In the world of theater, it’s often said that every production is a transformation — whether on the stage or behind the scenes. For the members of Cadre, this year’s musical, Matilda, has been an opportunity for some to experience the flip side of their usual roles. Amidst this shift, they experienced a refreshing change in perspective, new challenges, and a deeper sense of community within the Cadre family.
For Moises Zuniga, who took on lead roles in Cadre’s past two productions, the opportunity to explore the technical side of theater was fascinating. After spending years in front of the audience, he’s now behind the scenes.
“It’s definitely better now that I can focus on [orchestra] and school,” Zuniga said. “My future goal is to become a Broadway actor, but I also love helping others grow in the field. I believe challenge is essential for growth, and I want to see those I mentor succeed in whatever they do, especially in theater.”
But Zuniga’s Cadre journey didn’t stop with just shifting to the technical side. He’s also taken on a leadership role within the production, something he hadn’t done before.
“The biggest challenge I faced was proving my ability to lead. I’ve never been an assistant director in my two years with Cadre, so it was a big leap,” Zuniga said. “Being an actor has its own challenges, but leadership is a different level. I struggled with being strict at first — I wanted to be respected, but I also wanted to show respect. I was worried about becoming too authoritative, especially since I knew I was still learning how to manage the group.”
Even with his concerns toward leadership, helping others succeed was something important to Zuniga.
“The most rewarding part of working on the show is getting to see everyone’s faces when they push through their limits. For me, being able to belt is normal, especially for musicals; however, getting other people who have never sung to belt and sing is very rewarding. I love seeing the joy in all of their faces when they sing. [It’s] almost like they’re saying, ‘OMG, I did that!’”
On the other side of the stage is Mikayla Diep, who has always been a member of the tech crew, but this time finds herself in a lead role as Ms. Trunchbull.
“The most rewarding part is getting to experience something new — acting, which is something I don’t usually do,” Diep said. “I’ve mostly been backstage working with tech, so it’s been really interesting to figure out my character and how she fits into each scene. It’s a whole different world when you’re in front of the lights rather than behind them.”
However, being in the spotlight isn’t without its challenges.
“The biggest challenge has been getting used to singing in front of people, since this is a musical. It’s also tough remembering all the lines
and cues — I’m used to working backstage where I don’t have to memorize much. It’s all about building confidence and learning to be comfortable performing in front of others.”
Within a cast, the chemistry between every member is crucial. For many actors, they aren’t new to performing under the spotlight, and are well-familiarized with one another; however, this wasn’t the case for Diep.
“I know a lot of the cast members already from previous experiences, like background tech work or just through school, but some of them I don’t interact with much or didn’t know before. I’ll probably try to interact with them more outside of Cadre to build a more personal connection, rather than just seeing it as work.”
Despite the roles being switched, one thing remains unchanged for both Diep and Zuniga: a sense of family. Regardless of how new or difficult the process may be as either a technician or an actor, their support for each other’s growth and success is what drives their passion. This looks like Zuniga’s new exercise of leadership within the musical through guiding his peers, and Diep’s attempts to form meaningful connections with her castmates by interacting more with them. The shared experiences, the excitement, and the joy of being part of something bigger than themselves continue to make each production more special than the last.
“It’s an experience, not just an extracurricular.”
