A New Face for Lady Capulet

When Adam Adolfo first asked me to play Lady Capulet, I was unsure. I knew I wasn’t quite old enough to have a 17-year-old daughter quite yet. But I had loved reading for her at auditions so much that I threw caution to the wind and accepted. She has always been a Shakespearean dream role for me along with Lady M, Kate from Shrew and most of the other proclaimed ‘Bad Girls’ of Shakespeare. 

I have always been a great Shakespeare lover and purest. So when Adam and I started talking about the changes to the script I was hesitant (i.e. no more Lord Capulet). But I was also excited to get to play this powerful woman who is now the head of the Capulet family. Shakespeare’s text can support a lot of interpretations, which is part of the reason it has endured the test of time. 

 

The 1950’s atmosphere of Havana, Cuba gives my power-hungry (and lustful) Lady C the perfect place to thrive. Having lost her husband, Lord Capulet, a few years before Lady C is left to her own devises with a 17-year-old step-daughter (See? We found a way around it!) and a lovely piece of arm candy (her nephew by marriage, Tybalt) with which she passes her time. Lady C is biding her time happily, running the family business (poorly, I might add) and spending as much money on parties and clothes and general extravagance as she can. 

I am excited to see where this rehearsal process takes my character and the show. It’s definitely going to be something you will not want to miss. So mark your calendars for September 13 and come visit us at the exclusive Rose Club in Havana, Cuba. 

 

 

Playing September 13 through October 6th at the Rose Marine Theatre in Fort Worth, TX.

INSIDE ALDR with Romeo & Juliet's PARIS, JACOB HARRIS

Jacob Harris plays the handsome
and powerful Paris in Romeo & Juliet

Today JACOB HARRIS, who plays the dashing "Kennedy"-inspired Paris in Artes de la Rosa's Romeo and Juliet answers our fun survey! Get to know Jake!

 

· Born & Raised:   North Richland Hills

· Education:   Richland High School and the University of North Texas

· Degree: Bachelor or Arts in Theatre Performance

· Zodiac Sign: Leo

· Any Siblings: Two Sisters

· Audition Song:   "I Need To Know" from Jekyll and Hyde

· Audition Monologue:    Twelfth Night

· Something you're REALLY bad at: English

· Did you have any particular mentors or inspirations when first starting out? My youth minister really inspired me because he gave me a way to do what I love and still honor God.

· Must See TV Show:   F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

· Why you work in theatre:   I like putting smiles on people's faces and being a completely different person.

· First Role:   Hero in "Fireflies" in Middle School

· Favorite Play:" Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead"

· Pop Culture Guilty Pleasure: Rap, I like Eminem

"Happy Halloween!"

· Favorite sport/team/player: Hockey, Stars

· First Stage Kiss: As Hamlet in "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead" to Ophelia

· Pre Show Rituals: Listen to my Music on my pandora...and get my head around my character.

· Special Skills: I'm an Eagle Scout

· MAC or PC: PC

· "I'll never understand why…" : someone won't like Bacon.

· Favorite Post Show Meal:   Whataburger

· Favorite liquid refreshment (adult or other): I like Jaeger or Rootbeer!

WORLDS COLLIDE: Jake a cast member for
Romeo & Juliet and Rashard a cast member
from Artes de la Rosa's In the Heights!

· Favorite ice cream : Oreo Cheesecake

· Biggest On Stage Mishap:   I forgot an entire line and said sh@! on stage.

· Worst job you ever had: I worked in a Marble Slab and my managers were horrible.

· How I was Introduced to Shakespeare: Movies

· Last Good Movie You Saw: The Great Gatsby.

· Something you are incredibly proud of: I earned my Eagle Scout!

· Words of advice for aspiring performers: Don't lose faith, Just keep auditioning!

· Career you would want if not a performer: Firefighter

· Three things you can't live without: Music, Family, Food

· Best way to beat the North Texas Heat : Waterpark

· Why people will love Romeo & Juliet: It's is a new version of the story, and it doesn't get to be long and boring like it normally is.

The Mystery of Romeo - Take Time with Kevin Acosta to Find it Out

When In The Heights closed, almost 2 months ago, it was heart wrenching and bittersweet to go through - seeing as we as a cast had bonded and truly become a familia.  No one was left out or forgotten in our bond - from our techs to the ensemble to the leads; a truly, beautiful experience.  Even for someone who has been consistently been doing show after show for almost 2 years straight, I knew this show would leave a mark on my heart and life in general, as it has.  So of course it could and would cause one to become depressed not being able to the  see the people you had spent every minute of everyday for the past 3 months with.  In the theatre world, when we go through a break up like this there is only one thing you can do... Audition for another show.  Except this one would be completely different from anything I had ever done before.

For one, up to this point, I had exclusively been in musicals.  Not a shocker since I've never had an acting class or anything of the sort and had been in choir since I was in sixth grade; so it just made  sense.  And not only was this Romeo and Juliet, the most famous love story of all time, but for me it was SHAKESPEARE!  I don't know if I've ever been as nervous as I was for this audition.  I was  taking a leap of faith on this one.  Right before I went to my audition I had a in-depth conversation with my best friend about who I wanted to be as an entertainer and how this show just felt right to me.  I am  always trying to push myself as an individual and a performer and this was the step in the direction that I wanted for myself.

I'd be lying if didn't say that Romeo wasn't similar to the other roles I have played (Link Larkin in Hairspray, Ren McCormick in Footloose, etc), but there is just so much more to Romeo.  He is complex - More than just face value  to him.  And I think that's why this was the role I wanted.  As an actor and a person, I want people to take me seriously and not just see me, but to truly see me.  The undertone of Romeo is present throughout the whole play.  You know there is something more to him, almost like he is hiding something from you.  The mystery that is Romeo.

