1 00:00:05,800 --> 00:00:08,880 Speaker 1: Welcome to more Anita, a deep dive into the Latin 2 00:00:09,119 --> 00:00:11,840 Speaker 1: X experience. With mor Anita. We want to create a 3 00:00:11,840 --> 00:00:15,120 Speaker 1: community and a shared space with you while sharing knowledge 4 00:00:15,120 --> 00:00:19,080 Speaker 1: and inspiration. This show is about celebrating our culture with 5 00:00:19,160 --> 00:00:23,079 Speaker 1: guests who exemplify the best of us. I'm Darrylene Castillo 6 00:00:23,239 --> 00:00:32,720 Speaker 1: Ethane Veto on today's show We Welcome Luis Sagao. Luis 7 00:00:32,760 --> 00:00:36,559 Speaker 1: Sagabo is a Puerto Rican born actor, dancer, and choreographer 8 00:00:36,720 --> 00:00:40,400 Speaker 1: and artistic director. He has worked on Broadway shows such 9 00:00:40,440 --> 00:00:43,159 Speaker 1: as Rocky Women, On the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown 10 00:00:43,280 --> 00:00:46,920 Speaker 1: and In the Heights. He's worked on screen in various films, 11 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:50,320 Speaker 1: including the film adaptation of In the Heights, and he's 12 00:00:50,360 --> 00:00:53,320 Speaker 1: a force in the Broadway community. Luis and I had 13 00:00:53,320 --> 00:00:56,720 Speaker 1: a great conversation today about representation in the theater world, 14 00:00:56,880 --> 00:00:59,920 Speaker 1: but also about the real world challenges of the theater. 15 00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:02,320 Speaker 1: I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. 16 00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:13,720 Speaker 1: Luis go most stas, how are you doing? Welcome to 17 00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:17,200 Speaker 1: Thank you for having me, Thank you for having me. 18 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:19,880 Speaker 1: I love the word more Anita. By the way, when 19 00:01:19,920 --> 00:01:24,840 Speaker 1: it's done obviously with respect and love, right, but like right, 20 00:01:24,920 --> 00:01:26,440 Speaker 1: it just feels like home. I don't know, it feels 21 00:01:26,480 --> 00:01:28,920 Speaker 1: like home for me, so it just felt it felt right. 22 00:01:29,080 --> 00:01:32,000 Speaker 1: But I have known your name for so long in 23 00:01:32,040 --> 00:01:35,039 Speaker 1: the game of the entertainment industry. I just remember hearing 24 00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:38,240 Speaker 1: your name everywhere. So having you here for me is 25 00:01:38,280 --> 00:01:42,720 Speaker 1: such a beautiful circle of life moment, Morphine. I'm so 26 00:01:42,760 --> 00:01:44,600 Speaker 1: excited to have you here because you've done so much 27 00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:46,640 Speaker 1: for our Latin community in the arts and in the 28 00:01:46,720 --> 00:01:51,240 Speaker 1: entertainment industry. And I'm just so curious about like your story, 29 00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:55,160 Speaker 1: the bug of theater of dance, of artistry. How did 30 00:01:55,160 --> 00:01:57,320 Speaker 1: that find you? I know you were born in Puerto Rico. 31 00:01:57,880 --> 00:02:01,480 Speaker 1: The story is pretty specific, think and I think also 32 00:02:01,640 --> 00:02:06,440 Speaker 1: very much mine, like I celebrated so much. I started 33 00:02:06,480 --> 00:02:08,520 Speaker 1: dancing when I was nine years old. I was in 34 00:02:08,520 --> 00:02:13,120 Speaker 1: a public school, court Hernandez, by the composer in the 35 00:02:13,200 --> 00:02:18,800 Speaker 1: Aurigan Composers, Alennandez, and I had lived in Hawaii for 36 00:02:18,960 --> 00:02:22,520 Speaker 1: about eight months. It was my first encounter with the 37 00:02:22,560 --> 00:02:26,440 Speaker 1: English language and with the American culture, and that shock. 