It’s not every day somebody gets their big break, especially not at the age of fifteen. Freshman Noah Peralta recently landed his first big acting job as a character in the musical “¡Pasaje!” It is a coming-of-age story featuring a young protagonist, Andy, who is navigating his Mexican roots. Peralta plays the younger brother of Andy’s love interest, Guicho, a “wannabe thug” within the neighborhood. However, this wasn’t Peralta’s first acting job. He’s a part of a DDO kids agency that sends him jobs to audition for including commercials, modeling and TV shows.

“I’ve been acting since I was 8 years old, I’ve always loved dancing and singing and acting on stage allowed me to do both. I knew from a young age I wanted to pursue it as a career. I auditioned for numerous musicals before landing this gig,” Peralta said. “Hearing I got the gig felt amazing. When I went on cast opening day to meet my co-actors, I just couldn’t get over how awesome it all was, and I remember thinking, ‘this is what I want to do.'”  

Rehearsals can run long, meaning some nights Peralta can’t get home until one in the morning. 

“Going to work is about an hour and a half drive, so it can be a hassle to get there. On the drive up I’m usually trying to get in the right mind space, reviewing my lines, doing school work, or just trying to prepare myself,” Peralta said. 

Peralta is able to overcome scheduling challenges and continues his role as a student-athlete on the JV Basketball team while actively making long commutes throughout the week because he prefers a swiftly paced lifestyle. 

“I love staying active and acting. I cannot stick to one thing, I want to try it all. I’d much rather keep myself busy and move on a ‘go, go, go’ mindset than slow down, stick to one thing and burn out. By doing multiple things at once, I’m given more accessibility to devote more of my time to things I’m passionate about,” said Peralta. 

Peralta brings a “radiance and energy” the rest of his cast appreciates. His castmate Karol Avila compared their relationship to that of siblings and appreciated his positive and cooperative attitude on set.

“Seeing [Peralta] ‘in the zone’ is so refreshing. He can get nervous and overthink at times, but he takes direction very well. He’s the type of actor to go off his instincts and allow himself to be experimental. He knows how to take it seriously, and he constantly comes in saying ‘I love my job,’” said Avila. 

Peralta attributes the majority of his support to his family, noting his mom helped him pursue his acting dreams at a young age by investing in his talent and finding an agent., Meanwhile, his dad has “always been along for the ride,” supporting him during each job he lands. 

“I admire him so much, and his parents have a big role in his success by supporting him and driving him an hour out for rehearsals. It is so impressive that he’s in high school and he’s already landed a show. He always shows up with a smile and a ready-to-go type of attitude, so I think he is a bright light that was needed in the show. He isn’t shy and has never been afraid to show us who he is,” said Avila.

The musical will be shown at the Sierra Madre Playhouse in the city of Sierra Madre until Nov. 3. Peralta as well as his castmates urge students to “make the drive and watch Noah’s performance.” His castmates praise the “passion” he carries at such a young age and how hard he’s willing to work. 

“Noah is immensely talented, I feel he is going to go very far in Hollywood, and I’m lucky to have met him. He’s an intelligent kid with a lot of wits, he memorizes all his lines and he’s always prepared to show up and put his all into his work,” said Garcia. “People should come to check out the musical, especially for Noah’s performance. If you want to see the beginning of a movie star’s journey, that is definitely where you need to be because Noah Peralta will be a star at some point and if you want to see the beginning of his journey, it’s happening right now, in real-time.”