But when I think about it, that's the whole reason I love theatre and acting in general.  The ability to be someone you aren't.  To breath and give life to a complete and separate individual from yourself.  For me, I have truly been blessed to have been in the shows that I have been in.  I have had the amazing journey of finding myself through my characters.  I learn a little about myself every time I am someone else.

I am beyond words to express how excited I am to start this journey with Director Adam Adolfo, my darling Juliet, Courtney Harris, and the rest of this amazing cast.  From the self-proclaimed Domingo of Washington Heights, I grow once more and find myself as the highly acclaimed Romeo of Havana.

JUST JULIET: A few minutes with Courtney Harris

When a show that was really special to you closes you go into what seasoned professionals call “post show depression”. This was definitely a reality when my dream show, In The Heights, had its final performance on June 9th and suddenly I was practically familia-less and purposeless.

Knowing that this was the only possible antidote for my feelings of incompleteness, and also knowing I was going to be out of town for the Romeo and Juliet auditions, I essentially begged Adam Adolfo, ADLR's Artistic Director, to let me come in and audition early.

 

I was completely completely terrified. Every audition I had ever done before has been a musical theatre audition, so where normally I would just prepare 16 bars of my usual stuff and be set, I instead had to prepare an entire Shakespearean monologue. 

Even though I’ve done Shakespeare monologue competitions at my school and even a vignette style one act, I have never been in a real full length play (let alone in iambic pentameter). But after some frantic searching online for an age appropriate monologue I settled on the Jailer’s Daughter from Two Noble Kinsmen and just hoped for the best.

 

I know some actors shy away from Shakespeare, but for someone who is used to expressing herself musically, I love it and it makes sense to me. So to be cast in Romeo & Juliet was a dream come true, but to be cast as Juliet is still unfathomable. 

 

Within the realm of musical theatre I usually fall into what I call the “the brat, the rat, and the weirdo” type where I usually play the brat or rat, most recently - the witch (in Into The Woods), or the weirdo (roles admittedly very Kristin-Wiig-esque). Thus the classic romantic ingénue (because really, what’s more classic and romantic than Romeo and Juliet?) is very much uncharted territory for me- a challenge I am not going to take lightly or passively. 

 

But I identify with Juliet, as most teenage girls do, in a sense that she is in that critical time of her life where she is no longer a child but not yet has the freedoms of an adult. Juliet is not frail and passive, but resilient and passionate and true to her convictions. The courage she has to risk and leave behind everything for what she believes in (love) is why I’m beyond excited about this opportunity to try my hand at playing her.

 

And that's the beauty of being a performing artist: apart from having the ability to share a story or character with an audience, you are capable of unlocking an element of your identity. You get to use your imagination to find yourself in someone you maybe thought wasn't like you. Even offstage, that is an experience that broadens your mind and opens up your perspective of other people as human beings. 

 

And on top of all that, I’m exceedingly lucky that in my first play I get to share the stage with this immensely talented cast and my first stage kiss ever with the amazing Kevin Acosta, all under the direction of the brilliant Adam Adolfo at Artes de la Rosa - which is a theatre that will always hold a very special place in my heart.

BEING MACHO: A Defense from Martin Antonio Guerra, the In the Heights "Papi"

Being Macho: A Defense

When someone says, "He's so macho!" are we supposed to consider this a compliment or an insult? While the Village People sang the praises of having a manly body in "Macho Man" the feminist movement has given us permission to belittle any man who has more muscles than brains, and sitcoms continually laugh at men who still stubbornly refuse to ask for directions.

In truth, we have mixed feelings toward the men in our life. The Spanish-derived term "macho" or "machismo" has ambivalent connotations. We like our men to be strong, but not abusive. We like a man who takes control, but we don't want him to be too controlling. The Urban Dictionary defines machismo as "having an unusually high or exaggerated sense of masculinity." So if you feel that a man shows an exaggerated attitude of aggression, sexual bravado, or control, then calling him "macho" is probably tainted with disapproval. On the other hand, if the attitude isn't exaggerated, but rather if a man exhibits an authentic sense of confidence based on his ability to protect his family and provide for their needs, then calling him "macho" could be considered a compliment. We may prefer to use the term "Daddy" or "Papi" but these are terms of endearment that really admit to our attraction to true masculinity in our fathers, our husbands, and our leaders.

As I study the role of Kevin, the father figure of IN THE HEIGHTS, I will no doubt draw from my experience with my own father, whose confidence as a provider and protector has been painfully diminished by old age and the mismanagement of never ending debt. In my opinion, the negative traits of machismo, the controlling, stubborn nature, the aggressive anger, come out only when a man's sense of confidence or usefulness is threatened -- when he feels useless.

