Charity Hope Valentine, Bird Girl No. 2, or Daniella Martino?
It’s the century-old stereotype that high school students praise the starting quarterback of the varsity football team or the captain of the cheerleading squad. At Lake Forest, however, there’s more to high school than the football and cheerleading stars. There exist other idols like the president of the debate team, the kid who created his own smartphone app, and, especially, the lead of the spring musical.
Daniella Martino, a senior at LFHS, has played a major role in the school’s theatre department for the past four years. Her great success is partially due to her intense dance background, training at Jenny’s dance company since 2010. Singing in Foresters, Madrigals, and the Talent Show at LFHS, alongside private voice lessons on the weekends, are also components that foster her triple-threat talent. Additionally, she has spent a few summers at the Vineyard Arts Project in Martha’s Vineyard; Martino definitely has experience.
On stage it may seem like her talent is effortless, but this superstar definitely puts in the work. Martino began her theatre career at LFHS her freshman year when she was a “Wickett” in the Frank Loesser production, How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying. During her sophomore year, she played Bird Girl No. 2 in Seussical The Musical, a show created by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty. When The Lights Were Out and The Curate Shakespeare As You Like It are two additional fall plays in the books for Martino’s career.
Then, in February of 2014, Daniella Martino became Charity Hope Valentine, the female lead-role in the spring musical, Sweet Charity. Martino was especially excited about this production because it was a Bob Fosse choreographed musical, a show that she has always dreamed to be apart of. When asked about the show as a whole, she describes the main takeaway from playing Valentine: “In terms of working on the show, it taught me how to be a leader, and bring everyone together… how to bring the orchestra, and the tech crew, and all the people together to actually make the production happen.” A fellow classmate of Martino, John O’Connor (senior), attended the showing of Sweet Charity back in May of 2014 and made a noteworthy remark: “It started off with just Daniella on stage, and you honestly think you’re at a Broadway musical.”
The pure talent and genuine heart this girl has for the art of drama painstakingly touches the audience as they sit in their seats to watch a story unfold. “I think the greatest thing you can give to an audience, is a talent and to put yourself out there” Martino explains. Her favorite part about being on stage: “The feeling of energy that I get… the first time that I walk out on stage, there’s energy all through my fingers and toes and it’s the most amazing experience to see the people watching you, and to give them your all… to tell the story.”
But like many outstanding students here at LFHS, Martino closes her momentous chapter in her theatre career, and continues to work hard to start drafting the next one. She has been preparing for the 2015 spring musical, Sweeney Todd, and is very excited for the show. This time, the production has an emphasis on the music, unlike Sweet Charity and its noteworthy dance element. Sweeney Todd is a Stephen Sondheim show and according to the now retired Charity herself, “he (Sondheim) is an absolute musical genius.” Martino is looking forward to returning to the stage to see old and new faces alike, and to complete her final musical at LFHS. And for those new to theatre, she has some advice for this year’s production: “Really focus on the songs, it’s difficult music. But have fun with it because it’s kind of a crazy, dramatic show… don’t be afraid to try something because it’s all about characters and characterizations.”
Who knows what Daniella Martino will pull out for her audition this time around. Heck, she may even earn the part of Sweeney himself. With her drive and skill, Martino might just make it all the way.
