Kacie Lynch, 13, of Wylie, just got back from Los Angeles, where she met with Nickelodeon about a new show.

She performed on Radio Disney’s Next Best Thing earlier this year.

She’s starred in Barney and just recorded a theme song for a new television show, Angelina Ballerina.

But for the next few weeks, Kacie plans to be a normal 13-year-old.

“Her dad and I are big believers in just being a kid,” Kacie’s mother, Connie Lynch, said. “Since we’ve been focusing the last several months, she’s going to camp.”

But it won’t be long until Kacie is back in the city of angels. She will fly out in July and stay until September for “Episodic Season” – where actors try to land guest appearances on television shows – before entering her first year of high school at SpringCreekAcademy in Plano.

Rising star

Kacie said she’s always been obsessed with music. “Just ask my dad – I spend way too much on iTunes,” she said.

Kacie, who sings, dances and acts, fell in love with show business during her kindergarten talent show.

“I really wanted to sing and … I really wanted to perform,” she said.

From there, Kacie moved full-speed ahead learning theater, competitive dance and acting. Three years ago, Kacie was asked to be in the Macy’s Day Parade.

In January 2007, The Maury Povich Show invited Kacie to sing on “The America’s Most Talented Kids” segment.

“That was her first time to sing on national television,” Connie said.

Neighbor Jeanine Stevenssaid when she saw Kacie on Maury, her mouth dropped.

"Living in Wylie, I think it's a great thing for the community watching her as she rises," she said.

Kacie went on to star in a Barney movie, Barney: Once Upon a Dino-Tale, and became a regular character on the series Barney and Friends as Taylor. Both were produced by Hit Entertainment in Allen.

In January, Kacie was featured as one of only 11 young artists from across the country on Radio Disney’s Next Best Thing.

“At the end, there was a competition to vote; I ended up in the top five and was really excited to just be a part of it,” Kacie said.

No stopping her

Kacie’s attitude is what defines her success.

“Before all this stuff, she was very grounded, and I think she still is,” Stevens said.

“It’s great doing my dreams and living in Texas and L.A.,” Kacie said.

Even though during the last several months when Kacie fell just short of landing several roles during “Pilot Season,” – in which people in the industry try to create the next new show – Connie said that Kacie keeps persevering.

“Kacie just says, ‘Well, that wasn’t the right one for me,’” Connie said. “She has the right attitude to keep going.”

Kacie said her future goals include more Hollywood.

“My goal, really, is to be a part of Disney,” she said. “I would also love to be able to do feature films, like drama. I want to do it all.”

And, in the spirit of “doing it all,” Kacie returned to being a kid and has been off at Sky Ranch summer camp in Van, Texas, all week.

Lisa Zimmermann is an assistant editor and reporter for the Garland/Wylie/Sachse neighborsgo and can be reached at 469-330-5685 or via e-mail at lzimmermann@neighborsgo.com. Got a story, photo or video you'd like to share? Post them directly on neighborsgo.com. Got a story idea? E-mail it to me directly. For more about how neighborsgo.com works with our neighborsgo print editions, please visit neighborsgo.com/help.