Emily Pinto is This Week's Whiz Kid

Stoneham Patch Whiz Kid of the Week

• Emily Pinto, 16
• Accomplishment: A talented actress with over a dozen plays under her belt, Pinto recently joined the Boston Center for the Arts, a Boston Children's Theater group. Emily will be starring in the Theatre's latest production entitled, “Calvin's Monster,” a light-hearted musical.

Whiz Kid's Key to Awesomeness:

Meet Stoneham's Meryl Streep. Pinto is a burgeoning actress who has made waves with her natural talent at the Boston Center for Arts as part of the Boston Children's Theatre group. Pinto is starring as a major role in the upcoming musical, “Calvin's Monster,” a whimsical tale about friendship and staying strong in the face of adversity.

Pinto's latest role is just the last in a string of performances she has been involved with. Pinto has been seen in ’s productions of “Miracle on 34^th Street,” “Gypsy,” and “A Christmas Story.” She has also performed with Wheelock Family Theatre in “Honk!,” “Annie,” “Seussical,” and “Peter Pan.” At the High School, she has appeared in productions such as “Dani Girl,” “God,” “Chicago,” and “Metamorphoses.”

“She's an extraordinarily talented actress,” said Burgess Clark, executive artistic director of the Boston Children's Theatre, of Pinto. “She is a new student at the school, but already has been cast in several roles, especially chosen because of her innate talent and her ability to learn lines and scenes quickly. Emily is as professional as any actor I've ever worked with.”

When it comes to acting, Pinto said, “My dad was a musician, so I got to go to a lot of performances of his and people we knew at the Boston Opera House growing up. It was always so intriguing to me, I wanted to just jump up on stage alongside them.”

Concerning her latest role in “Calvin's Monster,” the play follows the adventures of eight-year-old boy named Calvin and his school librarian, as he turns to her for help in understanding what he’s afraid of and how to overcome those fears.

By enlisting the help of beloved fairy tale characters who come to life, Calvin realizes that he’s not alone and that everyone has obstacles to overcome. Encouraged by his new friends, Calvin develops the tools he needs to face his fears and become stronger in the face of adversity. Pinto plays the cast of one of the fairytale people come to life, starring as the iconic character Little Red Riding Hood.

“It will be a wonderful performance, its completely new and original music and I'm really honored to be able to be a part of it,” Pinto said. “Musicals are my favorite form of theater and I love the singing and dancing involved in this play.”

Pinto's plans for the future also center around musicals and acting. Pinto wants to continue adding more performances to her resume to attend college for musical theater. She said, “I know it's a difficult business, acting and theater, but it's my passion, it's something I've never felt this strongly about before.”

“Calvin's Monster” is scheduled to be performed at the Roberts Studio Theatre at the Boston Center for the Arts, 539 Tremont St., Boston on Feb. 4-5, 11-12 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased on the BCT website or by calling the Box Office at 617-424-6634 ext. 222.