The Horse’s Mouth
Hosting a Children’s Show
NAME: Michele Lepe | AGE: 35 | HOMETOWN: San Antonio | QUALIFICATIONS: Has played the role of Nina on The Good 
Night Show on the Sprout Network since December 2006 / Starred in the Telemundo miniseries Los Teens / Studied at the Atlantic Acting School, in New York
Photograph by Ryan Dorsett
â— The Good Night Show is a tool to help parents handle what can be a tough part of the day. Your child knows that it’s time to grab his blanket, settle in, and get ready to say goodnight.
â— The children watching the show deserve our respect, so I want to keep my role as Nina as real as possible. It’s like anti-acting.
â— I was lucky enough to speak both English and Spanish growing up in San Antonio. But the sign language is something I’ve picked up as a result of the show. I’m learning along with the kids.
â— We shoot for about three weeks once a year and film between twenty and thirty episodes at a time. The look, the wardrobe, and, of course, Star the puppet have to be consistent so that the episodes are familiar to the children.
â— Children have a better chance of recognizing me when I’m out in costume and my hair is done. In my everyday life—that’s when I’m not wearing my pajamas—it’s the parents who notice me and make the connection. A mom in the store or at Starbucks will tell me, “Did you know you look like Nina?” And, of course, everyone always asks me, “Where’s Star?”
â— I was nine when I performed in my first class play, at Crestview Elementary. For the life of me, I can’t remember the name, but I do remember making moccasins with my mom for the costume. Maybe that’s why I enjoy doing arts and crafts so much on the show.
â— After I graduated from St. Mary’s University with a degree in international business, I decided to audition for the role of Ismene in a local production of Antigone. That’s a little bit more serious than what I’m doing now, but it confirmed for me that acting was still my passion in life.
â— I recently became a mom for the first time, and my role as Nina has really taught me a lot about being a mother—including establishing a bedtime routine.
â— This may be a scripted show, but it’s not about the script. It’s about the energy and the interaction you convey on camera. I try to bring as much of myself as possible to the program.
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