A typical day for the Valley Christian Junior High School eighth-grader often means skipping time with her friends so she can study in the library, make afternoon cheerleading practice, have a quick dinner and then change for theater rehearsals, which are from 6 to 10 p.m. She also has to find time for homework and a few hours of sleep.

Since she is so busy, her father, Perry, decided to join the cast to spend time with his daughter.

It's been 20 years since Perry sang or acted. But growing up in Texas he acted in school plays and sang at church. He also toured Southern California with a rock band and played guitar during the 1970s.

"When I heard 'children's' in the title of Children's Musical Theater I thought it would be kids dancing around in tutus," says Perry, who runs a high-tech business out of his home. "I was blown away when I saw the professional quality and talent of the main stage production."

The Kirks discovered the theater when a friend performed in Sleeping Beauty five years ago. At the age of 10 Taylor was cast in her first performance at the theater, called Dames at Sea.

"We cast everyone that auditions because we don't want anyone's ego to be bruised," says CMT's director of marketing, Micki Sever.

But competition for lead roles is intense, Taylor says. The casting process for Oliver! lasted two days and included auditioning several times for the part of Bet—which was a challenge but fun because in the story she "grew up on the streets, is a tramp and speaks with a Cockney accent," Taylor says.

Last year CMT held nine productions. Although the amount of adults in a production varies, 13 percent of the Oliver! cast is adults. This year is CMT's 35th anniversary, and the schedule includes Smokey Joe's Cafe, The Will Rogers Follies, The Who's Tommy and The Music Man.

Taylor will skip a class trip to Washington, D.C. this summer to audition for the productions of Starmites—a rock & roll science fiction adventure—and Persephone—CMT's world premiere production based on the Greek myth of the seasons.

Barbara also got involved by coordinating hair and makeup for Oliver!

It will be "a piece of cake after applying black KISS-type makeup for Wind in the Willows two years ago," she says.

Taylor also has experience modeling in commercials and magazines, and she had a part in the 1998 film What Dreams May Come, starring Robin Williams.

Even before joining CMT, Taylor took lessons in ballet, jazz, tap and hip-hop dancing at Dance Attack Performing Dance Company, and she has taken private voice lessons and acted in school plays.

With her limited free time, Taylor goes to movies with friends, shops, attends parties and "flirts," she says.

About following in her father's footsteps musically, she says, "I knew he could sing but I didn't know he could play guitar until I saw a picture of him when he was young with long hair."

Taylor hopes to study acting at UCLA or USC. She also aspires to sing on Broadway and act in movies.

Oliver! runs Dec. 6-15 at Montgomery Theater, San Jose. Tickets are $20 for adults and $12 for children. For ticket information, call 408.288.5437, ext. 10 or email tickets@cmtsj.org.