Astoria teen stars in ‘Odd Day Rain’
BY TAMMY SCILEPPI
It’s a scary notion, but it
could actually happen one day.
All New York City families
should start preparing for
the worst before it’s too late,
because in 2211, the world as we
know it may no longer exist.
Thankfully, this terrible
crisis which may unfold
will only take place during a
production of “Odd Day Rain,”
a futuristic rock musical
presented by the Drama Desk
award-winning TADA! Youth
Theater in Manhattan — and is
only fictional (book by Janine
Nina Trevens and Deirdre
Broderick; music and lyrics by
Deirdre Broderick).
Fast forward to the
future. The after effects of a
catastrophic disaster have
forced Aurora and her friends
to live outside without any
adults or adult supervision.
Ordinarily, that would be
a good thing but not in this
doomsday scenario, where even
computers are no more. And on
top of that, there’s no running
water. What’s even more
devastating? No cellphones!
Meanwhile, a sad and
fearful Claire wonders if
there’s anything more out
there, as she continues to
somehow get by alone in her
tiny Pod space… run by the allpowerful
Computer. You might
think that’s very odd ‘cause
aren’t computers supposed to
be obsolete then?
To find out the answer
to that and other profound
questions, families should go
see and experience this odd
but compelling play in which
Queens kids shine on stage,
from Jan. 19 through Feb. 24.
Local kids appearing in
this musical include: Nathalia
Mendoza, 13, as May; Kahlea
Hsu, 14, as Claire; Oscar
Segarra-Caussin, 15, as Ricky;
JJ DiBartolo, 12, as Bill;
Katie Chan, 11, as Lucy; Marc
Berman, 10, as Syd.
Mendoza, a rising star and
an Astoria resident, mentioned
the connection she feels with
her character, May, who
comforts Claire throughout
the show and develops a caring
friendship with her, often
trying to calm her down.
“Similarly, I also like to
Nathalia Mendoza, 13, of
Astoria, will play May in TADA!
Youth Theater’s production of
“Odd Day Rain” from Jan. 19
through Feb. 24.
Courtesy of TADA! Youth Theater
comfort people and make
them feel better, so I feel like
I definitely have some things
in common with May,”
Mendoza said.
Theater is a big part of the
young actor’s life. She describes
herself as a perfectionist,
“and a pretty serious person,”
because she doesn’t like to
make mistakes. Mendoza added
that she always strives to do
everything perfectly.
“However, TADA! has taught
me that making mistakes is
okay,” she said.
Playing different characters,
she explained, has allowed her
to understand certain situations
that people are placed in, and
the different emotions that
others may feel.
“It allows me to be someone
I’m not, and to connect with
other people and understand
where they may be coming
from,” Mendoza said.
A unique nonprofit youth
theater producing original
musicals for children, teens,
and family audiences, TADA!
provides teens like Mendoza
and her fellow actors with
an opportunity to express
themselves, perhaps more so
than they can at school.
Since 1984, the theater’s
mission is to provide young
people from different
backgrounds with musical
theater that inspires them to
learn and think differently; to
be confident and creative.
TADA! offers free, year-round
pre-professional training and
a positive youth development
program for the Resident Youth
Ensemble (ages 8-18); musical
theater classes/camps for the
public; and musical theater
residencies in New York City
schools and community centers.
“TADA! is a very supportive
community, and I can be who
I truly am around others who
are just like me,” Mendoza
said. “At TADA!, I can embrace
all of my true interests as
opposed to just pretending to
like what is cool or popular at
the time, as a lot of kids at my
school do.”
The active teen is currently
an eighth-grade student at IS 141
in Astoria and is in the process
of applying to high schools. She
applied to 13 schools, but won’t
know which ones she gets into
until March or April.
Performance at TADA!
Youth Theater — located on the
second floor at 15 W. 28th St. in
Manhattan — are scheduled for
Jan. 19 at 7 p.m., Jan. 20, at 2 p.m.
and 4 p.m., Jan. 21 at 12 p.m. and
2 p.m., and Jan. 26-27 at 2 p.m.
and 4 p.m. Performances also
extend into February.
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