Meet Rachel Novak of Copy Cats for Kids in North Atlanta

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Novak.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Rachel. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My journey to where I am today has been rooted in trusting God, taking risks, and embracing my artistic beauty.

I’m originally from Burlington, Wisconsin. I was born and raised in a small midwestern town, but that didn’t stop my big dreams. I was in community theatre as much as possible, took piano lessons, various dance classes, and sang in church and school chorus. My senior year of high school, we were producing “Annie Get Your Gun” for our spring musical. I remember singing and dancing to the opening number, “There’s No Business Like Show Business” and thinking, “There truly isn’t.” Around that moment is when I knew I wanted a career in entertainment, regardless of how hard it was going to be. Always dream big!

I applied to six colleges, two in-state and four out-of-state. Deep down, I knew I wanted to spread my wings and explore life outside of Wisconsin. I quickly became attracted to Atlanta’s expanding film industry. I visited Kennesaw State University (Kennesaw, GA) in February of 2015. The distance from Atlanta mixed with their stellar theatre program had me falling quicker than I expected. With scholarships in hand and an open heart, I moved from Wisconsin to Georgia in August of 2015 to obtain my Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Performance Studies at Kennesaw State University.

This change felt amazing, but it came at a cost. Thankfully I walked into college with 15 credits from dual enrollment classes in high school. I knew with lots of hard work and a couple of summer courses, I could graduate in three years. I took eighteen credit hours three semesters in a row, presented at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research, was involved in five school productions, had an internship at Jitterbug Performing Arts, and the final summer of my undergrad went abroad to Dublin, Ireland to study at The Gaiety School of Acting. In July of 2018, I graduated with a Bachelors of Arts degree in Theatre and Performance Studies with a concentration in Acting.

While being a student, I signed with my current agent, Lora Huntington with Classic Talent Agency, and worked a couple of fun part-time jobs to help pay the bills and exercise my creative outlet. For about one and half years, I was a dance teacher with Creative Movement and Dance. Currently, I am an English Teacher with VIPKID and an entertainer with Copy Cats for Kids. I started my work with Copy Cats in May of 2016. I get to dress up as princesses, mascots, themed characters and attend children’s birthday parties and family events. The best part about the job is that I am always walking into a new environment, meeting a new group of kids, and being various characters. I’m extremely blessed to be a working actress in Atlanta, and I can’t wait to see what the universe has in store for me!

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My life will never be a smooth road, but that’s what makes it so interesting! Along the way, I struggled with body image, self-love, my faith, bullying, losing friends, and seeking validation through romantic relationships. I struggled with accepting who I was. Was I scared no one would like me? Worse. I was scared I wouldn’t like myself. Once I graduated college, oof, that was a bumpy road! Stepping out of the education system after years of using grades to measure my level of success was so rough! Why don’t more people talk about this transition? Looking back on it, I am grateful for that time of reflection. It pushed me to become a better version of myself. I make sure to cherish family and my friends more. To seek God during the good and bad. Finally, I remind myself that I am already living my dream! These are the things that push me through my struggles.

Please tell us about Copy Cats for Kids.
I started my work with Copy Cats in May of 2016. I dress up as princesses, mascots, or themed characters and attend children’s birthday parties and family events. The best part about the job is that I am always walking into a new environment, meeting a new group of kids, and being different types of characters. I specialize in face painting, magic, and balloon animals. Upon request, I can also blow bubbles, apply water tattoos, hula hoop, and sing Happy Birthday. I’m known for being an awesome ice princess, and my interactions with kids are great! I always try to include everyone. I’m most proud of the hard work that goes into booking these parties. My boss Andy, (who also owns Party Animals,) and my manager Trish work hard for this company. I’m happy to be working with them! What sets me apart from others would be my dedication to this job. I’ve never canceled on a party before, and I always try to show up on time and do the best job I can!

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Singing karaoke in my family room. The genres changed through the years, but the fun never changed. One of the first songs I ever sang solo was “Part of Your World” from The Little Mermaid. My first duet performance was singing “A Whole New World” with my father. I’m very thankful to have grown in such a close, loving, and fun family!