Two local students share their love of music and the stage

Mira Babal enjoys sharing her creativity with others, including classmates. Photo: Hrishi Shah

As an antidote to the uncertainty in the world, some young people have sought refuge in the arts. Whether seeking to make sense of the meaningless through music, offering souls a few hours of escapism, or sparking curiosity through theater productions, young artists like Minnetonka singer-songwriter Mira Babal and Plymouth actress Anja Arora are using their creative strengths to create beautiful things to share and celebrate.

The musician

“I’ve always been interested in music,” says Mira. “Nobody could stop me.” The articulate 11-year-old, who recently graduated from fifth grade at Groveland Elementary, was just three years old when she started playing the piano. Not long after, she started playing the drums. Mira has now expanded her instrument arsenal to include bass, guitar, recorder, ukulele and violin.

Last year, Mira wrote, produced and released her first song, Mad for No Reason, a catchy pop-rock single with a driving beat. She says the song was inspired by several incidents she experienced post-COVID-19, including an ensuing argument after a driver took away another driver’s parking space. “It was just a small thing,” Mira says, but it left a big impression on her.

That moment of quick anger, and others like it, stuck with Mira, and soon after, she found a song verse that captured her feelings: “Why are you like this every time, every day? Always angry for no reason. I’m just trying to live in the moment. I don’t know what to do when it always gets you so down. Always angry for no reason. I’m just trying to live my life.”

Mira released the song on streaming platforms late last year and shot the accompanying music video, which sees her singing and playing bass, drums and keyboards. While completing this project, she continued to write music, including her second single, Infinity. The track is a soft, ethereal ballad that reflects the “flow of nature and how we should incorporate it into our lives,” says Mira. She released the song in March and shot the accompanying music video the same month.

A self-proclaimed perfectionist, Mira regularly wakes up at 5 a.m. to work on her music. “I love writing songs the most,” she says. With several hours of instrument practice per day and music lessons three to four days per week, Mira dedicates much of her time to her craft, but she is quick to point out that she isn’t just about music. “I love programming,” she says. “I love sports like tennis and basketball. I love being active.”

Mira isn’t sure if she wants to pursue a career in music, but says, “It’s definitely something I’m interested in. It’ll be a hobby at least.” For now, she’s enjoying the fruits of her labor, from the pure joy she feels playing her compositions to the songs her friends request from her in class. “It’s pretty cool that they request Taylor Swift first and then me,” she says.

Instagram: @mirababal
YouTube: Mira Babal

The actor

Anja Arora is starring in the Children’s Theatre Company’s production of “Alice in Wonderland”. She says of Alice’s journey: “I think it really embodies the true nature of human curiosity and the human spirit.” Photo: Glen Stubbe Photography

“Ever since I was very small, I have had this love for acting and art,” says Anja. The 15-year-old student at Minnetonka High School recently took on her first leading role as Alice in the Children’s Theatre Company’s production of Alice in Wonderland.

“I always knew I wanted to do (acting) in some form. I didn’t know if that meant doing professional theater, but I always knew I would get my foot in the door one way or another because I just loved it,” she says.

Alice in Wonderland is Anja’s fifth production with the Children’s Theatre Company. Her first was Annie, which was staged in 2021 after the pandemic pushed back the production schedule. “I was one of the orphan girls,” says Anja. “And it was super fun because actually (Audrey Mojica), who I play Alice with, played Annie in it, so I already knew her.”

Memorizing lines can be a big challenge, especially for a role that spends almost the entire show on stage, but Anja attributes her success in part to her mother, Joan Morse, who goes over the lines with her. Sharing the role with a friend doesn’t hurt either. “(Audrey and I) support each other during such intensive rehearsal processes,” says Anja, referring to the rehearsal schedule for Alice in Wonderland began with five hours a day, four days a week, with all-day rehearsals on Saturdays.

The hard work was worth it for the opportunity to take audiences on Alice’s journey. “I think she really embodies the true nature of human curiosity and the human spirit,” says Anja. “I think it’s so important for youth to try to understand things, to be curious and to explore… you’re only in this world to enjoy it and ask questions.”

Children’s theatre group
2400 Third Ave. S., Mpls.; 612.874.0400
Facebook: Children’s Theatre Group
Instagram: @childrenstheatrecompany