38 00:02:26,720 --> 00:02:31,320 Speaker 1: Cultural shock was pretty hard on me. My grades went 39 00:02:31,400 --> 00:02:34,880 Speaker 1: down and I just felt weird. I didn't belong. It 40 00:02:34,960 --> 00:02:37,079 Speaker 1: was just weird. My dad was in the Army, so 41 00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:40,480 Speaker 1: he was always busy. And so when I finally came 42 00:02:40,520 --> 00:02:44,240 Speaker 1: back home, I was a little distressed. Then I came 43 00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:48,480 Speaker 1: back to the school and there was this amazing after 44 00:02:48,520 --> 00:02:53,480 Speaker 1: school program called and Lass and I always celebrated because 45 00:02:54,080 --> 00:02:56,120 Speaker 1: they lasted for like two years, but they changed my 46 00:02:56,200 --> 00:02:59,320 Speaker 1: life that program. I met this teacher. His name is Ria, 47 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:02,840 Speaker 1: and he was very young. I think he was two 48 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:06,880 Speaker 1: at the time, and he was in college studying acting. Um. 49 00:03:06,960 --> 00:03:10,919 Speaker 1: He was a dancer, and so he was We were 50 00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:14,280 Speaker 1: his toys, you know. He came he came from college 51 00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:19,640 Speaker 1: every day, uh to teach at our school after a program, 52 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:24,280 Speaker 1: um and and he taught us everything literally every day, 53 00:03:24,320 --> 00:03:27,200 Speaker 1: like for chlora and singing and acting and like it 54 00:03:27,280 --> 00:03:30,040 Speaker 1: was just like being in my own little Disney world 55 00:03:30,440 --> 00:03:32,760 Speaker 1: from three o'clock to five o'clock. And so I fell 56 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:35,200 Speaker 1: in love with it. He gave me a lot of confidence. 57 00:03:35,240 --> 00:03:39,160 Speaker 1: It reboosted sort of like that self encounter of oh, yeah, 58 00:03:39,200 --> 00:03:41,840 Speaker 1: I'm a human being and I can do things and 59 00:03:41,920 --> 00:03:46,000 Speaker 1: I belong somewhere. And and that literally changed my life. 60 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:50,880 Speaker 1: And I got really lucky that that teacher. UM became 61 00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:53,800 Speaker 1: a teacher for fifth and sixth grade. And when I 62 00:03:53,840 --> 00:03:59,400 Speaker 1: graduated to intermediate school. Um, he then got transferred to 63 00:03:59,520 --> 00:04:03,120 Speaker 1: my intommediate school, so he taught me seventh and eighth 64 00:04:03,160 --> 00:04:06,640 Speaker 1: and nine. I used to like lie. I used to 65 00:04:06,640 --> 00:04:11,200 Speaker 1: be like, yeah, I'm taking you know, physical education, but 66 00:04:11,280 --> 00:04:14,600 Speaker 1: now I was taking theater and the physical education grade 67 00:04:15,200 --> 00:04:18,400 Speaker 1: was supplemented by the theater grade. So they the teachers 68 00:04:18,440 --> 00:04:23,840 Speaker 1: would have agreed that this group of twelve students were 69 00:04:23,880 --> 00:04:27,120 Speaker 1: going to stay in the arts no matter what, and 70 00:04:27,200 --> 00:04:29,080 Speaker 1: that they were going to support it. So we got 71 00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:33,360 Speaker 1: really lucky. Wow. Wow, And in your family they were supported. 