Currently, Kayna Montecillo is playing Ocean in Ride the Cyclone musical at Southwark Playhouse Elephant, working alongside Divina De Campo as The Amazing Karnak, Bartek Kraszewski as Mischa and Jack Maverick as Ricky, with the show booking until Saturday 22nd August, and Kayna performed with some of the cast at this year’s West End Live. For Kayna’s first UK Tour, she played Annabeth in The Lightning Thief (part of the Percy Jackson franchise), which co-starred Vasco Emauz and Cahir O’Neill, and she made her professional theatre debut in the new version of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Starlight Express playing Pearl at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre, for which she was also part of the 2024 London Cast Recording. Last year, Kayna was in the cast of the public workshop performances of BLISS at Lilian Baylis Studio at Sadler’s Wells playing Piper, and having joined ArtsEd at the age of 16 for their sixth form, she graduated in 2024 from the Musical Theatre degree course. Speaking with Kayna, she told us about playing Ocean in Ride the Cyclone at Southwark Playhouse Elephant, being part of the UK Tour of The Lightning Thief and her time in Starlight Express.
How familiar were you with the musical Ride the Cyclone before booking your role of Ocean for the current run at Southwark Playhouse Elephant, and can you say about the show for those who haven’t yet had chance to see it?
I was working with Lizzi for the tour of The Lightning Thief when she told us she was directing Ride the Cyclone. My friends were so excited because they loved the show so much. My friends from The Lightning Thief cast wanted to watch it, so I decided to join them, with little knowledge about the musical, and I had the most amazing time. I actually remember watching Baylie (Carson) play Ocean and thinking, “I’d love to play her one day. Ocean is such a fun character”. So, it’s a very full-circle moment for me!
What I’ll say about the show I’ll base on my first experience of seeing it, which is that it has everything you would want in a musical. There is so much heart, and you fall in love with all the characters and their stories. It follows the story of a group of students who end up in a tragic roller coaster incident and find themselves in a position for a chance to fight for the opportunity to come back to life. I think the concept of the show is so interesting, and it is executed so well within the writing of the musical.
You have recently performed with the show at West End Live, how was this?
Performing at West End Live was a huge bucket list moment for me. When we found out we’d be doing What the World Needs, I was so excited. I’ll never forget stepping onto that stage after the track started playing and hearing the crowd cheer when they realised what song we were about to perform. It was amazing getting to witness first-hand how loved this musical is.
That entire weekend was such a whirlwind because we’d opened the show two days before, so we felt like we’d achieved so much as a cast after our West End Live performance, and it was the perfect way to end our first weekend of shows.
What is Ocean like to play and how did you prepare for taking on the role?
I knew Ocean was going to be a very challenging, yet rewarding, character to play. Her track in the show is non-stop, but that’s why I love it so much. The biggest thing for me was stamina, so I worked on that a lot before rehearsals had started. I even did the well-known Beyoncé method of singing and running at the same time!
I haven’t had an opportunity to play a character like Ocean yet, and I was initially quite nervous because I think, with a character like this one, it can be easy to forget where her intentions come from, especially when comedy plays such a big role in the show. I really tried to make sure my version came from her place of truth and her need for constant perfection, which I myself resonate with.
I prepared as much as I could before taking on this role, but the more I get to play this character, the more discoveries I’ve been making. It’s made me realise that the best way to learn about a character is to keep being curious and keep exploring. The process of discovering your character never stops until the end of the run, and that’s been one of my favourite aspects when it comes to getting to play Ocean.
What are you enjoying most about performing as Ocean and working alongside your fellow cast members, which include Divina De Campo as The Amazing Karnak, Bartek Kraszewski as Mischa and Jack Maverick as Ricky?
What I enjoy the most about Ocean’s character is how much she changes by the end of the show. I think her overall arc is such a privilege to play, and the writing makes it so easy for me to follow that journey. I don’t think I could ever become tired of getting to tell her story and feel all the emotions she feels throughout the show. I’ve settled into doing the show now, but I still find myself getting emotional towards the end, as if I’m feeling all the emotions for the first time, which is a huge credit to the writers of the show. It’s rare to get to play a character that does that to you, so I feel very lucky, and I’m making the most of it for sure.
When it comes to getting to work with this amazing cast, I just feel so lucky to have met this lovely group of people. I remember walking in on the first day of rehearsals feeling starstruck by the cast because I was in awe of the talent when I had been to see the show. I even texted my friends on the first day saying I couldn’t believe I just sang with the cast. They’ve welcomed me, Josh (Butler) and Divina with open arms, so it feels like one big family. I think with how close we have become as a cast, you can feel that energy on stage, and I just love getting to tell this story with all of them.
How is it telling the Ride the Cyclone story, and what do you hope audiences take from the production?
Getting to tell the story is just as fun as it is getting to watch it, especially when you’re performing it in quite an intimate space. You can really feel the energy from the audience at Southwark Playhouse, which makes it so easy to stay true to the heart of the story. I hope audiences walk away feeling a new appreciation for life and realise how beautiful it really is. At the end of the day, that is the true message of the show, and I hope we as a cast tell the story well enough for them to walk away understanding that that was the purpose of the musical.
Why would you recommend booking tickets to see Ride the Cyclone, which is booking in London at Southwark Playhouse Elephant until Saturday 22nd August?