As owner of a taxi company, Kevin Rosario is obviously a leader in his community. When he left Puerto Rico, his goal was to surpass the frustrating and backbreaking occupation of his father and grandfather -- that of a farmer -- and he can claim some pride in being called "boss". But all these accomplishments are always on the brink of being lost because running a small business is stressful with lots of ups and downs and usually built on a lot of debt. He's recently had to lay off three drivers, the mechanic won't repair any more taxis until he gets paid for the last job, and they may need an emergency loan to cover payroll again. Nevertheless, Kevin stays optimistic through it all. 　Staying calm and collected is his way of saying, "I'm still in control. I will not fail." I definitely recognize my own father in Kevin. 　One of my father's first jobs was picking onions and cotton in the fields of South Texas, but he "moved up" to become a truck driver and then the owner of a Trucking company. 　Later, the business expanded to Guerra Construction, which paved a lot of parking lots and driveways all around Corpus Christi. I remember being given small chores around my Dad's shop, sweeping, cleaning the trucks, getting my hands greasy handling tools and truck parts, and then learning to do payroll and a little accounting. 　But being the boss of all that did not interest me at all. 　I preferred books and music. 　Besides, I saw how much it stressed my mother out. She often complained about how my father took risks and made decisions without her, and how there wasn't much left over after everyone else got paid. She knew, more than he did, that this could all be over in an instant, and sure enough, my father lost it all in the recession of the 1980's. 　Ever since then, he's been doing construction jobs on a smaller scale but always in debt and always in search of that next big project that will pay everything off. 　Through all this, my father remains calm and optimistic -- almost blindly so. 　I never saw him raise his voice or get angry or abusive, but he was passively aggressive anyway because he rarely followed my mother's advice or pleadings. 　In the end, he believed that he knew more about how to run a business than any woman could despite all evidence to the contrary. 　Nearing 80 years old now, we've been begging him to retire, but I know in my heart that he will be working until the day he dies. 　To retire now would be to admit failure because there are still bills to pay and men who call him "boss". 　As my grandmother used to say, "Los Guerras son muy mandones!" / "The Guerra men like to give orders!" Having the last word, making decisions about business, having someone to give orders to, these things form the basis of his identity as a man even more than bringing home a profit. He's still stubbornly determined to prove my mother wrong. 　He will not be the reason that his family can't succeed.

Kevin and my father can both claim more success when it came to raising their children. All good parents want their children to reach a higher level of education and prosperity than they did, and they will sacrifice whatever it takes to help their children reach their goals. 　The fact that Kevin raised a daughter who was smart enough and disciplined enough to get into Stanford University is testament to his role in building her up to fly higher than he had ever reached. Some lesser Latino men might see this as a threat to their masculinity -- especially when it comes to their daughters, but Kevin need not exaggerate his masculinity by keeping his daughter down. She's going change the world, and he's going to help her do it. 　My father graduated from high school and did some military service, but that was considered "success" for most men of his generation and in his barrio. 　I remember my parents working extra hard to make sure we went to the best schools, and three out of their four children finished college with a Bachelor's degree and my brother and I went further and completed Masters Degrees as well. 　　But we had to "educate them" about the costs and perils of going to college. We could not rely on any guidance from them because we were forging new ground they had never trod. 　Nevertheless, we scrapped together scholarships, grants, and loans, and we achieved our goal with their blessing and prayers. My parents rarely traveled, but some of the few road trips they ever took in their life were to drop us off at university and to witness our graduations four years later. 　Our success was their success, and my father still loves dropping names like Notre Dame and Harvard when talking to his compadres.

When it came to the matter of who their children chose to date, both Kevin and my father's experience was no doubt bewildering and a "little bit racist," as they say on Avenue Q. 　Our director's choice to cast Benny as a white boy rather than black feels a lot more familiar to me. In South Texas, we had little encounters with African-Americans, but we were sort of taught to be wary of white folks, not so much because they were better or worse so much as "different". 　So Kevin's concern that Benny knows "nothing about our culture" is in part protective because paternal instincts say that our children will likely be most happy with someone who shares our culture. 　In the end, it's Camila, his wife, who makes the final call about whether Benny is good enough for their daughter. 　When I was dating girls in high school, my parents always wanted to know the last name of my girlfriends, trying to ensure that I was dating someone Hispanic. And by golly, they had better be Catholic! 　My father may have been a little bit racist, but thankfully not very homophobic. Both my brother and I identify as gay, and even though my parents probably grieved silently about expectations for big Mexican weddings that never happened and the expectation for lots of grandchildren, they have shown nothing but love and acceptance for us and our partners, even my gringo partner, Bill! 　In my opinion, those men who are most comfortable in their masculinity are the least homophobic. When it came to my sisters, my parents had to stretch their tolerance even more. One sister never married, and my other sister’s husband is surprisingly not Hispanic, but rather Lebanese and Muslim! Sometimes, I am tempted to lament the grief and worry they must have suffered for their children’s choices in life and love, but truth be told, they are very proud of our courageous willingness to be fully who we are, bi-cultural / tri-cultural, and proud that we have flown further and broader than the small world of South Texas where they raised us. Even more importantly, they have been happy to see us fulfilled in stable long-term relationships. My sister gave birth to four beautiful daughters, and my brother and his partner will soon be adopting their first child. We are blessed. We are grateful.



From left to right: Martin Antonio Guerra, Tio Eli Guerra, Tio Mando Guerra, My Father, Zaragoza Guerra, Jr. and my younger brother, Zaragoza Andres Guerra, III

That's why I consider my father to be macho in the most authentic sense of the word. That's the way I want to play Kevin – stubbornly determined to succeed, occasionally angry when he loses control of matters around him, but lovingly protective and supportive of his family’s happiness. That’s what it means to be a man. 　　

Tradition Honored or Defied? Learning to balance tradition with drive with Pamela Garcia Langton

Tradition Honored or Defied?

Learning to balance tradition with drive with Pamela Garcia Langton

 

I believe your life experiences make you who you are.  My personal history has driven me to become what I am today, a very strong Latina woman who has goals for herself, pride in her accomplishments, high aspirations for her children and an unconditional love for her family and friends.

Getting to know Camila Rosario, I am starting to realize how alike we are.  Being from similar upbringings, I imagine her female role models were much like mine; wonderful mothers, attentive wives, amazing cooks and immaculate housekeepers, who never thought they could, or, felt they deserved to pursue their dreams.

