PBS films Missouri’s ‘Awesome Kid’ in Fredericktown

Video series will feature an ‘Awesome Kid’ from each state for America’s 250th birthday

Many kids like to imagine they can slay dragons, but Owen Sooter had the opportunity to add dragon-slaying to his resume when the St. Louis-based Public Broadcast System’s affiliate station, Nine PBS, came to town.

Owen unleashed his vivid imagination onto the Nine PBS crew for a new series called “America’s Awesome Kids.” The series will feature kids from different states showcasing their talents, hobbies, and interests.

Owen was chosen from over 70 kids submitted to Nine PBS based on a three-minute video his parents, Stephanie and Mike Sooter, sent in the fall. He was chosen by the producers of the Boston PBS station, who want to make an episode on all 50 states to celebrate America’s 250th birthday.

The video highlighted Owen’s hobbies and family. Owen is interested in acting and personifying different characters in costume. He likes to eat at Scoop’s Frozen Custard regularly and enjoys the small-town charm of Fredericktown. In the video, he showed off Owen’s Cookies for charity and his dog, Waffles.

“I love characters, costumes, and being in stories. And being in plays,” Owen said.

When the PBS crew of five met Owen at the Mineral Area College Theatre in Park Hills on Friday morning, carrying cameras and tripods to the spotlit stage, Owen was right at home. His love for acting and becoming characters showed through in his eagerness to be in front of the camera and ability to improvise on the spot, which often surprised the PBS crew with his confidence and quickness.

PBS Producer Michael Gualdoni picked up props for Owen: a styrofoam dagger and a pirate’s hat.

“You’ll just be a pirate,” Michael said in his directions. “What would you do if you were a pirate on the stage?”

“Fight,” Owen said.

For several minutes, Michael fought Owen in stage combat. He was impressed by Owen’s performance and boundless energy and prompt reactions. After that, Owen built a brick house as the third pig.

Owen has dozens of costumes to choose from.

“The problem is when little boys get bigger, they don’t make as many costumes,” Stephanie observed.

The highlight of his stage time was when he was outfitted as a prince, and tasked with fighting dragons.

“Now there are three dragons,” Nine PBS Early Education Director Brooke Bennett said. Owen adapted and widened the range of his sword. His dad volunteered to be “stabbed” a few times by Owen on the ground in defeat.

In the middle of an interview with Bennett, Owen jumped out of his chair to sit across from a tripod that Video Production Manager Aaron Landgraf was assembling.

“He’s said all week that he was nervous, but then he acts like this,” Stephanie, Owen’s mom, laughed.

Owen delivered some lines to the producers, and they let him yell “Cut!”

Owen played as the prince in a Theater Camp production and Tally the Elf in a Christmas play. Owen tried out for a part in Winnie the Pooh at the Mineral Area Fine Arts Academy, but as one of the youngest on a giant list, didn’t get the part, his mom said. But he said hopes to audition for many more in the future.

After taking the MAC stage with Owen, PBS drove down Highway 67 to tour Fredericktown with Owen. They took photos in front of the Madison County Courthouse and Fredericktown City Hall mural. Of course, they visited the old theater. Owen showed them his cookies and talked about his goal of having his family visit other states.

In his video, Owen said he likes to make new recipes for his family and sell his cookies to help feed hungry kids. During the government shutdown, Owen helped with a church’s food room by stocking and moving groceries out to the car.

The tour ended at Scoop’s Frozen Custard, where the crew tried the ice cream, and Owen brought his friends.

His friend Milly was at the ice cream parlor, who he said helped get him into acting. She would don costumes with him and play the princess, and he the prince or other roles when they were younger, and still today.

PBS asked him for advice for other kids interested in acting.

“There’s no reason to be shy or scared; you can just have fun by doing it.”

Though he is used to being a prince, Owen said his favorite role would be the dragon, so he could finally be slain.

“I like acting as other people because it makes me feel like I’m actually in the story with all the other people,” he said.

Landgraf said the crew enjoyed traveling farther out into the beautiful surrounding areas of St. Louis.

“I thought Owen was a delight,” he said. “He was super excited, and it was super cool to see the town.”

America’s Awesome Kids will debut in a few months, with the goal of featuring all 50 states.