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"WEST SIDE STORY" Based on a Conception of JEROME ROBBINS
Entire Original Production Directed and Choreographed by JEROME ROBBINS Originally Produced on Broadway by Robert E. Griffith and Harold S. Prince By Arrangement with Roger L. Stevens
West Side Story is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com |
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Miami Children's Theater Creative Team
Company Director: Tim Fath
Director of Operations: Victoria Perez
Artistic Director: Damaris Lopez-Canales
Associate Director: Catherine Viera
Website and Marketing: Maria Caicedo and Pio Productions
Playbill: Maria Holmes
Special thanks to our Steering Committee:
Maura Shiffman, Vanessa Blanco, Yohanna Ruiz, Melissa Rojas, Rohan Shah, Seema Shah
Since 1996, our company’s goal has been to foster creativity and confidence in Miami’s youth. MCT stands for inclusion, acceptance, and opportunity for all.
Visit our website at www.miamichildrenstheater.com for upcoming shows, workshops, summer programs, and announcements.
“Voted Best Regional Theater and Best Children's Theater of the Decade”
-Broadway World
West Side Story Artistic Team
Director: Damaris Lopez-Canales
Music Director: Megan Rebecca Lopez
Choreographers: Amanda Lopez & Daniella Santos
Stage Manager: Sophia Marroquin
Costumes: Clara Fath
Set: Tim Fath
Lighting Designer: Kairick Nelson-Montét
Sound: Siena Cuza
Original Broadway Choreography: Jerome Robbins
Fight Choreography: Om Jae & Keren Lydia
Special Choreography Credit: Keren Lydia & Beatriz Arevalo
Welcome
Welcome to West Side Story, presented by Miami Children’s Theater!
We are proud to showcase the incredible talent, passion, and dedication of our performers as they bring this timeless story of love, hope, and rivalry to life on stage.
Thank you for supporting the arts and celebrating the hard work of our cast, crew, and creative team.
Enjoy the show!
Who's Who
Cast
Meet the Company
Alec Avila
Alec is currently a senior at Miami Arts Studio and is thrilled to be a part of MCT’s West Side Story! Some of his previous roles include Baker in Into The Woods, Orpheus in Hadestown, The Man in Chair in The Drowsy Chaperone, and Dimitry in Anastasia. Alec plans on attending UF for musical theatre, and wants to thank his family and friends for their never ending support. Love you mom!
Mason Lang
Mason Lang is a Jewish-American tenor. He is extremely excited to be a part of West Side Story! He has been described to "sing and dance up a storm" (Miami Herald). He has performed in Operas across Miami: Dead Man Walking (Older Brother), The Road of Promise (13 year old boy), The Little Sweep (The Little Sweep), and Mozart's The Magic Flute (Spirit 2). Mason has also worked in theater taking on roles across Miami: Hadestown Teen Edition (Orpheus), Urinetown the Musical (Hot Blades Harry), School of Rock (Zach Mooneyham), 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee (William Barfee), and Oliver! (Oliver).
Navah Lisman
Navah is so excited to make her MCT debut in West Side Story! Maria has been not only a dream role but such a blessing and a beautiful experience. She is so grateful for her wonderful cast, director, and choreographers. She is currently a sophomore at Miami Arts Charter, in the musical theatre strand. She would also like to thank her friends and family for being so supportive and generous. Enjoy the show!
Olivia Vives
Olivia Vives is excited to play Maria in West Side Story, her ninth performance with MCT. Olivia is a Junior in the Musical Theatre program at New World School of the Arts. Olivia would like to thank Damaris, Megan, and the choreographers, Amanda and Nella, for their guidance and direction in this process, stage managers for their support, and Tim and Clara Fath for putting it all together. Special thanks to mom and dad for all their support!
David Santamaria
David Santamaria is eternally grateful to be in his third MCT production. The process of playing Bernardo has been a very educational and fun experience. He’d like to thank everyone who has been a part of this production for motivating him through their passion.
Natalie Ruiz
Natalie Ruiz is thrilled to be playing her dream role of Anita in West Side Story! She is in the drama program at Coral Reef High School and would like to thank her family and friends for always supporting her and being the light of her life, as well as Damaris, Amanda, Nella, Tim, Vicky, Megan, Clara, and Beth for putting together something so special.
Amilia Canales
Amilia Canales is infinitely grateful to perform as Anita in West Side Story. She’s been a part of MCT since she was 4 years old and appreciates Tim, Damaris, Amanda, and Nella for providing this opportunity. She is also thankful for her family for being so supportive of her.
Nicholas Esquea
Nicholas Esquea is thrilled to join the cast of Miami Children's Theater's West Side Story. He is a freshman at MIami Arts Studio where he is in the musical theater magnet. Nicholas would like to thank Damaris, Megan, Nella, and Amanda for all their hard work. He would also like to thank his friends and family for always supporting him. Enjoy the show.
Carlos Gomez
Carlos is thrilled to be performing in West Side Story. Some of his previous roles with Miami Children’s Theatre include Beetlejuice (Beetlejuice), Emmett Forest (Legally Blonde), Willy Wonka (Willy Wonka), and Lucas (Addams Family)! When not on stage, he enjoys playing tennis at Royal Plaza. He would like to thank his friends, family, directors, and fellow cast members for making this experience memorable!
