Tad Peterson, 17, Suzanne Peterson, 51, and Gabe Peterson, 11, sit outside while taking a break from homeschooling on their patio at their home in Sedalia, Mo., on Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023. Tad and Gabe, who test above their grade level, are homeschooled by their mother Suzanne. Her busy schedule hasn’t left much room for her to pursue her love of acting, she says. But the Agatha Christie show “And Then There Were None” at the Liberty Center Association for the Arts in town was too good of an opportunity to pass up.

After rollerblading for physical education class at Katy Park, from left to right, Gabe, Tad and Suzanne lounge on the floor of their home. Tad had unexpectedly fallen and needed to ice his lower back throughout the day before opening night.

Suzanne, left, helps Gabe, right, with his spelling lesson at their home. School days start with breakfast, school work, a break for lunch and ideally end by three in the afternoon. The boys are mostly self guided at this age, but Suzanne checks in and helps facilitate tests. 

Tad practices the violin at his family home. In addition to the violin, Tad plays the cello, enjoys roller hockey, and theater.

Tad, left, watches as Suzanne, right, straightens her hair before dress rehearsal at their home. For her role in the play “And Then There Were None,” by Agatha Christie, Suzanne styles her own hair prior to the evening performance from the comfort of her own bathroom. The 1939 hairstyle can take over an hour to complete.

Suzanne, back, daughter, Mikie Peterson, 24, front, lounge in their garage. Suzanne enjoys her home in the countryside which she says is far enough from downtown for peace and quiet, but is also only ten minutes from the city center.

Tad, left, and Suzanne, right, run lines inside their garage at their home. Suzanne has her lines memorized, but is still nervous just hours before her final dress rehearsal for the Agatha Christie play, “And Then There Were None”.

Suzanne applies Tad's makeup at the Liberty Center Association for the Arts. This is Tad’s first professional theater performance and third show ever as an actor, therefore he has little to no experience with applying stage makeup.

Suzanne in her role as Dr. Armstrong and Tad as Marston, act on stage during the Agatha Christie show “And Then There Were None” at the Liberty Center Association for the Arts. Tad’s character is the first to die and Suzanne’s character rushes to his side and pronounces he has died from cyanide poisoning.

The cast finish their curtain call for their first of four performances of Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Were None” at the Liberty Center Association for the Arts.

Suzanne hugs her son Gabe after the Agatha Christie show “And Then There Were None” at the Liberty Center Association for the Arts. According to Suzanne, the opening performance went well overall with few flubs from herself and fellow castmates. “It’s been a blast,” Suzanne said. She is looking forward to doing more theater in the future.