By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – In following her love for live performance in front of an audience, LaPlace resident Courtney Boe has gone from dancing, to Disney, to D-Day.

“It has always been one of those things I just can’t get enough of,” Boe, 24, said of performing. “The energy you feel from a live audience is just amazing.”

Boe’s current gig is a regular role as one of the three Victory Belles, a USO-style singing and dancing show at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans.

Dressed in period attire, the girls belt out popular tunes from the era and perform before an audience that is often filled with local veterans.

“We sing popular songs from the ‘40s in three part harmony for visitors to the Stage Door Canteen section of the museum,” Boe said. “It is such a wonderful way to entertain and honor our veterans and their families.”

Boe said her work with the Victory Belles began earlier this month and will carry on throughout the year.

Prior to landing her gig at the World War II Museum, Boe said she had spent a year working as a “cast member” for Walt Disney World in Orlando, where she spent time as an assortment of famous characters.

“Magical is really the only way to describe it,” Boe said. “It was always so well run and such a great place to work.”

During her stint at Disney, Boe said she spent time as a full suited “cartoon” character, while also dressing up in costume as a more human character. Although she could not reveal exactly what characters she played, Boe offered some hints to what she did with her time.

“There was lots of ‘floating around’ and ‘playing with pixie dust’ while I was there,” she said. “I also took a few trips down a rabbit hole, if you know what I mean.”

A native of New Orleans, Boe grew up in the Lakeview neighborhood and went to school at Cabrini, as well as the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, where she got her first taste for acting.

“While I was in school at Cabrini, I had gotten asked by the theatre department at Jesuit High School to get involved in a few shows that needed female actors,” Boe said. “My first solid part was a role in a production of Footloose. I was hooked right there.”

Since that first performance, Boe said she has landed roles in performances for Rivertown Theatre in Kenner, the Jefferson Performing Arts Society in Metairie and the St. John Theatre in Reserve.

“I love being a part of that small community theatre atmosphere,” Boe said. “It is fascinating how much undiscovered and unexposed talent we have in this area.”

Boe resides in LaPlace with her husband Buddy. When she is not on state, Boe is part of the staff at Buddy B’s Restaurant in Reserve.