72 00:04:33,440 --> 00:04:37,080 Speaker 1: They were not I'm doing a general they were I'm 73 00:04:37,120 --> 00:04:40,600 Speaker 1: going at general. They were not. But clearly my mom, 74 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:43,599 Speaker 1: who who took care of me, she felt like I 75 00:04:43,640 --> 00:04:47,800 Speaker 1: was taking away focus from my education, my formal education, 76 00:04:47,880 --> 00:04:50,839 Speaker 1: quote unquote, and that I needed to, you know, the 77 00:04:50,880 --> 00:04:53,240 Speaker 1: typical Latin a mom. You need to be a lawyer, 78 00:04:53,279 --> 00:04:54,800 Speaker 1: you need to be a doctor. You've got to make 79 00:04:54,839 --> 00:04:57,360 Speaker 1: something with your life. And I don't blame her. You know, 80 00:04:57,480 --> 00:05:00,560 Speaker 1: she wants us to do better than where they come from, 81 00:05:00,600 --> 00:05:03,559 Speaker 1: and I get that. But my way of becoming better 82 00:05:04,200 --> 00:05:07,720 Speaker 1: than generations before me was through the arts. And when 83 00:05:07,760 --> 00:05:12,640 Speaker 1: I was seventeen, she she realized that very specific mm hmmm, 84 00:05:12,760 --> 00:05:15,000 Speaker 1: and what was that switch when you were to sell 85 00:05:15,040 --> 00:05:20,160 Speaker 1: me in the newspapers And so she was like, oh okay, 86 00:05:20,240 --> 00:05:21,960 Speaker 1: and she's on me in the newspaper, and she said, 87 00:05:22,040 --> 00:05:25,839 Speaker 1: that's my son and it's not just like background dancer. 88 00:05:26,080 --> 00:05:28,640 Speaker 1: He's there with this artist and doing this division and 89 00:05:28,760 --> 00:05:31,960 Speaker 1: doing that play. And she then became proud and you know, 90 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:35,480 Speaker 1: nothing for our Latino community and pride and the parents 91 00:05:35,480 --> 00:05:40,919 Speaker 1: are in and he was private in me saying that 92 00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:44,159 Speaker 1: out loud, just kind of joking, kind of not says 93 00:05:44,200 --> 00:05:48,200 Speaker 1: a lot about how much we are, maybe often in 94 00:05:48,279 --> 00:05:52,200 Speaker 1: search for validation, right, how much our more anito beautiful 95 00:05:52,240 --> 00:05:55,960 Speaker 1: skin colors get in the way of us knowing that 96 00:05:56,000 --> 00:05:59,760 Speaker 1: we are fully worth it in many different areas of 97 00:05:59,760 --> 00:06:05,200 Speaker 1: the girl. Because not everybody has looked on upon or 98 00:06:05,360 --> 00:06:07,760 Speaker 1: up towers us, but a lot of times they were 99 00:06:07,760 --> 00:06:11,560 Speaker 1: looking down. And so the fact that we get a 100 00:06:11,560 --> 00:06:14,680 Speaker 1: moment of sense of pride gives us the validation we 101 00:06:15,080 --> 00:06:18,039 Speaker 1: have seeck all of our lives and allow things to 102 00:06:18,080 --> 00:06:20,640 Speaker 1: happen like just that was a comment. But we can 103 00:06:20,680 --> 00:06:23,800 Speaker 1: analyze that common very deeply and profoundly, and who we 104 00:06:23,839 --> 00:06:26,359 Speaker 1: are as a society and the kind of thing we 105 00:06:26,480 --> 00:06:29,160 Speaker 1: fight for every day. But that's a different time of 106 00:06:29,200 --> 00:06:31,960 Speaker 1: this podcast. No that that could be right now. And 107 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:34,560 Speaker 1: it's funny that you caught on the joke that we 108 00:06:34,680 --> 00:06:37,000 Speaker 1: made because it is something that we as a community, 109 00:06:37,080 --> 00:06:39,440 Speaker 1: we're like, ha ha ha ha, but at the same time, 110 00:06:39,640 --> 00:06:42,240 Speaker 1: it's real. We want to be viewed for who we are. 111 00:06:42,360 --> 00:06:45,159 Speaker 1: That's why I'm here, That's why Mona Morenita, this is 112 00:06:45,200 --> 00:06:47,479 Speaker 1: who I am and now and something that you said 113 00:06:47,520 --> 00:06:49,080 Speaker 1: that resonated with me, and I'm going to say it 114 00:06:49,120 --> 00:06:52,479 Speaker 1: in a different way, but creating space for ourselves, right 115 00:06:52,520 --> 00:06:55,640 Speaker 1: like making space for ourselves and stepping into that validation. 