New show highlights young stars

Getting on-the-job experience has taken on new meaning at Ocala Models and Talent.

Bruce King Photography

Katelynn Poehler takes charge on the show that airs Thursday evening, 7:30 p.m on Cox Cable, 16.

Wet Orange Studios Photographer Michael Cairns.

Marvin Perez's first love is singing.

Bruce King Photography

On the show Emily Bullard is either a professional or a ditz.

Bruce King Photography

Wet Orange Studios Photographer Michael Cairns.

Within a few episodes into the series The OMT Divas will appear on the show, they are Imani Gibson, Reagan Jones, Kelly Sawyer and Kelli Poehler.

Michel Northsea

In preparation for a red-carpet gala for the premier of a new show on Cox Cable, Channel 16, The Divas from Ocala Models and Talent, left to right, Kelly Sawyer, Reagan Jones and Kellie Poehler, look over their costumes. The group also includes Imani Gibson.

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Four of their talented young adults will debut in a new television show Thursday, Jan. 27, on Cox Cable.

The show is called “Living the Dream at OMT” and stars, Katelynn Poehler, Kody Poehler, Marvin Perez and Emily Bullard.

The half-hour show will include a scripted segment written by Kody and then an interview with a local or visiting celebrity.

“This isn’t a reality TV show though. This is a sitcom,” Marvin said.

Katelynn, the oldest of the four at 22, is the one who takes charge of different situations that crop up in the show – getting Kody to study his lines for upcoming auditions is one of those situations.

During the show, Kody shows his sense of humor.  Marvin takes on the role of a shy singer and Emily tries to build Marvin’s confidence. Emily plays the role of both a ditzy teen off-stage and a professional performer once she steps on the stage.

In real life, Katelynn’s favorite project, so far in her career, was playing the double of Michelle Hunzinger in a series of Italian telecom commercials. That project put her working with John Travolta and Nick Loren.

She teaches runway and dance at OMT and is working on a degree in elementary education through the University of Central Florida, at the Ocala campus.

When the Poehler family was living in North Carolina, Kody won a contest by singing and dancing through a song from Grease. He was 8 then and now, at 17, he still enjoys acting. He has had roles in Beethoven, Ace Ventura and Dolphin Tales.

Marvin Perez, 18, was six years old when he started singing with a choir in native Mexico. Last year, he sang at a Valentine’s Day event in Oak Run and was invited back this year. When KidFetti comes to Silver Springs next month, Marvin will on be on stage as part of the pre-show.

During a workshop on sound engineering by Bruce Swedien, the sound engineer for the late Michael Jackson, Marvin was used to make the recording for Swedien to teach from.

Emily, who is counting the days to her 17th birthday, is new to the entertainment business - just joining OMT about six months ago. Knowing her granddaughter enjoys singing, her grandmother took her by the studio and now Emily spends much of her time there, when she is not in school at West Port.

But viewers of Living the Dream won’t be limited to just seeing the four main characters.

“We hope to eventually write everyone into a script,” said Sheila Poehler, owner of the agency and studio.

Four of the agency’s youngest stars, The Divas, will be in an upcoming episode. The Divas include Kelli Poehler, Imani Gibson, Reagan Jones and Kelly Sawyer. Normally they sing and dance but no one is letting the cat out of the bag about what they’ll do on the television show.

There are advantages to giving on the show.

“It’s good training. It gives everyone a good acting experience because they see what it is like to be on set,” Katelynn explained.

For those involved with “Living the Dream” they dream about their hard workpaying off.

“Maybe the show will get picked up by Disney,” Sheila Poehler said.