I had seven aunties, my mother's sisters, all who were very beautiful and come to find out, extremely talented artists, dancers, writers, musicians, singers etc.  Growing up around them, I would have never known any of this because none of them shared their talents.  In fact, I would say that it was never mentioned.  It was shameful to their father, my grandpa, that my mother wanted to be a singer. He taught her women had their place, it wasn't outside of the home and definitely not on stage.  At age 21, my mother had to sneak out of her bedroom window to perform with the jazz band that hired her as the beautiful lead singer because if her father knew what she was doing, the punishment would be unbearable.  I loved my grandpa but I don't believe he would be proud of me today and that makes me very sad.

When you grow up surrounded by old values and traditions you have two choices.  You go along with the way things have always been for generations or you fight for yourself and the future of your family and culture.  Well, here I am.  I am a fighter and I believe Camila is as well.  It is not that we don't love and respect our heritage, we want to make it better.

Don't get me wrong, I know we both love traditions like; Tamales on Christmas Eve, Piñatas at birthday parties, homemade flour tortillas (yummy), Quinceaneras, and Mariachi's at weddings!!!  However, passing down the tradition of being a woman afraid of living, afraid of dreaming, afraid of change, afraid of strength with no goals for yourself or your family is a tradition neither one of us wants to share.

Being a fighter isn't easy, you have to really want to change.  You have to leave a lot behind, which was a huge sacrifice for me the day I left my family in Los Angeles and I am sure for Camila when she left Puerto Rico.  You carry the burden of knowing you may be hurting your family by leaving, knowing they may never understand you are doing it for them and future children who will carry on after we are gone. 

 

Camila wants Nina to be a strong role model for her family, she is fighting for the future of her culture.  I want my children to be strong role models for their younger cousins, and believe me, I am seeing a change.  When I was growing up, many of my family members and friends were having babies at 16, with no goals or dreams for a better life.  I would love to believe my nieces and nephews want to go to college because my kids did, want to pursue their dreams because my kids are, want to make a difference because I am.

The Journey to Finding Nina... Lorens Portalatin reflects on the role of a lifetime

My journey to Nina began my senior year of high school. You know, the year that everyone is trying to find their perfect college and university and money to pay for it all? Well, I was looking for myself... AND a full time job but that was the least of my worries. My final year I had officially started vocal training for the very first time and was completely enamored with music. The notes, the sounds, the vocabulary... All of it was entrancing and it made me want to become a better singer and performer so that people could love music as much as I do.

 

Anyway, I was introduced to In The Heights by my vocal teacher at the time, Kelly Himes, who was convinced that I was NOT a Second Alto but that I was indeed a First Soprano. This blew my mind. For my entire life I had been thinking that I was only meant to sing lower vocal parts, but here this soprano songbird was telling me that I have the ability to make my vocal range soar beyond what I knew. She handed me multiple pages of sheet music to add to my repertoire and Breathe was one of the few song selections. I listened to the entire soundtrack to Heights and fell in love. From Nina’s concern about her parents, to Vanessa trying to get out of the Heights, to Sonny who just wants a future for himself and the Barrio… I loved them all.

The characters, the storyline, the music. It was like listening being able to go back home to Puerto Rico and listen to my Abuela tell a story about her childhood. Or to have my cousins rap to me in the middle of the street. Heights hit so close to home that it hurt and I knew that I someday had to be a part of this production. Playing Nina became my dream role and I hadn’t let the thought go since first listening to the original cast recording all the way through.

 

When I found out that ADLR was putting on Heights I went straight to work and decided that I had to choose the perfect song and the perfect arrangement and just be perfect. I had worked on my song, Kerrigan & Lowdermilk’s How To Return Home, a million times with my now vocal teacher, Kristin Spires, who is brilliant, helped me learn new tricks to make my singing seem flawless and easy. She’s helping me extend my vocal range even further with each lesson and with every lesson she learned just how much I really wanted Nina.

 

I truly didn’t understand how badly I wanted Nina until I had my audition… I had been preparing for it for months and here was the moment that I got to sing and pretty much say, “OK, You want a Nina? You’ve got her.”  I stepped up to the stage after having my name called and handed Kristin my music and stepped center. And... I left it all on the stage. Emotionally, physically, mentally. All I ever had thought about being Nina, or how to get into The Heights, or anything that I possibly emotionally felt about the show hit me all at once and I was a singing mess. Somehow I got to callbacks and left the rest of me there. Between the love, bonding and fierceness at the callbacks I just knew that ANY ONE of these girls could get to play the role I dreamed of and that at that moment I was happy just being a part of the process.

 

And of course my life changed whenever I was offered the role of Nina.. There were tears and hugs and the obligatory call to my mom saying how excited I was. Being cast as Nina is a dream come true in SO many different ways. Not only do I get to play my own ethnicity for the first time in my musical theatre career, but I also get to explore being a lead role for the first time as my dream role. So NO PRESSURE. Sometimes I just have to remember that it’s just me “and the GWB” and that I just need to “breathe” because whatever happens now I know I can handle it. I’m ready and I KNOW the cast is just as nervous and ready as I am. Together I hope that we show DFW that you don’t HAVE to go to Dallas to see incredible live theatre! To some people it’s right in their own backyard! So come and see this show cause I KNOW you won’t wanna miss it! #NoPareSigueSigue #InTheHeightsFW #JustBreathe

Michael Anthony Sylvester & Rashaun Sibley on finding their home In the Heights!

Cast members Michael Anthony Sylvester and Rashaun Sibley play best friends Graffiti Pete and Sonny, the young hip hop generation of In the Heights. In today's blog the pair discuss their casting reactions in their Dream Show!

