More than one actor has been heard declaring that they would kill for a role. It’s not just a figure of speech for 8-year-old Tina Denmark in the hilarious musical satire, “Ruthless! The Musical” by Joel Paley, at Citadel Theatre, April 15-May 17.
The role of the murderous kid is shared by 11-year-old Catharina Araujo of Glencoe and 12-year-old Olivia Mulder of Round Lake Beach.
Both young actors have impressive resumes. Catharina’s roles have included “Annie” at Music Theater Works, “Matilda” and “Into the Woods” at Actors Training Center,” and “Newsies” for Children’s Theatre of Winnetka.
Olivia has been in “Annie” for Big Noise Theatre, “A Christmas Story: The Musical” for Theatre 121, and “The Music Man” at Metropolis Performing Arts Centre.
The play is directed by Christina Ramirez, who is the Managing Director of the Actors Training Center in Wilmette.
Ramirez said the two young actors were obvious choices for the demanding role from the more than 50 girls who auditioned.
“There were lots of wonderful kids who could sing, lots of wonderful kids who could dance,” Ramirez noted. Catharina and Olivia stood out.
“They really have the full package of being triple-threat performers,” the director praised.
Catharina, a Glencoe Central School fifth-grader, has been performing since she was six. Her first professional show was “Annie” at Music Theatre Works last year.
“I love the stage. I think it’s really fun,” she said.
Before auditioning for “Ruthless,” Catharina was already familiar with one of the songs.
“I’ve sung ‘Born to Entertain’ since I was seven years old,” she said. “I really do like all the songs and I’ve always wanted to play this role.”
Catharina said that her character Tina Denmark “loves the stage but when things don’t go her way she does a lot.”
The actor said it’s “a really fun role to play. There’s a lot of singing. I think the singing is the most fun. I love to sing.”
Playing someone so ambitious that they would kill for a role is a bit of a challenge, the actor admitted.
“You have to really think about the character,” Catharina said. “At some point, she’ll be so sweet trying to get her way and the next minute, she’ll get very manipulative.”
Olivia, a homeschooled sixth-grader, has been performing since she was five. Her first professional show was “The Music Man” at Metropolis.
“I really like singing and dancing and acting,” Olivia said. She wanted to be in “Ruthless” because “I really like the character Tina,” she said. “And it was also funny.”
Olivia also enjoyed singing “Born to Entertain.” “Then, I eventually watched the full show,” she said.
The actor discovered that, like her, Tina “likes to act and sing and dance.” Unlike Olivia, though, “She will do anything to get the role—including murder,” Olivia said.
Olivia joked that she has considered murdering the competition “in my dreams, not actually.”
Ramirez said that she enjoys directing young actors. “Working with young artists, they can be sometimes less inhibited than older actors, less self-conscious. And really, sometimes able to cut through to the truth,” she explained.
Ramirez, who began her own acting career at 11, related to the reactions from the kids who auditioned when she asked them about the role.
“I was really excited always by the idea of playing a character so far outside of my comfort zone,” she recalled. “And you could see that same thing in this casting process. The kids would light up at the idea of getting to do something so far from who they are as people, and finding the fun in playing this evil character.”
In working with the two young actors, Ramirez reminded them that Tina has to exhibit a sweet side because she’s manipulating people. In terms of the evil side, the director said that the actors “understand how to tap into that side of them that could be jealous or manipulative — and then have a little fun with it.”
Ramirez described “Ruthless” as “a twisted love letter to show business.” She is convinced that the parody will have wide appeal.
“There’s something for folks who love classic Broadway musicals and classic old Hollywood movies. It’s chock full of references,” she said. “But it feels very current in the comedy style—very campy. So, there’s something for lots of different demographics.”
Performances of “Ruthless! The Musical” are 7:30 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays, April 17-May 17, with Wednesday matinees at 1 p.m. on April 29 and May 13, at 300 S. Waukegan Road in Lake Forest. There are no performances on April 30 or May 14. Tickets are $48; $22 for 7:30 p.m. previews April 15-16. For tickets, visit citadeltheatre.org or call 847-735-8554, ext. 1.
Myrna Petlicki is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
