#sshqmadison

MARLEY: Hey Madison, it’s me Marley.

full name: Madison Jean McCarthy age: 17 grade: Senior gender identity: Female pronouns: she/her sexual & romantic orientation: Heterosexual/romantic family members of importance: Patrick and Danielle McCarthy (parents), Mason McCarthy (16, twin brother) clubs/teams (if any): Cheerios, New Directions, Drama Club positive traits: ambitious, nurturing, dedicated, creative, resilient negative traits: over-bearing, stubborn, adverse to change, hyper-focused, clingy

biography

Two things happened when Madison was born to Up with the People stars Patrick and Danielle McCarthy. One, her life was destined for the stage, any stage, striving for attention. Two, she became a big sister to Mason, by 14 minutes and 32 seconds. As infants they were want for nothing, the perfect accessory wrapped in a sling snug against a parent’s chest, toted around the country and snoozing while the band played various venues. But babies turned into toddlers who walked and got into things, had jam hands stickying up equipment.

At three, Madison learned the word nanny. At first they were part time and on the road, keeping twins occupied while the grownups worked, but as they became ready for school it was easier to leave the kids at home to find friends and routine in a traditional classroom. While each of the four nannies they had over the years were kind and polite, their care was overall superficial. They had a clean house and food on the table, clean laundry and an in home tutor. What Madison wanted was love, affection, and attention. Wanting to be sure that Mason was still want for nothing, she bestowed much of her energy into caring for him. There was no need for both of them to feel neglect.

To get her own recognition, Madison took a page from her parents’ playbook: performing. She sang in her elementary school choir, always demanding to be front and center. She took dance and gymnastics and begged for a role in the school play. And when she finally snagged the lead in a middle school production of Shrek Jr, her parents were front and center twice across the week of performances. If she was good enough, she’d win their love. However, after that, it seemed their performance schedules always conflicted with hers. Perhaps she just needed to try harder.