Melody Thomas Scott will take the stage for “Always Young & Restless: An Evening with Melody Thomas Scott” at the Lucille Ball Little Theatre of Jamestown, 18 E. Second St. Submitted photo

Melody Thomas Scott has been acting since she was 3 years old, and for her, nothing else gives her personal satisfaction.

You know her from her portrayal as Nikki Newman on the daytime soap opera “The Young & The Restless.”

Tuesday, Scott will be at the Lucille Ball Little Theatre of Jamestown for a fundraiser.

“Always Young & Restless: An Evening with Melody Thomas Scott” is 7:30-9 p.m. at the LBLTJ, 18 E. Second St. Ticket price is $45. Scott will take the stage and reflect on her career as she shares personal photos and video clips of some of her most memorable Hollywood moments while interacting with the audience and answering their questions. Autographed copies of her memoir, “Always Young and Restless: My Life On and Off America’s #1 Daytime Drama,” will be available in the lobby before the event, with 100 percent of the proceeds benefiting the theatre.

Scott never thought she would be playing the same role for almost 45 years. Her longevity in the role comes from a strong foundation her character was given.

“When I first accepted the role of Nikki, I never dreamed I would still be playing her almost forty-five years later. I attribute the success of Nikki to the strong foundation for the character and rich storylines written by our creator, William J. Bell. Our current creative team has tried to remain true to Bill’s vision for the show that he so lovingly created. And I think they have succeeded,” Scott said in an email.

Scott said she was lucky to fall in love with the craft at such a young age.

“I have been acting since I was three years old. I was so lucky to have learned from the best and fall in love with the craft. It is a very emotional thing for me to step into the shoes of the character I’m playing. Nothing else gives me the same level of personal satisfaction,” Scott added.

Another opportunity is also being offered. “The VIP Experience with Melody Thomas Scott” includes a ticket to the theatre event as well as one to a special gala reception in Melody’s honor from 9:30-11 p.m. Price for this package is $150 and is limited to just 65 tickets. After enjoying premium seating at the Lucille Ball Little Theatre, these 65 ticket holders will meet Scott one-on-one at the reception for photos and autographs. A silent auction featuring several pieces of unique memorabilia donated by Scott, including a The Young & The Restless script signed by several cast members and an iconic wardrobe item worn by her on the daytime drama, will also be part of the gala.

“I’ve admired Lucille Ball my entire life and am so looking forward to raising money for the Lucille Ball Little Theatre,” scott said.

LBLTJ Board President Holly Weston noted that “An opportunity like this has never happened before for Little Theatre. A veteran television actress who has been part of our daytime TV viewing lives for decades has reached out to us and offered to come to Jamestown and present a show and a reception — all at her own expense and with all proceeds benefitting the Lucille Ball Little Theatre. At a time when so many nonprofits are struggling with the financial aftereffects of the pandemic, we have Melody to help us through it, and we couldn’t be more grateful.”

When aspiring actors ask Scott for advice, she usually answers them with a question: why do you want to be an actor? The question is usually met with a puzzled look because, she said, it’s so important that one loves the art of doing it, not because one wants to be rich and famous.

“If the utter joy of acting isn’t the primary reason for getting into this business, you will be miserable. You have to love it, need to do it to be happy and would happily do it for free. There is such a high incidence of rejection and failure involved in this profession, one has to be willing to fight for success,” Scott said.

Tickets to both events are on sale at www.LBLTJ.com, and will be held for pick up at the theatre box office the evening of the show.