Caitlin Martelle

When I think of Caitlin Martelle, the first words that pop into my mind are

 perfection and versatility. Whether as the sassy Val in A Chorus Line, the

ambitious young Jerusha in Daddy Long Legs, or dancing and singing in the

ensemble, Caitlin is outstanding. Caitlin is one of those triple threat actors who do

 it all and do it so well it looks effortless. I’ve had the occasion to talk with Caitlin a

 few times and I know that behind that dazzling smile is a heart that is kind and

compassionate. Take a few moments to learn more about this talented young

 woman.

 When was your first time on stage?

I guess my first time on stage would have been in children’s choir when I

was about 5. I got a solo and I was absolutely that ONE child that was just doing

the MOST, selling that arm-ography for all that it was worth—and then some.

However, my very first time in a musical was when I was 15, and I was in The

Music Man. I was cast as a dancer and, having not taken a dance class since I was

2 years old, the imposter syndrome was REAL. I had no idea what I was doing but

was very happy to be there. I remember our student choreographer/Harold Hill,

Hayden Clifton, was teaching us choreography for Marian the Librarian and must

have noticed that I looked confused and stressed when he asked us to do an 8-

count of piqué turns. He pulled me aside on a break and asked if I was all right

and I admitted that I didn’t know what a “piqué turn” was. He was so kind and

patient, and just simply explained to me what it was and how to do it. I think that

moment is probably one of my first core memories in theatre.

When did you know you wanted to be an actor?

When I was on my way home from one of those very first choir musical

rehearsals. I was sitting in the backseat of the car, and I told my mom I wanted to

be “one of those people who’s talking and then just starts singing” and I never

turned back from that statement. I think prior to that I thought I was going to

train dolphins.

 Who is your greatest mentor?

 I have had so many wonderful people in my life who have led me to be the

performer I am today, but I think the first one who really saw me for me and saw

the performer I was capable of being was one of my high school theatre teachers,

Becca Worley. She found me as a high school freshman and cast me in my first

play. I had the absolute fortune of getting cast in or being involved with every

show she directed during her time at that school. I learned so much about my

style as an actor, and about playing comedy from her. Worley is also perhaps the

first person to see a natural inclination for directing in me—long before I even

realized it myself—and asked me if I would like to assistant direct a show with her

when I was a senior. She really looked out for me, saw something unique and

sparkly in me and fostered a true love of artistry and creativity in my acting.

What role have you enjoyed the most in your career so far?

 I have a couple actually! Molly Aster in Peter and the Starcatcher and

Jerusha Abbott in Daddy Long Legs. They are both so intelligent, funny, and full of

this fire that was very exciting for me to find within me. Both characters are

largely a different font of the same character, but they came to me at two very

difference points in my career when I really needed to be reminded of that fire

and spirit. I would absolutely love to have another turn with Jerusha in Daddy

Long Legs. Since the production I did (alongside my wonderful partner onstage

and off, Preston Isham) was put out exclusively for streaming, I did not feel like I

really got to spend the time with Jerusha that I would have liked to—so I would

love the opportunity to revisit that role.

Do you have a dream role?

So many! I also have just a ton of dream shows that I want to do. I would

love to play Elle Woods in Legally Blonde—I think I’ve wanted to be her since my

mom took me to see the movie in 2002 and my mom bought me a replica of her

heart necklace at Claire’s no less than 15 minutes after the movie. I would love to

play Val in A Chorus Line again—I would do that show until the end of time, given

the opportunity—Julia from The Wedding Singer, Clara in The Light in the Piazza,

Ariel in The Little Mermaid, Karen in Mean Girls. I would also just LOVE to be

anyone in Rock of Ages—I’m a sucker for a good campy, self-aware, fun musical.

 What person(s) would you like to be on stage with?

 In terms of people I know, I am just waiting for the day that my

best friend, Bailey Maxwell and I get to perform alongside each other. We’ve

known one another for so many years now and have never gotten the

opportunity to dig into a script with each other. She’s just the best and such a

phenomenal performer and I want to share the stage with her always! I always

love performing with Preston—it’s nice having a forever scene partner that will

just let me dissect scenes and reassemble them. He’s also just like, the BEST hype

person when I’m feeling less than sparkly.

If I am picking a famous person, I want to share the stage with, undoubtedly

I’m picking Catherine O’Hara, Elizabeth Olsen, and Kathryn Hahn. I admire so

many different things in each of them (both personally and as a performer) and I

would just love the opportunity to do any kind of scene work with them.

 What performances have you seen that impressed you?

 I honestly have to say everything that Mark Quach does impresses me. I

have seen him in a variety of different capacities (both on the stage and off) and

he always draws my attention. Mark could be buried in an ensemble of one

hundred people, and I think he would still manage to catch my eye. I absolutely

adore watching him perform. Mark always brings such a beautiful, authentic

energy to everything he does. I have had the great fortune of dancing his

choreography a few times and I think the only way I know how to describe his

style, is that it is a physical representation of joy and the energy that stems from

the heart of that joy.

What are your career goals?

I would really like to get into directing more. It is something that I think

about a lot. Anyone close to me could tell you, I am constantly spouting off

random ideas and concepts for shows I’d like to direct and how I would want to

execute them. That being said, I still want to be performing and growing myself

into the actor and performer, I dream to be. I would love to start doing plays

 more often! I really miss doing those, so I will absolutely be looking out for more

play auditions. I would also like to try my hand in voiceover work and some film as

well. It took me a long time to learn that I don’t have to just pick one acting

medium, so now I want to start branching out and exploring other facets of my

creativity.

 What would people be surprised to learn about you?

I feel like I’m pretty open about it, but there may be a lot of people

surprised to learn that I didn’t really begin dance training until I was about 18. In

fact, I actually got turned away from a few schools because I was not a strong

enough dancer at the time I was auditioning for theatre programs. Up until this

point I had mostly skated by on being good at picking choreography up and being

able to blend even if I didn’t know the technical moves or vocabulary. I learned a

lot by just faking my way through it before I ever had a dance technique class. I’d

be lying if I said that I don’t still have a HUGE amount of imposter syndrome that

surrounds my technique. I knew my journey was going to be an uphill one,

starting dance so much later than a lot of people in this career, but dance was

something I found joy in, so it was important to me to find my footing in it, so to

speak. I think my approach to acting has always been a very physically realized

one, so dancing felt like a very natural extension of that to me.

There are so many times that I still feel like that younger version of me

(who didn’t even know what a piqué turn was) and I forget to consider myself a

dancer, but honestly, I’ve been cast more in more dance roles than anything else

in my career so maybe eventually, that will set in! I once had a lovely dance

teacher that told me it didn’t matter if the steps were perfect, if I enjoyed

dancing…I was a dancer.