Samantha Hughes    (Lily Mae Harrington (from TGP2)  )
Class of 2017
New Directions Member (NND)
Drama Club Member (NND)

Samantha is full bodied young woman with a powerful voice and a heart of gold who struggles to take feedback. Samantha is professionally trained singer and was part of the first New Directions audition group in the fall of 2014 (NND). She was voted in, even though she rubbed people the wrong way, because of her powerful voice, obvious talent, and because so few people auditioned; and they knew they needed to get closer to the 12 needed for competition. Her defensiveness and her struggle to incorporate feedback will be an ongoing issue for her and the source of conflict with the other New Directions, Will, and the Alumni Mentors, but she will grow as a person and performer as the year goes on. Her performances tend to be big and brassy, but she wears her heart on her sleeve and isn’t above breaking down emotionally.

In middle school she was the popular one who hosted house parties. We eventually learn that Samantha was a bully in junior high until she saw the movie Mean Girls at a slumber party and recognized some uncomfortable parts about herself in the main characters, and immediately did a 180 degree change in her behavior. 

Originally from Cape Cod MA. She has always been bigger and was always insecure about it. But when she was about ten, she came to the realization that this was how she was, and that she she should forget about what everyone else thought because that’s how she was. When she looked in the mirror she saw a beautiful girl. Why didn’t everyone else? She never understood the pressure to be tiny. Has a sister who is a 115 lb ballerina. Fortunately she didn’t fall victim to comparing herself to her sister. She was and is an athlete (swimmer).

She is an early riser, and wakes up every morning at 6:30 AM without fail. 

Samantha sings Out Here on My own, from Fame in her audition.