MICHAEL ANTHONY SYLVESTER - "REP OUR PEOPLE!"

In the Heights has been my dream show since it first came out. It was simply one of those shows I knew I was born to be in! The show had hip hop in it, I was a hip hop dancer, the show was about Hispanic people, I was Puerto Rican, and the show had Hispanic male leads... I WAS A MALE AND HISPANIC... I was HOOKED! Then one day I start hearing whispers that Adam Adolfo down at Artes De La Rosa has the rights to the show and is planning on producing it down at the Rose Marine Theatre! I LOST MY MIND for a second because I didn’t think DFW would produce it any time soon! It's such a beautiful story but not many theatres in this area could pull it off, but knowing that it was going to be produce at Artes (a theatre that celebrates Latino Culture) and having worked with most of the Production team on various other projects I knew without a shadow a doubt that it would be a Ferocious production! Auditioning for the show was such a blast! I encouraged a couple of my best friends to the audition because I didn't want them to miss out on this opportunity. I just had a great feeling prior to going in.... Kind of like that feeling where you know you are exactly where you are supposed to be in life?? The callbacks were filled with so many talented friends from the DFW scene; it was like being at a family reunion rather than being at an audition! Everyone was so professional and supportive of each other, I knew that day that this was a journey I wanted to be a part of now more than ever! I left everything on that stage at callbacks! I knew that whatever happened I tried my best and it was now up to the production team and the ambivalence game of casting!

So after all was said and done I later received an offer to be a part of the In the Heights family! I was beyond thrilled, and even more exited once the cast list was announced on Broadway World. Graffiti Pete is such a great role and I’m ready to tackle it one dance step at a time! I feel so blessed to be working with so many talented friends, and living out a dream by being a part of this show! It’s not every day you get to do a Musical that lets you "REP OUR PEOPLE!" #BORIQUA #YATUSABESLORENS!!! Huge Thanks and Love to Elise Lavalle for never giving up on me you advice and mentorship means A LOT to me. Kristin I’m so pumped to work with you again!! Thank you Adam for taking a chance on me! 7 years of preparing and training for this moment...and the work doesn’t stop here! Its' just begun but I've finally found my island, and I’m going to enjoy every moment of this trip!

(Check out Michael’s Fan- page at www.facebook.com/machaelsylvester7

RASHAUN SIBLEY - I'm Home

Before I start, I really just need to get something off my chest. I promise it won’t take long. Just give me a moment.

ARE YOU KIDDING? I’M IN THE HEIGHTS! IT’S THE FIRST PROFESSION PRODUCTION REGIONALLY! I GET TO SING, ACT, DANCE, AND RAP! THIS SHOW IS INCREDIBLE. IS THIS REAL LIFE?! IT’S GONNA BE SO GOOD! WAIT TILL I TELL MOM! MY LITTLE BROTHER HAS TO LIKE THIS ONE! ARE MY GRANDPARENTS READY FOR THIS? I DON’T CARE, I’M SO EXCITED!

Almost done. I promise.

YES. YES. YES. YES. YES. YEEAAAAA BOOIIIIIII. YES. YES. YES. YES. YES. I GET TO BE SONNY! JUST WHAT I WANTED! THANK YOU JESUS!

Okay I feel so much better now. I knew I would be excited if I got this show but I did not know I would be THIS excited. I cannot wait to get this puppy on its feet and show the community what this show is about and how much we love it.

My initial audition for this show happened so fast it seems like a blur. I do remember perfectly though getting a prime parking spot right in front of the theatre’s doors (which does NOT happen often!) and that was already a victory for me in the day. Even if things didn’t work out and I didn’t get the callback, at least my little walk of shame to my car would be literally 6 seconds long. Then I could play some cheesy, sad song to let out my feelings to and then move right on to the next audition. Fortunately, I got that parking spot and the callback!... I’d say I had a pretty good day.

At the callback, I could not understand where they found all these talented people. Were they trying to make me nervous? Well…………it worked. But I knew I couldn’t let this opportunity slip away. This show was too good and I wanted it. I basically just tried to act like I already got the part and all of the actors were there to see the show. To quote my cast mate Aigner Mathis, "Since I had shown up, I might as well show out!" Give 110% and leave the rest to God.

The next afternoon, Artes De La Rosa is calling my phone……yes. yes. yes. yes. I answer and try to sound professional and collected but I’m pretty sure I stuttered at least 4 different times. Adam Adolfo asks me about my schedule……and that’s it. End of phone conversation………poop. I thought that was it. And I watched my phone for the rest of the day just waiting for a phone call to come and say "Oh. Wait. Did we mention that YOU’RE CAST!" That didn’t happen. I checked my Facebook right before I went to bed and saw a message from Adam telling me to check my e-mail….I didn’t get any notifications about e-mails though. What does this mean?... I check my e-mail and see nothing. What is happening?!! Then I just happen to check my spam folder and lo and behold there’s the e-mail offering me the part of SONNY……..YUSSSSSSSSSSSS! Definitely NOT spam...

It only got better when I arrived at the first cast meet and greet. First, I noticed food and that alone made me realize this is going to be good. Then, I’m greeted with so much excitement, love, and "How are you, boo boo?" hugs that I can’t help but feel at home. This family is already soaked in everything In the Heights is about: ("home, family, finding where you belong") on the FIRST day. This journey is going to be nothing short of amazing and I couldn’t be more blessed to be a part of it.

 

Tickets for In the Heights are now on sale!

http://youtu.be/O10UOhy_qiY

Getting Cast! Members of the Ensemble reflect on being cast in IN THE HEIGHTS

Today we spend time with three different cast members as they share with us what it was like for them to not only audition, but be cast in what is the biggest show to hit Fort Worth in some time!

