She may be just 8-years-old but Miami native Angelina Carballo is already starring as Madeline in Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre Children’s Theatre production of “Madeline’s Christmas.”
Third-grader Carballo has been performing since she took dance classes as toddler and loved being on stage.
“Madeline’s Christmas”, based on the popular children’s series by Ludwig Bemelmans, tells the story of twelve young girls who catch the flu. The only girl to stay healthy is the fierce and feisty Madeline, who must raise everyone’s spirits so they can get better and go home for the holidays.
Carballo said her favorite part about performing is “going on stage and making everybody happy.” She relates to her character the most because she loves to raise people’s spirits when they’re feeling sad.
The cast had twelve days of rehearsals before their first show and Carballo said one challenge aspect of the role was memorizing her lines.
She said, “I would have to work on it and work on it until I got it right.”
Carballo starred in her first professional show at Actors’ Playhouse in last year’s production of “A Christmas Carol, The Musical” as Tiny Tim. After “Madeline’s Christmas”, Carballo might audition for other shows, and said a big dream of hers is to perform in musical theater.
She looks up to the artistic director at Actors’ Playhouse, David Arisco, as well as everyone she has worked with at Actors’ Playhouse who have supported her and given her so many opportunities, including Earl Maulding, the director of “Madeline’s Christmas.”
Carballo always loved singing and dancing, but realized her passion for theatre when she was in “A Christmas Carol.”
“Earl is such a good person to me … when I tried out [for Tiny Tim] and I knew I was going to be in the show, I knew that Earl was giving me the chance”, said Carballo.
She said, “It was a sign, like ‘you were meant to act’ and it was so nice that [Maulding] did all that for me.”
The play is running through Dec. 22. For more information, including ticket sales, visit the website at actorsplayhouse.org/childrens.htm#madeline
