From acting to singing to caring for her three dogs, there’s nothing that Melanie Villalobos can’t do! You can most likely find Mel in the Santiago Theater working on an upcoming show, or in the ASB room planning events for the school through her position as Performing Arts Commissioner.

Mel has been in theater all four years of high school and will have been in ten shows once this year is complete. When asked about her past productions, Melanie stated that Little Shop of Horrors in 2016 was by far her favorite. “Little Shops was my favorite because it was one of the hardest shows I’ve ever done. I had to bring out a sassy side of myself that I never knew I had! Also, dancing is not one of my strongest traits and Little Shop was filled with dancing, so I definitely had to push myself harder than ever before” (Villalobos).

Some of Melanie’s musical inspirations are Sierra Boggess, who played Christine in Phantom of the Opera and Ariel in the Little Mermaid, Ben Platt who plays Evan Hansen in the Tony Award Winning Musical, Dear Evan Hansen, and of course, Ariana Grande. Musical theatre has played such an enormous role in Mel’s life that she hopes to pursue it after high school. She hopes to study the arts in the areas of vocals, theater, and overall performing.

Melanie has been fortunate enough to be able to share her talent in a myriad of different ways. Mel has performed songs at various school events such as the Hip Hop Banquet, The Film Festival, various Theater Shows, and she will be a contestant in Mr. and Mrs. SHS! Melanie also runs an Instagram account completely dedicated to singing covers, which can be found @melaniesmelodies!

Melanie’s most memorable high school experience was when she got to play the lead role of Alice in Alice in Wonderland. Mel articulated that “I became best friends with the character Alice and was able to grow as an actress while doing so. Playing Alice was such a blessing and whenever I think about it, it feels like a dream”.

Above all, Melanie Villalobos is kind, caring, and a friend to everyone she meets. Her musical talent and beautiful personality will take her far in life, and Santiago is extremely lucky to have had the chance to experience her magnificent and vibrant self.