AIGNER MATHIS - Now I'm Artes de la Rosa Too!

My heart thumped so loudly in my chest when I first walked into the dance call backs for the Artes de la Rosa production of In The Heights, I was sure everyone else could hear it. Looking around I saw so many young, handsome, beautiful (and extremely flexible) talented performers, so I did what any other person would do: sat down, stretched along with them & decided that since I had shown up,

I might as well show out! It came to no surprise that everyone else had the exact same thought!

 

A week later, I walked into the theatre for the first cast meeting and was stunned! Instantly, Adam's arms were crushing me in an enormous hug while other hands and arms quickly replaced his. I have never been received with such warmth in my life. If it had not been for the name tags everyone wore, there would have been no way to distinguish who was a lead and who was in the ensemble. Faces blended together so easily, and laughter rang from every where in the room.

It was clear during introductions that the cast was filled with enough personality to fill the stage every night for the next year and still have more left over for another six months. Each and every person chosen was cast perfectly! Almost everyone already embodied the essence of their characters, no script needed. I knew then that the show would be easy (not to be confused: nothing would be easy about rehearsals; "Go home, get on a treadmill & sing your butts off" Adam told us) but easy in a sense of community, friendships, and the family spirit.

 

Later, while watching the PBS documentary on the history of the Rose Marine Theatre, I was incredibly educated and inspired. Suddenly being apart of In the Heights was about much more than having fun at rehearsals and being able to add something to my resume. I realized the importance of the show and how it would effect the community. I wasn't just an actress anymore…I was Artes de la Rosa, and much like everyone else I was one step closer to finding home.

 Theatrically Yours,
Aigner Mathis

KEVIN ACOSTA - It's Just Starting to Sink In

So I want to be completely open and honest. Before I had been cast or even heard about the auditions, let alone really know how big of a deal this show was in general, I had never even heard a song from the show.

     

I literally remember YEARS before in 2008 when the show opened and exploded into the phenomenal show that it is, I had every person in choir who even remotely liked good music and theatre bumping these CDs and knowing every word about some new musical called “In The Heights”. I’m pretty sure I had three different people: 1) ask me if I had heard about the show, (2 be shocked that I hadn’t, and (3 proceeded to burn me a copy of the original Broadway soundtrack within the following days. Unfortunately, for me, I would never get around to listening to the soundtrack.
     

So when I heard about the auditions for the show I was more than a little disappointed in myself for never taking the time to listen to them. I went into auditions knowing the very basics: It was a show pretty much for Hispanic people AND the leads RAPPED. I was sold. Callbacks were ridiculous! With more than 50 of the most talented people around and most of them knowing the show like the back of their hand, I was more than a little intimidated. Not to mention being at a new theatre that I had never been to. It was, if you’ll go there with me, a Leap of Faith.
     

But as fate would have it, none of that would matter cause I would be cast in the show despite all of that. I was beyond ecstatic to hear that I would be a part of this amazing show with an amazing (and also really, really, really ridiculously good looking) cast!
     

So after we found out we were cast we had be secretive about it and not tell a soul. And while we waited to be able to tell everybody our amazing news, I watched videos from the show and kept tabs on Director Adam Adolfo and what he would next reveal to us let alone to the world. I kept discovering a little more about the show here and there through clips and people just letting me know what they know.

Then all of a sudden one day I woke up and we’re on the Broadwayworld.com.

 That’s when it really started sinking in.

But what really got me was our Cast Greet & Meet. I, of course, was still working when it started and would arrive, fashionably, 45 minutes late. I was greeted with the most, legit, warm welcome from the cast and we started our meeting. In 4 hours, Adam Adolfo would help change my outlook on not only the show, but on topics IN MY LIFE that I can genuinely say that he has helped changed for the better. I would learn about the history of Artes De La Rosa; where it came from, what it stands for, and how as a young Hispanic what it means to the community and myself. It would give you a sense of pride for the journey that we would begin to embark on whether you were Hispanic or not.
      

I would get to watch a documentary about the original cast’s journey up to opening night. A journey that will be, without a doubt, just as intimate and special to everyone involved in this production. And last but not least, we come to this night. The night that I would actually sit down at my computer and listen to the soundtrack all the way through while I followed along in my libretto. All I can say is wow. It’s cheesy and they say it ain’t easy being cheesy but I feel like I’m doing a pretty good job so far. I was in tears by the end of the Finale.
    

Everything just makes sense when you know more about it, you know? After getting know the little I, MYSELF, know about the show and what it means to this theater and what it meant to Lin-Manuel Miranda, I can proudly say that I have never been more excited about a show than I am now about this show.

Thank you Adam. Thank you for giving us this chance to be apart of something so special and so much bigger than ourselves!

BENICKA JANAEE GRANT - "Dreams Do Come True!"

Getting cast in In The Heights was such a shock. I had no idea what In The Heights even was when I was told about the audition. A friend of mine, Michael Sylvester who is playing Graffiti Pete, told me that the play was Urban and that they needed some dancers. I said “Oh what the heck, Ill go for it. What I didn’t know was that I would have to sing. I am NOT a singer…..AT ALL! I was mortified. “What the hell had I gotten myself in to??” The day of the singing audition I was terrified. I was shaking and sweating like I never had before. Thank God that once I got on stage to sing, I just had to sing for the pianist and just do a few scales. The next day, I went in to the dance audition and gave it 110 percent. I had to show the production team that I may not be a great singer but I can dance my butt off. I wanted to leave the audition knowing that even if I didn’t get cast, I did something I’ve never done before; I sang at an audition and gave my absolute best in both the dance and singing portion.