Ride the Cyclone celebrates diversity, which I think is so refreshing to see in the industry. I think everyone can see themselves in at least one of these characters, and people deserve to experience getting to see themselves represented. I think missing the opportunity to see this show would mean missing the chance to get to experience a really unique 90-minute journey that I haven’t seen any other musical manage to execute so perfectly before.
How did you find the experience heading out on your first UK Tour when you played Annabeth in The Lightning Thief, which also starred Vasco Emauz and Cahir O’Neill?
Touring really intimidated me at first, but once I had navigated the first few venues and fell into a rhythm, I really enjoyed it! It was a privilege to get to travel as my job, especially when I got to work with such an amazing group of people. Vasco, Cahir and I were attached at the hip on and off stage because we loved being in each other’s company. I still hang out with them all the time, and I have met friends for life. Even the Ride the Cyclone cast know about them because I talk about them all the time, and they have already been to see the show a few times!
What was it like joining the Percy Jackson franchise and bringing the popular character Annabeth to the stage?
I was quite intimidated at first because Annabeth is a hugely loved character, and I wanted to make sure I held up to the expectations of the Percy Jackson franchise lovers. I think out of all the characters I’ve played so far, Annabeth is the one I see myself the most in, and it was an honour to get to play her.
It meant a lot to me to let people who look like me see themselves represented on stage, especially with a character you wouldn’t typically see a person of colour playing. Getting to share this version around the UK and hearing people at stage door say they were grateful to see a Filipina Annabeth gave me hope that more people of colour can see themselves being a part of the industry, and it makes me excited for the future of musical theatre.
How did you feel booking your role of Pearl in Starlight Express at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre for your professional debut?
I remember getting to play Pearl in the workshop and thinking, “I’d love to play her one day”, hoping that I could do it in a few years time, but not once did I expect to be originating the role and for this to be my first job. I couldn’t fathom the concept of leaving drama school early to start skate school for a long time, especially with how clumsy I am in real life!
Getting to FaceTime my mum outside the ArtsEd building to tell her the good news will forever be one of my favourite memories because it felt like everything my parents and I had sacrificed was finally worth it. Even though I knew this job would be filled with many challenges and I’d have to push myself beyond my limits, I knew I was capable of doing it, so I was really excited.
How was it being part of the new version of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Starlight Express, and what was it like being in the studio for the 2024 London Cast Recording?
Getting to be part of the new version and witnessing all the work that got put into it was incredible. I don’t think it had ever really hit that I was part of the original cast of this version until I was sent the new sheet music of I Am Me, with the riffs I had created included. It made me realise that the version we had created was being immortalised in so many different ways, and that felt really special.
So, if that’s how I felt with a page of sheet music, I’m sure you can imagine how emotional I was when we realised we were doing a cast recording. Getting to be in a studio and record the songs was such an unforgettable experience, and I still get goosebumps when I see my name next to Andrew Lloyd Webber on the streaming platforms.
Can you tell us about performing in the public workshops of BLISS at Lilian Baylis Studio at Sadler’s Wells as Piper last year?
BLISS was such an incredible experience. I love getting to be part of the early stages of a musical’s journey, especially one that has so much potential like this one. I loved getting to play Piper because I think women can all resonate with Piper’s experiences of wanting to fit in and changing herself in order to do so.
It was fun getting to watch audiences experience something new and to feel the energy of them falling in love with the show as it went on. It’s amazing watching it grow, and I can’t wait to see where it goes after its run at the Fringe.
What was it like being a student at ArtsEd (from which you graduated in 2024) and was there anything that drew you to their Musical Theatre course?
I actually started my journey at ArtsEd when I was 16, when I joined the sixth form. I was lucky enough to be on the acting scholarship, otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to afford to go, and I definitely wouldn’t have gotten into the degree course without it.
The ArtsEd degree course had always been the top choice for me because, if you follow the journeys of all the graduates, they’re all in different parts of the industry. It was evident that the training made you prepared for anything that came your way, whether it was taking on the role of an ensemble track, a swing, or a lead. I came out of the degree course feeling exactly that. I felt confident in my own skills and felt ready for whatever the industry decided to throw my way – even if it did end up being a show on roller skates!
I walked into that building for the first time not really knowing anything about the industry, and I walked out of it for the last time with my first job. I owe it all to them and the incredible training they gave me there.
How did you get into acting, and did you always know you wanted a career on stage?
I was quite a shy child, so my parents put me into dance classes when I was six, and it has stuck ever since. I watched Wicked, which was my first musical, when I was nine, and I knew I didn’t want to do anything else. My parents have been supportive from that moment onwards because I don’t think they’d ever seen me happier than I was when I was performing or watching people perform. We navigated this journey together because, like me, they had no clue how the industry worked. I owe everything to them and their endless support.
What are some of your favourite theatre shows to watch, and which would you like to see that you haven’t done so as yet?
I personally love Next to Normal. I’m not the type to rewatch musicals, but I went to see the recent London version three times and I have no regrets because it was one of the best musicals I have seen on stage. I’ve also been to see Cabaret a few times because I love watching all of the different interpretations by the actors. It is such a brilliant show.
I haven’t watched Operation Mincemeat yet or Titanique, and they’re both at the top of my list to watch for sure.
How do you like to spend your free time?
The weather at the moment has been perfect for reading or playing the guitar in the garden, which have been my favourite pastimes. I also love going for a run and baking some very delicious brownies, which I need to make for the cast soon! I’m a very family-orientated person, so I also love getting to make the most of spending time with them when I can.
Follow Kayna on: