you saw a TCT show and how it inspired you?
CH: I remember seeing Elf  when it first came out, and I remember thinking it was the same as a Broadway show! That’s how good it was!
CFM: I remember seeing a TCT show of Peter Pan back in the 1990’s and having a similar experience. There were people flying across the stage, and they threw chocolate gold coins into the audience at one point. I was in awe. I was maybe a little too shy to want to be on the stage though… do you remember when it clicked for you that you wanted to be on the stage?
CH: Probably when I was in second grade when I was in my first show. I was Elsa in Frozen. When my director’s would compliment me, it made me want to prove to them that,”Yes, I can do this!”. That’s when I started taking voice lessons. My older brother does theater now, and my other brothers did when they were in high school, so I’d always see their shows. I just really fell in love with the theater.

CFM: I love that! Along with theater you also do dance?
CH: Yes. I do ballet, tape and jazz. I started doing private lessons to work on my technique, leaps and stuff like that.

CFM: I also heard that you have done the Children’s Theatre STAR Camp. Can you tell me a little bit about that experience and why you go back year after year?
CH: It is kind of like a school day, but all about the arts! We have time to work on monologues, take drama classes, and then we work on music for the showcase which is a big play at the end of the camp. You get a taste of what it feels like to be in a professional show. It is a lot of fun and a really good experience.

CFM: You probably get to hang out with lots of peers who enjoy theatre and the arts! Which is probably similar to your school experience at SCPA. I feel like going from elementary school to middle school can be tricky for any student, and that is a theme in Diary of a Wimpy Kid for sure. Do you have any advice for kids that will be going to middle school next year?
CH: Yes! I would say to find a core friend group and find hobbies that keep you grounded. Greg Hefley tries so hard to be popular, but he ends up struggling. I would say, don’t even worry about that! If you feel comfortable with your friends, they won’t judge you. I have a good friend group, and I can talk to them about anything, which makes everything so much easier.
CFM: I think that is so important for younger kids to hear! I was watching the movie this morning, and Greg has the list of 200 kids, and he keeps trying to jump in the popularity ranks. It is so stressful for him, and he doesn’t realize that popularity doesn’t matter. I think that Diary of a Wimpy kid does show you do be yourself!

CFM: So how do you handle any nervousness you may feel when auditioning or when you are about to go on stage?
CH: It’s only been recently where I’ve stopped feeling super nervous before auditions. I would get so nervous and be like, well, if I don’t do this, then this is gonna happen. It is easy to go down a slippery slope. I think the good thing to do is just be like, “Okay, I’m gonna go in there and give it all I’ve got, and if they don’t like me, I will probably never see them again.”
CFM: *laughs* I love that so much. Whenever my family goes on vacation, it is nice to see my kids let loose and be silly because it’s all strangers around who will never see us again.

CFM: Okay, a big question. I want you to dream big and put the energy out there. What is your dream role or dream gig?!
CH: I would probably say in Les Mis on Broadway.
CFM: I can’t wait for you to do that, so we can come back to this interview and say, “Look, you did it!”
CH: Haha! Yes! I would also like to be in a movie adaptation of a musical. I love musicals, and I want to film things when I am older, so I think that would be perfect.
CFM: I can’t wait to see your musical movie! But until then, I would definitely recommend that families come see you as Patty in Diary of a Wimpy Kid: the Musical! 

See Claire Hunkler as Patty in Diary of a Wimpy Kid: the Musical at The Emery Theatre.
Tickets are still available for shows on:

Saturday, February 28 @ 11 a.m.
Saturday, February 28 @ 2 p.m.
Sunday, March 1 @ 2 p.m.
Saturday, March 7 @ 2 p.m.
Saturday, March 7 @ 5 p.m.
Sunday, March 8 @ 2 p.m.

Click here to purchase now!

The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati @ The Emery Theatre 

1112 Walnut Street, Cincinnati, OH
513-569-8080 | www.thechildrenstheatre.com