The next day, March 12, 2013 at 12:58 pm, I received the email, letting me know that I had been cast in In the Heights. “Are you kidding me right now?” was the first thought to come to my head. I read the email a couple of times to make sure it said what I thought it did. YEP, it did! I wanted to get on Facebook and let the world know the great news, but I couldn’t.  In the mean time, I researched all I could about In the Heights so I knew what kind of musical I had gotten myself in to.  Finally, on March 21, it had been announced on Facebook that the Ft. Worth production of In the Heights was revealed on Broadwayworld.com. NO FREAKING WAY!! That’s when it really hit me. The feeling you get when you see your name on a website like Broadwayworld.com, is indescribable.  I began to cry. For me, this was huge. I had never been in a real Broadway show.  “Would I be able to do this?” “Did I make the right decision by accepting the offer?” “Is this right for me?” “Am I ready for this challenge?’……………….YES!

In 23 years of my life, I would have never thought that I would be doing a musical and actually singing in it. I had always been just a dancer. Everyday, I thank Michael Sylvester for telling me about the audition. He has motivated me and become a mentor and an amazing friend throughout this process. I look forward to working with a truly gifted cast of people. I am so blessed, honored and humbled. I know the road to this production will not be easy. There will be many tears and lots of days when I tell myself I can’t do and want to give up, but I will keep going and become a better performer and a better person after it is over with. DFW better get ready for us! The cast of In the Heights is coming with a vengeance. #dreamsdocometrue

 

 

 

 

The Article referenced on Broadway.com can be found by CLICKING HERE.

REACHING NEW HEIGHTS: Matt Randsell Jr. talks on dreams realized...

Over the next 6 weeks we will get to know members of the cast of IN THE HEIGHTS which is recieving it's Fort Worth debut this May at the Rose Marine Theatre. Today we spend time blogging with Matt "Superman" Randsell, Jr. who will be starring as Usnavi, the hip hop bodega owner of Washington Heights.

 

"Personally, I feel like there’s a task we all have to do as people before we truly decide what we plan to do with our lives. Since our younger days, people harp on us about “What do you want to be when you grow up?”, they preach to us about setting goals and how to plan, they also encourage us to dream big and to shoot for the stars. However somewhere along the line, we have to decide for ourselves if any of these things are even related or applicable. I mean sure, they all sound positive, and progressive, but how do they work, which ones matter more, and which are even possible. See, some of us are lucky, we have a dream and we’re on a one-way street to that destination with all of the support and encouragement we could ask for, and that’s pretty cool. However, I think most of us, myself, didn’t find it that easy. You see, to me, dreams seemed fictional, they were something to keep my imagination flowing, but not necessarily something to invest much into. I had dreams of spot lights, autograph signings, applause, however when I was asked “What do you want to be?” my answers ranged from lawyers, to teachers, to broadcast journalist. Dreams were unrealistic, and due to an environment that discourages the unrealistic, and encourages the possible, the mediocre, I started applying myself more to my simple goals than to my dreams. Excelling in general courses such as English, history, geography, and athletics, seemed more necessary than taking theatre, art, or music classes seriously. See, I truly believe that my teachers, and parents, they were right in encouraging me to follow the safe path, the secure path. I mean, realistically it’s a lot less scary, and a lot less bumpy of a ride. And for the most part, I stuck with the plan, the goals seemed more obtainable and spoke to me, louder than the dreams did. Dreaming was fun, but it was never clear, it never seemed obtainable. Then there’s this moment, most performers know what I’m talking about, when I say this moment that defines your passion for what you do. Something happens, you see, hear, try something that makes you feel as if you just woke up for the first time, your senses crisper than ever. Some call it, their calling, but as the moment I saw Lin Manuel Miranda rapping at the Tony awards, this whole “dream” of mine, seemed possible. Seemed realistic. Now don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t my intention to put all of my eggs in this basket, however there didn’t seem to be an alternative. Nothing seemed as fulfilling, or rewarding. Performing now, auditioning, traveling, rehearsing, had a different taste to it. It was undeniable. I was officially packed up and on the path, and by then, there was no turning back." - Matt Ransdell Jr. #Usnavi #InTheHeightsFW

 

Matt is a particularly interesting and inspiring young man and no stranger to the Heights having been called back for the role of Usnavi on Broadway, and both National Tours, he is incredibly honored to be officially cast as his dream role for the first time ever in his home state of Texas. Matt's journey on that audition was documented on the online series JOURNEYME. See it below.

 

 

The Grapes of Wrath; A Moment with Actress Laura L. Watson

Over the next two weeks we will be spending time with members of the cast of The Grapes of Wrath; A Living Scrapbook as they prep for the WORLD PREMIERE production this March 28th at Artes de la Rosa Cultural Center for the Arts. Today we spend time with actress, collegue, and friend, Laura L. Watson.


