Eireann Hutchinson Crowned Miss Julian 2005

Sherlice Nichols, 2nd princess; Eireann Hutchinson, Miss Julian 2005; Julia Adams, 3rd Princess and Jessica Goodlett, 1st Princess.

Photos courtesy of Jill Fleming Ogilvie

By Ruth Lepper

After a month, Eireann Hutchinson is getting used to wearing the crown that gives her the distinction of representing her hometown as Miss Julian 2005. The title was bestowed upon her in ceremonies June 4 at the Julian Town Hall.

Hutchinson, 17 and entering her senior year at Julian Union High School, considers Julian a very special place for her entire family. She is the daughter of Juli Zerbe and Jim Hutchinson and the granddaughter of Betty Zerbe and the late Richard Zerbe. Her sister, Clare, 19, attends college in Berkeley.

Eireann with her grandmother Betty Zerbe after she came on stage to congratulate her.

Sports activities take up much of Eireann’s busy schedule. She plays on the volleyball, basketball and softball teams, as well as track and field. She also plays saxophone in the high school band, and her involvement with the Spanish Club included a trip to Costa Rico this past spring.

Hutchinson has aspirations of studying acting in New York City. But first, she plans to attend Palomar College, where she wants to enroll in drama classes.

The Julian teen will act this summer in the rock musical “Footloose” for the American Rose Theatre in Rancho Penasquitos. The production will first be performed at the Westview High School theater in Rancho Penasquitos and later in the summer at Kit Carson Park in Escondido.

Hutchinson already has experience on her acting resume. She played several minor roles in Julian Theatre Company’s “Play It Again, Sam” at the town hall and performed in the mystery dinner theater at Julian Union High School. As a youngster, she played the lead in “Alice in Wonderland,” a musical produced by Willow Fair, an acting company based in Julian for a short time.

Hutchinson said she prefers performing in musicals but “would be very happy with any kind of acting.”

She also has an interest in gymnastics.

“I’ve been doing gymnastics since I was 5,” she said. “I took lessons for a few years from the Ramona-Julian Academy of Dance, but I quit because of sports in high school.”

The new Miss Julian will ride in the local Fourth of July parade, and she will make appearances at activities and events sponsored by Julian Chamber of Commerce and Julian Merchants Association. She also will represent the town in other parts of the county. Joining her at many of the functions will be the pageant’s princesses, Julia Adams, Jessica Goodlett and Sherlice Nichols.

“I’m going to try to go to everything I can,” Hutchinson said.

She plans to take college classes during the summer and, when she has time, work at her parents’ gift shop, Wandering Sage.