#BehindtheCurtain: Get to Know Lena Ceja

No matter what day of the week it is, all we want to do is talk about Wednesday… Wednesday Addams that is! This iconic role is being portrayed by Lena Ceja in SDMT’s current production of The Addams Family! Whether you know this character from the recent, popular TV show or from some of the more old-school source material, Wednesday’s morbid personality is instantly recognizable. Lena beautifully portrays the complicated emotions surrounding family, love, and growing up that Wednesday navigates in this musical, and it truly is a joy to watch her shine on the SDMT Stage. Having appeared in two of our productions in 2022, In the Heights and Little Shop of Horrors, we’re so thrilled to have Lena back for this production and part of the SDMT Family. She is a joy to be around both on and off stage, and we can’t think of someone better suited to play Wednesday. If you want to get to know the actress behind the role, keep reading below!

 

What inspired you to get into musical theatre?

Watching a performance of “Out Tonight” from Rent started it all! I started musical theater fairly late in the game, around when I was 17, and it was directly after seeing Mimi in the movie Rent. Being introduced to it though a contemporary lens honestly made me fall in love with the art form as a whole pretty immediately. Plus, seeing someone who looked like me, who was completely comfortable in her body, and confident in herself put her right at the top of my dream roles list. She really showcased to me that I had a place in an industry, which I had not really seen a spot in before.

Does The Addams Family have any special meaning to you? If you could tell the audience anything about this show, what would it be?

Love truly conquers all. I have always adored that a core aspect of the Addams Family is that they bare all their shadows and still love and accept each other regardless. They take in their family members exactly as they are and embrace what makes them unique them and I really love that. I think our society could really benefit from some more love and acceptance like that.

Who is your Broadway idol?

One of my Broadway idols is Sondheim. He’s a great representation of the idea that one should give into their creativity and create regardless of the notion of success. When Sondheim’s musical The Frogs flopped, he continued to tweak and work on it regardless of outward opinion. I believe Nathan Lane referred to it as “creative endurance”. I really admire that because it’s a true showcase of investing in an idea for the sake of creating and because it’s yours; even if the masses don’t understand it right away, something magical will still eventually come from it.

What is your favorite scene or number in The Addams Family?

What is the most relatable quality of Wednesday’s character for you? And then conversely, what’s been the most unrelatable or challenging aspect of portraying this character for you?

Wednesday has always been my favorite character in the Addams Family, but I would say our most notable difference is my sunny disposition and connection to my emotions. I wear my heart on my sleeve pretty openly and that’s not always the case with Wednesday. However, I do resonate with her qualities of loyalty and fearlessness. She is very comfortable in her skin and choices, she loves to maintain her promises, and is always true to her word and I strive to maintain those principals in my day to day as well.

What is a dream role or dream show to be in for you?

A dream role of mine is definitely Esmeralda in Hunchback of Notre Dame. I love that show and it’s score so much and I admire the strength, fierceness, and justice that she embodies.

The Addams clan is a rather spooky bunch, and this show will be happening right before Halloween. What’s your favorite spooky Halloween memory?

One of my favorite Halloween memory was ghost hunting with my friends when I was 19. We went to a popular abandoned building (shh this stays between us, readers) and had our own night of Ghost Adventures that had us especially spooked. It was fairly popular in this area to go to this place on Halloween so we ran into quite a few groups of other ghost hunters who we were able to compare some of the nights experiences with. It was such a fun way to be surrounded by true spookiness and I will forever cherish the laughs and excitement that night brought.

If you could invite one member of the Addams family over for dinner, who would you want to come?

I would definitely invite Grandma. She feels like the perfect unhinged energy to have a hilarious dinner party with. I would love to ask her questions about her life and all the craziness she has to have been involved in being the oldest of the living (or undecided) Addams.

 

The Addams Family Creative Team:
Director: Carlos Mendoza
Choreographer: Aaron Pomeroy
Music Director: Richard Dueñez Morrison