Not many people know this about me, but I was born in Oklahoma. My entire extended family lives in and around McAlester, Oklahoma. We work as butchers, bakers, shop owners, newspaper men, housewives, at the ammunition plant, but primarily we are ranchers and farmers.
As word travels through the grapevine that I am, in fact, part of this commissioned production of The Grapes of Wrath (thanks to Adam Adolfo, Texas Wesleyan, and the National Endowment for the Arts for making this production possible as part of The Big Read), my family echoes the same sentiment: My acting career must be hitting an all time low to be a part of anything by Steinbeck.
“Steinbeck never lived in Oklahoma.”
“He heard a few stories and then made up one, and people believed it.”
“We don’t talk like that. Nobody does. People from Oklahoma were educated, Christians - we are good people. But no one who’s read that book thinks so.”
“That book is still banned. My kids won’t read it.”
My family stayed in Oklahoma and held on during the Dust Bowl’s Great Depression. They are a proud people who work hard and never, ever give up.
I remember reading The Grapes of Wrath in high school. I hated it - as I should.
Now, I’m reading it as a Texan, as an actor, as an historian, and as a journalist. Though I see my family’s point, I’m also beginning to see everyone else’s reasons for calling it a great American novel.
So, here I am: an Oklahoma-born Texan diving into the bowels of The Grapes of Wrath. And though I can pick the book apart, I see the heart of it - the heart of a peple who refuse to quit. He captured the spirit of Oklahomans. I know these people.
Adam calls this production his book report on The Grapes of Wrath - NOT his adaptation. We are here to make people want to read this book. And, as we make this living book report come alive - complete with anticipation, preparation, birth pains, and (hopefully) the overwhelming celebration when we hear a new life take its first triumphant breath - I am bringing my entire family and our history into the delivery room with me. Though they refuse to support Steinbeck’s work, my family will be on the stage with me.
As part of this diverse cast (including Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Chicanos, Germans, British, and so forth), I will attempt to capture my Oklahoma spirit - the pride, the strength, and the refusal to quit until the work is done. That is what jumped out at me during the first rehearsal: All anyone wanted during the Great Depression was to WORK. To earn their keep, to feed their family and take care of their own. To hold their head up high. I sat up with pride as I realized this was the American spirit of this time - just let me work. (Where is this attitude today? Oh, my, THAT is another blog for another show.) My family may see this as a low point in my acting career, but at least I’m working. And they are proud of me for that.

Artes de la Rosa Joins The Big Read!

Artes de la Rosa
Joins the Fort Worth Big Read to Present
THE GRAPES OF WRATH: A Living Scrapbook

Artes de la Rosa is proud to announce their partnership in the Fort Worth Big Read – The Grapes of Wrath which is co-sponsored by Texas Wesleyan University and the Fort Worth Public Library. The Big Read, an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), is designed to restore reading to the center of American culture.

Artes de la Rosa’s contribution to the Fort Worth Big Read will be a bilingual staging of the cultural significance of the book, The Grapes of Wrath. The production dubbed The Grapes of Wrath; A Scrapbook is penned by Director/Producer Adam Adolfo for the Fort Worth Big Read and is drawing on both English and Spanish language to tell the story of dustbowl depression.

This World Premiere production for Artes de la Rosa innovatively tells the epic journey of The Grapes of Wrath in 80 minutes with only 10 actors. The final experience is a multimedia, multi disciplinary stage celebration of the literary work of John Steinbeck. Based upon the novel’s text as well as historical photographs and music, the Artes de la Rosa production gives audiences a glimpse of the depression era, the Steinbeck classic, and the social implications of a life filled with sadness in the face of hunger and desperation.
The cast of Artes de la Rosa’s production include familiar faces and actors making their Artes de la Rosa debut, in addition to student performers from Artes Academy, Artes de la Rosa’s Award Winning After School Arts Education Program. ADLR alum Stephanie Cleghorn, Carlos Iruegas, Laura Watson, and Jimmy Moreno take the stage with Artes Academy students Hunter Hurt and Anna Varela. Making their debut on the stage at Rose Marine Theater is Wes Cantrell, Cassandra Clarke, Jeremy Jackson and Kristin Spires. The cast of 10 play more then 50 characters utilizing narratives, Steinbeck journal entries, interviews and storytelling to tell the epic. The production is co-designed by Artes de la Rosa Technical Director Oliver Luke and Artistic Director Adam Adolfo with Lighting Design by Michael Cole.

ABOUT THE BIG READ
The Big Read provides communities nationwide with the opportunity to read, discuss, and celebrate one of 31 selections from U.S. and world literature. In Fort Worth and Tarrant County, the book that will be spotlighted throughout The Big Read is John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath, a classic novel about the Great Depression. The NEA presents The Big Read in cooperation with Arts Midwest.

Texas Wesleyan’s community partners are the Fort Worth Public Library, City of Fort Worth, Fort Worth, Fort Worth Independent School District, Tarrant Area Food Bank, Friends of the Fort Worth Library, Texas Christian University, Tarrant County College, National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame, The Reading Connection, Dallas Model A Club, and Barnes & Noble. The local kickoff event for The Big Read was at the Tarrant Area Food Bank in February 29th. Events will continue until late May – both on the Texas Wesleyan University campus and around town. Book discussions, food drives, speakers, and play adaption of The Grapes of Wrath are among the planned events.

FOOD DRIVE FOR TICKET DISCOUNT
In effort to draw focus to the Tarrant Area Food Bank, Artes de la Rosa is offering significant ticket discounts of $5 for the donation of canned goods. Please bring a canned food item for donation to the Tarrant Area Food Bank.

TICKET INFORMATION
The Grapes of Wrath; A Living Scrapbook opens Wednesday March 28th and plays Wednesday, Thursday, & Fridays at 7:30 pm. $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors. For tickets or more information, call the Rose Marine Theater Box Office at (817) 624-8333. Special ticket prices are available for groups of 15 or more. Tickets can be purchased online at www.artesdelarosa.org.

INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITES ARE AVAILABLE
To set up interviews with the director, production staff, or cast members please contact Adam Adolfo, Producer / Artistic Director at adam.adolfo@artesdelarosa.org or call 817-624-8333.

About Artes de la Rosa Cultural Center for the Arts
Artes de la Rosa is dedicated to preserving, promoting, and interpreting the art,
lives, and history of Latino culture for all.
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