Marcellino Mendoza (11) basked in the spotlights as he stepped out on stage to perform in his first-ever professional production for the San Diego Musical Theater (SDMT), July 11. Not only did the show end up extending five dates, but Mendoza got to prove what he already knew: he was meant for the stage. He was casted in the ensemble for Matilda and understudied Michael, Matilda’s brother.

During SDMT’s casting for their summer production of “Matilda,” a member of the cast dropped out of the show, opening up a spot in the teen ensemble. Following this, choreographer and youth director Melissa Glasgow, who had also directed Westview Theater’s production of “the Wizard of Oz,” reached out to Mendoza, asking him to send in a self-tape to be considered for the role. 

“I was ecstatic just to be even considered to audition,” he said. “It felt nice to have my talent recognized by somebody who processed it as something that could be professional, so I told her I wouldn’t want to pass the opportunity up and I sent in a self-tape. I felt really confident about it because I went over it with my vocal coach, and since [Glasgow] already knew my dance abilities and what I was capable of, she didn’t need a dance call or anything. She felt confident that I’d be able to handle the choreography she was going to be giving to us. Two days after I submitted the self-tape, I got an offer from them, saying, ‘Congratulations, we’d love for you to be a part of the teen ensemble.’”

Along with getting this role, Mendoza said he was also excited to have been cast as the understudy for Matilda’s brother, Michael. However eager he was, the fear of this uncharted territory threw him off.

“I went into the production not knowing anyone, which was really intimidating at first, because I got in my head a lot about how these are all adults,” Mendoza said. “The people in my ensemble were adults who had gone to college for theater; they had taken several acting, dancing, and singing classes already, and I was just a 16-year-old. What really changed that mindset for me was things like getting compliments on the way I danced, or they’d be like, ‘Oh, you sound so good.’ It felt like family, and I can say that’s the closest I’ve ever felt to a cast.”

Matilda ended up being one of the most successful musicals in SDMT history. After selling out all of their shows, the program was extended.

“Nobody thought we were going to extend, but the outreach was so good that we sold out all of our shows,” he said. “It was the first time that San Diego Musical Theater had ever extended a show. I remember they were telling us, ‘You guys made history.’ And to be a part of that, being my first professional show, makes it even more special.”

This opportunity allowed Mendoza to further recognize his love for theater. He said that being on a professional stage for the first time helped him understand what he was capable of as both a performer and a person.

“Theater is a mix of many things: dancing, acting, and singing; I dabble in all three when I perform,” he said. “And I think that makes storytelling so exquisite for the audience, because they get a whole story with those three elements. And it’s immersive for them in that aspect, then you add the lighting and the set pieces and stuff, everything comes together.”

Not only did his connections help him land the role, but his previous training prepared him for success on the stage.

“I’ve been a vocalist since I was 10 years old, and I’ve had a vocal coach,” Mendoza said.  “I’ve been on-and-off training since that time, and when I need help, I have a coach who’s really good, who’s worked with people on Broadway and American Idol and all those big scene shows. It’s helped me a lot, it’s helped me train my voice for the realm of ‘the big stage’ and develop new techniques.”

Mendoza’s love for theater dates back to 2018, when he played his first role as the Grand Duke in a youth production of Cinderella.

“I started theater when I was 8 years old; my mom noticed that I liked to recite books and read out loud,” Mendoza said. “She thought I would be good in that field, so she put me in my first musical when I was 8, and I ended up really liking it. I caught the theater bug and never went back.”

However, after theater operations were put on pause by the pandemic, Mendoza was forced to put his passion for performing aside until seventh grade. 

“I was kind of yearning to share that passion that I had for performing on stage again with other people,” Mendoza said. “The fact that an audience is there and wants to see something that you’re putting out makes it enjoyable for you, because it makes you feel less silly for doing something goofy. You’re singing and dancing on stage with a costume, but people want to see it. It gives you confidence.”

Along with being part of Westview’s improvisation program, his recreational theater company, the Metropolitan Educational Theater Network (Met2), Mendoza said, helped him settle back into the groove of performing after an extended hiatus. At this company, he was able to land roles such as the Tin Man in “The Wizard of Oz” and Sebastian in “The Little Mermaid.” 

“I’ve had a lot of great opportunities through [Met2],” Mendoza said. “The productions they put on are very high quality, and so it was something I felt confident in devoting my time to. The friends I made there, the support, it was just a nice opportunity to be back after not having done it for so long. It was good to get on a stage and experience a live audience.”

In order to mentally and physically prepare for his shows, Mendoza said he likes to follow a  ritual and get in the right mindset.

“I reflect always before shows,” Mendoza said. “I take a moment to just sit and reflect on how grateful I am to be in the position I am. How grateful I am to be able to go out in front of people and perform and share my passion with them. And on top of that, I do get really nervous, which is funny because I’ve done so many shows.”

With all this in mind, Mendoza said he hopes to keep riding this wave of momentum and continue to pursue theater.

“My dream show is Little Shop of Horrors,” Mendoza said. “I think that Seymour would be fun to play, just because that’s the first musical I ever saw; my mom showed it to me when I was in kindergarten. But I’ve connected with that one since.”