Never nervous and always confident, freshman Clayton Hartwig stepped on stage as Uncle Pirate in a production for the Young Actors Guild (YAG), a youth’s art organization that provides performances for people of all ages. Clayton first got into acting when his dad asked him to join the cast of Beauty and the Beast.

“Acting on stage was fun, and I loved the people I worked with,” Clayton said.

Clayton, who has been performing in YAG for three years, has played a lead role in almost all of his plays. He loved playing Belle’s dad Maurice in Beauty and the Beast, the Pirate King in Pirates of Penzance, and Tootles the Lost Boy in Peter Pan.

Clayton hopes this group will lead him to the big city of Hollywood.

“I want to be famous one day, so I can make money,” Clayton said. “When you see me on TV, you’re going to be like ‘Aye there go Clayton.’”

Clayton’s audience seems to adore him, too.

“I got to yell ‘ARGH’ at the kids, which made the audience laugh,” Clayton said. “A lot of people came up to me with their kids to take a picture.”

His next play is Little Women.

“I play Laurie — he’s a dude,” Clayton said. “He is also the lead male role.”

After Uncle Pirate wrapped, Clayton went to the after party at a friend’s house.

“We had pizza.” Clayton said. “The party was lit because the pool had a rock waterfall, and we jumped off from the top.”

With his love of acting, Clayton remains optimistic for his future roles.

“I just know I’m going to do well,” Clayton said.