Cicero chases dreams to center stage

High school senior by day and actress by night, Nina Cicero is chasing her dream of being in the musical theater business.

Her dream is rooted in her childhood love of ballet. Cicero took dance lessons for 10 years and acting classes since the age of seven. When she entered high school, the her interest in ballet dissipated and musical theater took its place.

“I started acting in plays at my church and now I act at a variety of places,” said Cicero.

The most inspiring moment in her acting career was when Cicero went to Atlanta, Georgia, for the Musical Theater International Junior Theater Festival. It is held every two years and roughly 5,000 actors and actresses show up to participate. They are judged on their performance and can participate in workshops and meet with professionals in the field.

“It is so cool to come together with so many people that love the same thing you do,” said Cicero.

Cicero’s favorite performance was when she was in her first adult production, Grease, held through HCC. She played Frenchy who was a bubbly teen known for her colorful hair.

“It was nice being in an adult production because they took it a lot more seriously,” said Cicero.

The most embarrassing moment Cicero has had in her career was when she was 11 years old and was playing the white rabbit in Alice in Wonderland. While backstage many of the actors including Cicero were hot, so they stepped outside to cool down. While outside Cicero missed her cue to go onstage and came on about 30 seconds too late.

“I have never missed a cue since then,” said Cicero.

Currently Cicero is in the production of Beauty and the Beast at the Children’s Playhouse in Maryland where she has been cast in the role of Babette. It takes up to an hour to get there each night and on a busy week, Cicero is there for 25 hours worth of rehearsal. They have done 11 shows in December and they have two left in January.

It is hard to make a stable career with music theater after high school but Cicero is not willing to completely give up her dream. She knows many adults who have a career and then act on the side or have opened up a location for kids to come act.
“I will stay performing through college and as an adult once I have a career,” said Cicero.