TR Robertson –Local Vista actress Kalin Booker will be the lead in the romantic comic musical “Sweet Charity” in her debut at the Oceanside Theatre, running March 6-29, as she plays Charity Hope Valentine. Kalin said about the musical and her character, “Sweet Charity is kind of a funky musical. It follows this blissfully ignorant girl who loves life, but life does not treat her very well. Despite that, she keeps loving and hoping which manifests in these big, spectacular dance number on the stage.”

Kalin has lived in Vista since 2015 where she performed in her first professional production at Moonlight, performing in “The Music Man”. She started high school at Alta Loma High School in Los Angeles, then transferred to the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts. It was here she developed her love for theatre and where she began to develop her music theory and performance skills. Kalin specialized in music and opera, performing in a number of productions. She joined the Citrus Singers Program at Citrus Theatre to further explore her love of music. Traveling and performing in New York City, Germany and China led her to meet John Vaughan, a director and choreographer for Moonlight Amphitheater. This encounter would lead her to Vista and the San Diego musical theatre community. She stated, “Continuing to be a part of the theatre community on and off stage is an aspiration of mine. My biggest goal is to take every new opportunity as a gift and go out for jobs/gigs that scare me; to help me grow as an actress and a human.”

When she is not in rehearsals or on stage, Kalin works as part of the management team for hotel entertainment at the Legoland California Resort. Here she helps produce improv shows, interactive musicals, dance parties and the first acapella group at Hotels. She was recently promoted to Resort Entertainment Assistant Manager where she will now assist in all resort productions. She said this “is a very rewarding and challenging job.

Kalin’s love of theatre, music and performing will continue as she hopes to perform in Moonlight Theatre productions again this summer. Her concentration now is on her upcoming debut at Oceanside Theatre and focusing on her new position at Legoland and the projects she will work on there. She expressed her feelings about taking part in this musical by saying “thanks to my friends, family and co-workers for all their support, along with the artistic team for giving her this opportunity to tell Sweet Charity Hope Valentine’s story”.

The Oceanside Theatre production of “Sweet Charity” was inspired by Federico Fellini’s “Nights of Cabiria”. The story of this unfortunate dance hall hostess in New York City has a “tuneful score by Cy Coleman, sparkling lyrics by Dorothy Fields and a hilarious book by Neil Simon”. At Oceanside Theatre the musical is directed by Ted Leib with musical direction by Martin Martiarena and choreography by Siri Hafso. Memorable theatre numbers like “Big Spender”, “If My Friends Could See Me Now”, and “Rhythm of Life” will burst on stage with the 15 member cast.

The musical comedy “Sweet Charity” will run from March 6-29. Ticket prices range from $19-$34 and can be purchased online at www.oceansidetheatre.org or call 760-433-8900. Oceanside Theatre is located at 217 North Coast Highway. There are a number of restaurants and breweries located close to the theatre and several parking areas nearby.  

If you love musical theatre you will not want to miss “Sweet Charity” which “captures all the energy, humor and heartbreak of life in the Big City as told by an unfortunate but irrepressible optimist”.