The 2017 Ovation Awards, the lone peer-judged award ceremony for theatrical performances in Los Angeles, welcomes one of Moorpark College’s very own, Natalia Vivino.

The 20-year-old Theater Arts and Journalism double-major has quickly made a name for herself in the acting-world, having recently been 1 of 7 actresses nominated for the Best Featured Actress in a Musical for the upcoming 27th annual LA Stage Alliance Ovation Awards, taking place in the Ahmanson Theatre in downtown Los Angeles on Jan. 17, 2017.

Nominated for her portrayal of Yonah in the musical “Children of Eden,” a Cabrillo Music Theatre production that ran in April of 2016 at the Civic Arts Plaza in Thousand Oaks, Vivino was speechless when she received a text message in early November notifying her of her achieved nomination.

“I was not expecting this at all,” said Vivino. “The kind of people who get nominated for Ovation Awards are usually very experienced, been working professionally in theatre for a very long time, so the fact that I even received the nomination is a huge, huge honor.”

Established in 1989, and often regarded as the Los Angeles equivalent of Broadway’s Tony Awards, the ceremony boasts an impressive list of notable past nominees and winners. With her official nomination announced on Nov. 2, Vivino has joined the company of many highly-respected and successful actors, such as Sir Ian Mckellen, Neil Patrick Harris, Chris Pine, and more.

When encompassing the character of Yonah from “Children of Eden,” Vivino claimed she approached the role in the same way she always does.

“I worked really hard to convince the audience that it wasn’t just an actress playing this part, but that I was her,” said Vivino. “I tried to put myself in her shoes the best way that I could, making sure that I was in the moment, on stage, and feeling it. If I was doing that, I was doing the right thing.”

Lewis Wilkenfeld, an Executive Advisory Board member of Cabrillo Music Theatre and director of the “Children of Eden” musical last April, claimed Vivino’s pure acting talent is what earned her the nomination.

“Natalia’s portrayal of Yonah benefited from the fact that she’s always telling the truth onstage,” said Wilkenfeld. “Her soul pours through her voice and her physical countenance, the audience and other actors easily connect to it.”

Aside from “Children of Eden,” Wilkenfeld can see a great future in the industry for the both hard-working and uniquely talented Vivino.

“She is sincere and unassuming, and, as she continues to hone her craft, she’ll go as far as her talents and passion will take her,” said Wilkenfeld. “Someday, musical theatre roles will be written for her”.

A one-time honorable mention from the Ovation Awards herself, Moorpark College Theater Arts Professor Suzanne Fagan has been instructing Vivino in Fagan’s Acting I course this semester.

“[Vivino] has such ease with all different kinds of scripts,” said Fagan. “She gets the flow of a character’s rhythm and cadence of their speech really easily, especially for her [young] age.”

At 20 years of age, Vivino calls herself “a late bloomer” when it comes to getting involved in acting. Aside from mandatory school performances and acting classes as a child, Vivino didn’t start to get serious about her craft until she reached high school.

“There was something [acting] provided for me that made me happy,” said Vivino. I don’t even remember why I started singing musical theatre one day, or why I begged my mom to put me in acting class when I was a kid. I just knew it was something I wanted to do.”

With the Ovation Awards rapidly approaching, Vivino has been able to control the nervousness of waiting to hear the results of her first Ovation nomination.

“The most amazing part for me was just getting notified of the nomination,” said Vivino. “At this point, I’m just going to enjoy going [to the award show] and getting to dress up and see all these really cool people, and go to a party after.”

Regardless of who the Ovation Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical goes to, Vivino noted she will continue to aim to become the best performer she can possibly be.

“When it comes to acting, my goals are to continue improving myself,” said Vivino. “It’s so crucial to put everything into this kind of work, whether it’s for an audition, a rehearsal, or on stage during a show. I always want to keep climbing towards that next step.”