Sebastián De La Torre
This is my inaugural show at Miami children’s Theater! I am forever grateful to be playing Chino. Other notable roles I have played are Ali Hakim (Oklahoma!), Leñador (bodas de sangre), and Donkey (Shrek). I am thrilled to present West Side Story!
Alejandro Escobar
Alejandro is doing his first production at MCT in West Side Story. He is a sophomore currently at Westwood Christian School and is a member of The Roxy Theatre Group. He has enjoyed every aspect of putting this together and can't wait for next time.
Niurka M. Mejia
Niurka Mejia is excited to join the Miami Children’s Theater West Side Story cast! Niurka is a freshman in high school and attends Acellus Online School. She would like to thank Damaris, Megan, Nella, and Amanda for their amazing work. Niurka would also like to thank her mom and dad for always being supportive! Enjoy the show!
Remaliah Holmes
Remaliah Holmes is an 8th grade theatre magnet student at Miami Arts Studio. She is thrilled to return to the stage in her seventh production with Miami Children’s Theater since joining just over a year ago. Previous credits include Morticia Addams in The Addams Family, Rafiki in The Lion King, Miss Trunchbull in Matilda, and Delia in Beetlejuice. Remaliah loves exploring a wide range of characters and is excited to take on the roles of Rosalia and Doc in West Side Story. She thanks Ms. Damaris, Megan, Nella, Amanda, Tim Fath, and her castmates for their support.
Andrea Rivas
Andrea Rivas is an eighth grader at Miami Dade Virtual School and is so excited to help bring West Side Story to life! Her previous credits include Gretchen in Mean Girls, Jasmine in Aladdin Jr., Ariel in The Little Mermaid, and Miss Honey in Matilda Jr. She would like to thank her family for supporting her dream of becoming a performer and for always believing in her. She would also love to thank Damaris, Amanda, Nella, Megan, Clara, Tim, and everyone who helped bring the show to life for all their hard work and determination.
Mason Micali
Mason Micali is so thankful to be a part of the cast of Miami Children’s Theater’s West Side Story. Mason is a 9th grader in the Fine Arts track of Emerald Scholars at Westminster Christian School and is thrilled to be in his seventh show. He would like to thank his parents for their constant support, Mrs. Damaris, and all of the amazing people who helped bring this show to life.
Lucia Montero
Lucia Montero is excited to be a part of Miami Children’s Theater’s production of West Side Story. This is Lucia’s 14th show with MCT! Lucia is currently a student at Westminster Christian School and has loved getting to work with such a talented cast and crew. She would like to thank the directors and production team for all their hard work, as well as her friends and family for their constant support. She hopes you enjoy the show!
Lysette Safont
Lysette Safont is thrilled to be part of this incredible production of West Side Story. Being involved in such a legendary show known for its powerful storytelling, iconic music, and unforgettable choreography has allowed her to grow as a performer and collaborate with an amazingly talented cast. Lysette has performed in 20 productions with MCT and has proudly been an “MCT kid” for the past four years. She loves being on stage because it is truly her happy place. In her free time, Lysette enjoys spending time with her family and watching musicals and movies with them. She would like to thank her family, directors, Damaris, Amanda, Nella, Megan, Tim, Clara, Vicky, and all of her castmates for their love and support. A special thank you goes to her mom for always being by her side, as well as all the stage moms who help with sets, props, and decorations. When Coco is not on stage, she loves working in tech. She is always singing, dancing, and looking for ways to continue improving her craft.
Sophia Lacerda
Sophia Lacerda is thrilled to join her first musical at Miami Children’s Theater. She is in 8th grade at Calvary Christian Academy. She cannot wait to put the play to the stage and share this beautiful story with you. We hope you enjoy!
Karly Padua-Montes
Karly Padua is excited to begin her journey with MCT as Consuelo in West Side Story! Born in Southern California, she has been surrounded by dance and theatre and is ready to be apart of this stunning production. She is a freshman at Coral Reef Senior High School in the medical magnet. She would love to thank her cast and directors for their work on such a great show.
Sofie Leon
Sofie Leon is immensely grateful for the chance to play Snowboy in West Side Story. This is her first ever production with Miami Children’s Theater and she is ready to participate in many more! She would like to thank her family for bringing her to rehearsal every day and supporting her crazy dreams. She would also like to thank everyone who worked very hard on this production.
Isaiah Andrade
Isaiah Andrade is absolutely thrilled to be a part of such an amazing show and to be with an incredibly talented cast. He would like to thank everyone who has helped him achieve every goal he sets his mind to. To the Sky.
Sarah Escobar
This is Sarah Escobar’s first performance at MCT. She is currently a junior at Miami Coral Park Senior High School. Sarah is a thespian and loves theatre so, when she heard about West Side Story, she wanted to make this amazing show her first out of school performance. This experience for her has been a dream as she learned so many things and made new friends. Sarah had an amazing time bringing Big Deal to life and making memories she’ll keep forever. She hopes to continue working with MCT and pursuing theatre out of school. Thank you to all who made this experience amazing and possible.
Julian Smothers
Julian Smothers is a boy from Tampa, FL. Since he was a wee little lad, he has been an aspiring actor at Miami Children’s Theater. He has been in many shows, and loves acting with a passion. He aspires to be in more theatre around the world.
Lucas Sanchez
Lucas Sanchez is thrilled to join the cast of Miami Children’s theater’s West Side Story. Lucas is a junior at Coral Reef high where he is in the drama magnet. Lucas would like to thank Damaris, Tim, Megan, Nella, and Amanda for all their hard work, as well as his cast mates and friends for a great experience, and his family for always supporting him. Enjoy the show!
Ava Simone
Ava Simone is a 17-year-old junior at New World School of the Arts High School. She’s happy to be here!
Jana Rabella
Jana Rabella is so excited to be a part of the MCT family for this show! She is currently a student at ISPA and loves every minute of being on stage. Jana wants to send a shoutout to the awesome cast and crew, and a thank you to her family for always cheering her on. Enjoy the show!
Julia Roth
Julia Roth is thrilled to make her MCT debut in West Side Story. She is currently a sophomore in the Musical Theatre program at New World School of the Arts. Julia would like to thank her incredible castmates, creative team, and everyone who helped bring this production to life. She is especially grateful to her friends and family for their constant love and support. Being part of this production has been both a joyful and educational experience, and she is so thankful for the unforgettable memories made along the way.
Carmela Barroso
Carmela Barroso (13) is a versatile performer with experience in dance, music, and theater. She trains in flamenco, ballet, jazz, contemporary, and hip hop, competing and performing at venues such as the Arsht Center and the Miami-Dade County Auditorium. Her theater credits include Annie (Annie), Isabela (Encanto), Miss Honey (Matilda), Glinda (The Wizard of Oz), Mrs. Potts (Beauty and The Beast), Baker's wife (Into the Woods), and Fiona (Shrek). She is a two-time semi finalist (YTBD) and has performed in featured dancer roles in Beetlejuice, Sweeny Todd, and Newsies with MCT.
Jakk Schoenblatt
Jakk Schoenblatt is thrilled to be making his return to Miami Children’s Theater! Jakk is entering his junior year at New World School of the Arts as a BFA Musical Theatre student. Jakk has performed in several MCT shows throughout the years, and credits so much of his artistic and personal growth to the amazing team here. Jakk thanks Tim, Damaris, his family, everyone part of this incredible show, and, as always, dedicates each performance to Marin Gualandi.
Alexandra Chacon
Alexandra Chacon is thrilled to join the cast of Miami Children's Theater's West Side Story. Alex is a freshman at Design Architecture Senior High School, where she is entering the Film magnet strand. Alex immensely thanks Damaris, Tim, Megan, Nella, and Amanda for all their hard work on the show. She would also like to thank her mom, dad, and her little brother for always supporting her. Enjoy the show!
Satyajarhit (Saty) Castro
Satyajarhit Castro is excited to be a part of this Miami Children's Theater production. She attends Miami Dade College and is grateful for the opportunity to perform with such a talented cast and crew. She would like to thank her family, friends, director, and Tim Fath for their encouragement and support throughout the rehearsal process. Satyjarhit hopes you enjoy the show.
Matilda Barroso
Matilda Barroso (15) is a multifaceted performer with experience in dance, music, theater, and voice acting. She has worked in television commercials since a young age and was cast as a singer and voice actor in Pinkfong as a child. She is also a pianist and has performed in multiple piano festivals. Matilda has trained in flamenco, ballet, jazz, contemporary, hip hop, and acro since the age of four, competing in numerous dance competitions and performing at venues like the Arsht Center, Dade County Auditorium, and Jackie Gleason Theater. She is a YTBD Finalist (2025) and Semi-finalist (2026). Her theater credits include Molly (Annie), Matilda (Matilda), Dolores (Encanto), Plumette (Beauty and the Beast), Dorothy (The Wizard of Oz), Little Red (Into the Woods), Teen Fiona, Donkey, Shrek's Mom (Shrek) and Featured Dancer (Hadestown, Newsies, Beetlejuice, Sweeny Todd) with MCT.
Camila Vives
Camila Vives is excited to be a featured dancer in West Side Story, her third performance with MCT. Olivia is in the 8th grade. Camila would like to thank Damaris, Megan, and especially the choreographers (from whom she’s learned so much), Amanda and Nella, for their guidance and direction in this process, stage managers for their support, and Tim and Clara Fath for putting it all together. Special thanks to mom and dad for all their support!
Isabella Valdes
Isabella Valdes is thrilled to be part of this production of West Side Story in the ensemble. She enjoys singing, dancing, and musical theatre. She would like to thank the cast, crew, and directors for making this experience so special, and she’d also love to send thanks to her loving and supportive family.
Photos

Alec Avila (Tony / Riff)

Mason Lang (Tony / Riff)

Navah Lisman (Maria)

Olivia Vives (Maria)

Natalie Ruiz (Anita)

Amilia Canales (Anita)

David Santamaria (Bernardo)

