By Jennifer Ersalesi
Young local actress, Milaina Risoli, will perform in Bergen Performing Arts Center's "The Wizard of Oz" during the weekend of July 26-28th. Milaina, a Rutherford High School alum, has been dancing, acting, and singing for many years. This is Rutherford spoke with Milaina to learn more about her and her upcoming role as Glinda in the classic musical, "The Wizard of Oz".
TIR: You are a RHS alum, which year did you graduate? What have you been up to since graduating?
Milaina Risoli: I am an RHS alum. I was in the graduating class of 2022! Since then, I completed one year at American Musical Dramatic Academy (AMDA) in NY and later decided it wasn’t the place for me. Last summer, I took a Summer Vocal Performance Seminar at Juilliard and loved it. This year, I became a full-time student at Bergen Community College while working part-time. Additionally, I started teaching dance at Maywood Dance Center and found a new career pathway. In the fall, I will be transferring to Rider University for Elementary Education and Dance. I am super excited to begin this new journey and see where life takes me! I’m a big believer in everything happening for a reason!
TIR: How long have you been acting and singing?
MR: I started theater at a later age, but I’ve been a dancer since I was 3 years old. My first musical ever was actually "The Wizard of Oz" at Union Middle School, when I was in 7th grade. I started voice lessons going into my freshman year of high school, which is considered a pretty late start. I took choir from 7th grade through my senior year. Regarding musical productions, I performed at both RHS and Saint Joseph's Regional HS during high school.
TIR: What do you enjoy most about performing on stage?
MR: First of all, I love the process of putting on a show. Although it is very stressful, you create a close-knit community between your castmates and they become lifelong friends. I love getting into makeup, getting into costume, having mic checks, etc. Once I am physically ready, I love to become mentally prepared. I get into the mindset of my character, which has been a huge focus of mine while creating my interpretation of Glinda. As far as being on stage, I love to make people laugh. There is no greater feeling than hearing laughter from the audience after you deliver a line successfully. Lastly, I love having curtain calls at the end of the show, and making me feel like I made my family proud.
TIR: Tell us more about your role as Glinda in the upcoming Bergen PAC performance of “The Wizard of Oz”.
MR: Something my director, Diana Gonzalez-Morett, has tried to do with this show has been to put our own spin on it. Traditionally, Glinda is played to be very sweet, kind, and just overall, very positive and motherly. I, on the other hand, am trying to add my own flair to her. I’m choosing to keep her very kind, yet adding acting choices to make her sassy. It’s been very fun to make her as comedic as possible. Another one of my favorite parts of being Glinda is my costume, it helps me get into character! When I’m not playing Glinda in the show, I am one of the Dance Captains. You can see me being a Jitterbug or an Ozian in the Emerald City!
TIR: What are you most excited for audiences to see?
MR: I am most excited for the audience to see all the hard work we have put into this production in only 1 month. We have such a diverse group of actors, ranging in age and experience, yet we have come together to create a great show. The costumes are amazing! We have a 19-piece orchestra! The theater is absolutely beautiful and I’m looking forward to performing on a professional stage!
Here is the ticket information for anyone interested!
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