December 2, 2022
When Timberwood Middle School sixth grader Natalia Mena opened an email from the Alley Theatre with the results to her audition, she was overcome with joy.
Mena has been cast as Sally and Young Belle in the Alley Theatre’s upcoming production of A Christmas Carol.
“I started crying with my dad because I was really happy,” Mena said. “Theatre makes me really happy. It makes me feel like I can express myself to anyone. I just really wanted to be a part of something that can make me feel more confident in myself.”
According to the Alley Theatre, Mena is the lone student from Humble ISD in the production.
This fall, Mena started her first year of theatre at TMS under the direction of TMS Theatre Director Karie LoBuglio and TMS Assistant Theatre Director Garrett Cross. Prior to this year, Mena has participated in Alley Playmakers Summer Camps.
In September, Mena went to LoBuglio and Cross and told them her aspirations to audition for the part. They met three or four times in September and October after school to go over her one-minute monologue and the musical piece she had to perform.
“She has that spark. That twinkle in her eye,” LoBuglio said. “She has great stage presence.”
A day after Mena received word that she had gotten the part, she passed along the happy news to her teachers.
“The Alley Theatre is a big name in Houston,” LoBuglio said. “So, for her to have a part as a student, that just opens up all kinds of doors for her. She can continue to be in their shows and if she wants to, make a career out of it.”
As a part of making the cast for A Christmas Carol, it required Mena to give a 13-week commitment to the show and in the end, she will perform 25 times during the holiday season.
Prior to tonight’s opening curtain, there were six preview shows for the cast to work on little things before the big debut. On Wednesday, November 30, 2022, it was one of their final preview shows.
In the audience were members of Mena’s class from TMS to cheer her on.
“It made me feel really good,” Mena said. “I saw all my friends and they all took time out of their day to come and see me and support me.”
LoBuglio added: “It was amazing. This was the first time I’ve had a student be in a professional production. It just made me so proud that I have a student who is choosing to do theater outside of school and pursue that possibly as a career.”
Mena dreams of becoming a professional stage actress one day and being in plays and musicals.
“I think this really opens some doors for me,” Mena said. “Now, as a kid I can start thinking about my future. As far as what colleges I want to go to and what I want to do when I grow up. So, I feel like this is a really good opportunity for me.”
In the fourth and fifth grade at Atascocita Springs Elementary, Mena was in broadcasting. She is in Student Council and the American Sign Language Club at TMS as well.
For LoBuglio, having a student like Mena in her program is a great example to the rest of her students. “Natalia auditioning and being a part of A Christmas Carol really opened a lot of doors for our students and showed them what’s possible.”
