Celina teen signs deal with agent

CELINA - A Celina teenager hopes a talent agency contract can help launch her acting and music career.

Scenebot Stage officials recently chose Lauren Schroeder, 16, to fly out to Los Angeles to perform for talent scouts, managers and casting directors.

After she sang her original song "No Pleasing" and Queen's "Somebody to Love," three talent agencies expressed interest in signing Schroeder, she said.

Agent Tina Randolph Contogenis, founder of Eris Talent Agency in Hollywood, stood out for Schroeder. She decided to sign with Contogenis and began training with acting coach Alexia Robbins to prepare for auditions. In the process, she learned acting on television is different from performing in musical stage productions.

"A lot of people think you need to put on a face to act. TV acting is really about acting like a real person," she said. "Theater acting is different, you need to overact."

Over the past month or so, Schroeder has auditioned for the lead in a Netflix show about a girl musician and as a babysitter in a movie.

To promote her singing career, Schroeder went to Benchmark and Starstruck recording studios in Nashville to record an EP with five original songs. Her producer has worked with Luke Bryan and other big-name country stars.

"This was my first time working at a recording studio," Schroeder said. "So it was all new to me, but I adapt to change very well."

She envisions herself becoming a unique musician and wants "to bring something new to the table."

Musicians who have played with Tim McGraw and other stars provided the instrumentals at Benchmark. Schroeder also spent five hours singing lead vocals for each song at Reba McEntire's Starstruck Studios on Nashville's Music Row. She plans to return soon to record the background vocals.