After only two years of performing, 11-year-old Laura Nelson has an impressive resume of singing, acting and dancing. Asked about her favorite, she is quick to reply, “singing, acting, then dancing.”

Laura is playing a character, also named Laura, in the new production of the “American Girl Revue” that opened Wednesday  at the American Girl Place of Chicago. The fifth-grader has been taking tap at Jo’s Footwork in Western Springs for two years and has performed since third grade in choir groups and in theater productions, including the Missoula Children’s Theatre, BAMtheatregroup and Wheaton Drama, Inc. Laura also plays soccer with the Hawks on the U-11 White team, making her the quintessential American girl.

American Girl Place opened in November 1998 and the theater opened at the end of that month. The “American Girl Revue,” a show with singing and dancing based on the historical dolls, ran initially for three years. A second show, “Circle of Friends,” ran for 2,500 performances. Both were created by the Broadway team of Gretchen Cryer and Nancy Ford. Laura is performing in an updated version of the original American Girl Revue, including new dolls, friends of dolls and other characters.

The productions feature girls ages 8 to 12. The run of cast varies and auditions are ongoing. Some girls move on to other projects or leave the show as they get older. The production has an open run and Laura is looking forward to performing as long as possible.

Shows are 70 minutes in length and performances are Thursdays through Sundays during the school year, with multiple shows on weekends. Of the 50 girls in the show, there are four different rotating casts, which reduces the pressure on the school-age performers.

A fifth-grader at The Lane School, Laura and her three other carpool mates head downtown for rehearsals three to four days a week with Laura’s mom, Mary Nelson, leaving after school — around 3:30 p.m. — and returning around 10 p.m. They bring dinner to eat on break and a snack for the ride home. Altogether, practices have been about 25 hours a week.

“I do my homework in the car and my teachers are pretty flexible,” Laura said.

So far, Laura’s favorite part of this experience is meeting new people. Laura has met girls from a wide geographical area, including Indiana and Kankakee. Her carpool mates are from much closer to home. Maisie Bull, who’s in fourth grade, and Jayne Jaeger, a seventh-grader, live in Clarendon Hills; and Sarah Mitman, also in seventh grade, lives in Downers Grove.

In addition to singing and dancing, Laura must act in the musical. She has thought a lot about the acting component of her performance.

“It’s easy to be angry and happy but there are some hard things,” she said. “Probably sad is one of the hard ones. Especially if you’re not supposed to cry and you have to show you’re sad and you have to use body language and expression.”

Laura must be a very good actress because the outgoing, positive girl with an instant smile is playing a shy character in the production. Meeting her, it is truly hard to imagine.

For reservations and performance schedules, call (877) 247-5223. Tickets cost $28 per person. During the school year, performances run Thursdays through Sundays only. American Girl Place is located off Michigan Avenue at 111 E. Chicago Ave. in Chicago.

Ideas and items for Hometown Hinsdale can be sent to Michelle Geoga at MGeoga@gmail.com.