From the time she was a tiny tot, the theater has been a second home to Madeleine Millet.

In a stroller, on a hip or on her little feet, Madeleine regularly accompanied her mother, Greer Millet, who has long been involved in local community theater, either as an actor, a director or an organizer of summer workshops for local youth.

“Even before she could be in a show, she was at the rehearsals and everything,” Greer said. “She’d be running around all over the place.”

At the tender age of 5, Madeleine finally got to be in one of those shows, playing a baby chick in a production of “Honk.”

Now 15 and a rising sophomore at St. Charles Catholic High School, Madeleine has nabbed her first starring role. She will play Dorothy in the St. John Theatre’s production of “The Wizard of Oz,” which opens Thursday.

Madeleine said she set out to win the part.

“I got my eye on it and I just wanted it,” she said. “Whenever I get my eye on something, I don’t give up. I just keep going after it until I get it.”

Still, she said she burst into tears when her mom got a text message telling her she had won the part.

“I’m a big crybaby,” Madeleine said.

Now in the midst of rehearsals and with two new pairs of Ruby Slippers (one for backup), Madeleine is savoring every minute of her stage time.

“I love being Dorothy because I love how she is so positive,” Madeleine said. “I see that in myself. Being this character helps me to be more positive and it helps me to never give up. I’m so excited. This show is coming up really fast, but I know it’s all going to be OK.”

Oddly enough, Greer nearly was the director of this production, too.

“I decided to take the summer off,” Greer said.“She decided she wanted to audition for it, though. I’m glad (director) Mike (Brooks) cast her, because it’s hard to direct your own kid.”

Madeleine is used to that, however. Besides Dorothy, she has played a mouse in “Cinderella,” a Who in “Seussical The Musical,” Charlie in “Willie Wonka Kids” and Amaryllis in “The Music Man.” She knows her stuff, mom said.

“A couple of years ago St. John Theatre did ‘Jeckyll and Hyde,” and my other two children were in it,” Greer said. “We watched so many rehearsals that, at the production, she leaned over to me an said, ‘He didn’t do that last night.’ That’s when I knew that she was watching.”

The one summer Madeleine did take off from theater, she did not remain idle. She started her own little cupcake business, “MaddieCakes.” She has a Facebook page (MaddieCakes) where customers can place orders with several flavors to choose from.

“It’s a mashup of Pinterest ideas, recipe books and my own brain,” she said. “My favorite is plain old vanilla with salted caramel buttercream frosting.”