VOORHEESVILLE — Twelve-year-old Madeleine Roussin dreams of being a Broadway actress. Over the years, she’s had small parts in the Christmas classic, Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker.”

On Saturday, Madeleine will play the lead role in the Albany Berkshire Ballet’s afternoon production of “The Nutcracker,” at The Egg.

The seventh-grader has been dancing since the age of 3, including in several other productions of “The Nutcracker,” but this is the first time she will play the role of young girl who travels through The Land of the Sweets to meet heroes like the Nutcracker Prince and foes like the Mouse King.

According to Stacey Dailey Roussin, Operations and Development manager for the Albany Berkshire Ballet, a board member, and Madeleine’s mother, this is the 42nd year that the show will run. There are 17 shows, and with a different girl playing Clara for each show.

“It’s competitive, but it’s a very supportive group,” says Roussin.

Locally, 18 children auditioned to play Clara, says Roussin. Four were chosen; one will perform in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and another in Sheffield, Massachusetts. At the Egg, Isabella Plastiras, a sixth-grader from Albany, was chosen to perform at 5:30 p.m., Madeleine was chosen to perform at 1:30 p.m..

Madeleine tried out for the role in September, her third time trying out for Clara. Most girls move up through the various roles and then audition for Clara’s role when they are between the ages of 9 and 12.

“There’s a very small window for which they can be chosen for the role,” said Roussin.

Madeleine found out she had gotten the part the same day she auditioned.

“It was really, really exciting,” she said. “It’s something I’ve really wanted to do.”

Madeleine has played a reindeer, a “mini mouse,” an angel, and a party child in previous shows.

“I really liked being a party child,” she said. “I like having the opportunity to act on stage.”

She says the part of Clara allows her to act more than she ever has before. She also gets to be on her own on stage for a five-minute scene.

But some of her favorite parts of the show include a scene in which a whole group of dancers come out on stage for The Land of the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Clown’s Dance. The show’s cast is made up of both professional dancers and students.

Madeleine says the most challenging thing in the show is to make sure her face is “telling the story.”

“It’s not distracted, like I would be in class,” she says. “It’s engaged in the performance.”

Madeleine has been rehearsing every Thursday and Saturday since September.

She also enjoys musical theater and tap dancing. Her favorite musicals are “Wicked,” and “Hamilton,” and she would like to someday be a Broadway actress.

“I would really like to be Elphaba in ‘Wicked,’” she says, “Or to be Belle in ‘Beauty and the Beast.’”

In the meantime, she says she would be interested in playing the Toy Soldier in future productions of “The Nutcracker.”

“I like the dance, and it seems like a really fun part,” she says.

“It’s really exciting,” she says. “I like to get to dance with professionals on stage.”

“I’m just really excited to be Clara,” she says.