116 00:06:55,839 --> 00:06:58,480 Speaker 1: This is who I am, not something I'm maybe working 117 00:06:58,480 --> 00:07:01,000 Speaker 1: like my psychotherapy for a second. And because when I 118 00:07:01,040 --> 00:07:03,599 Speaker 1: look back at that age of nine and I really 119 00:07:03,640 --> 00:07:05,360 Speaker 1: look at the girl that I was in love with 120 00:07:05,480 --> 00:07:07,480 Speaker 1: and the fact that I did a mix tape for 121 00:07:07,520 --> 00:07:12,760 Speaker 1: her yea with her beautiful brown hair, but she was 122 00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:15,280 Speaker 1: American and I was just crazy for a freaking kid 123 00:07:15,400 --> 00:07:18,200 Speaker 1: and that looked for her house to go take her 124 00:07:18,320 --> 00:07:21,800 Speaker 1: mixtape and she looked at me like the hell are you? 125 00:07:21,800 --> 00:07:24,440 Speaker 1: You know? And so that you're only nine years old, 126 00:07:24,440 --> 00:07:28,080 Speaker 1: but that sticks right then that stays with you somehow, 127 00:07:28,120 --> 00:07:30,920 Speaker 1: and then all of a sudden, now you're twelve and 128 00:07:30,960 --> 00:07:36,520 Speaker 1: thirteen and you're singing a song Baes and everybody's clapping, 129 00:07:36,760 --> 00:07:39,720 Speaker 1: and there's a same pill Canela beautiful girl who looks 130 00:07:39,760 --> 00:07:42,320 Speaker 1: at you with different eyes, and you're like, shoot arts, 131 00:07:42,760 --> 00:07:46,280 Speaker 1: you know that's that? And so like it multiplies multiplies, 132 00:07:46,320 --> 00:07:50,040 Speaker 1: and I think, so, yeah, so I get quote unquote 133 00:07:50,040 --> 00:07:52,240 Speaker 1: that validation, and all of a sudden, the same happens 134 00:07:52,280 --> 00:07:54,680 Speaker 1: to my mom. The same happens to my grandmother, who 135 00:07:54,800 --> 00:07:56,840 Speaker 1: was like, if you love me, don't go to New York. 136 00:07:57,200 --> 00:07:59,560 Speaker 1: And I'm like, if you love me, know that I 137 00:07:59,600 --> 00:08:01,800 Speaker 1: gotta go to New York. And then I had a 138 00:08:01,880 --> 00:08:07,280 Speaker 1: probably show. I just like Mania is on a PROBA show, 139 00:08:07,320 --> 00:08:09,720 Speaker 1: you know, like that, since the pride is something like real, 140 00:08:09,960 --> 00:08:12,080 Speaker 1: And then you think about her and her kids and 141 00:08:12,160 --> 00:08:16,920 Speaker 1: the drama of racing over five kids, and like when 142 00:08:17,000 --> 00:08:19,560 Speaker 1: does that sense of pride comes back to you? And 143 00:08:19,600 --> 00:08:23,040 Speaker 1: so I think, I'm glad we stopped there for a second, 144 00:08:23,080 --> 00:08:25,400 Speaker 1: because again we're starting and yeah, I tell my story, 145 00:08:25,480 --> 00:08:27,920 Speaker 1: but I think what matters about anything that I can 146 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:31,600 Speaker 1: share of my story is how aware has made me 147 00:08:32,679 --> 00:08:36,920 Speaker 1: of our circle effect as a community as part as 148 00:08:37,040 --> 00:08:41,000 Speaker 1: as as Latinos, as brown people, you know, as morenitos 149 00:08:41,679 --> 00:08:57,560 Speaker 1: Bajos anyway. But then to be able to go to 150 00:08:57,600 --> 00:09:01,760 Speaker 1: New York and do something increa credible, like a beautiful 151 00:09:01,800 --> 00:09:04,320 Speaker 1: show called In the Heights and be a part of 152 00:09:04,360 --> 00:09:08,880 Speaker 1: that journey and that's a staple. Working with le Manuel 153 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:12,440 Speaker 1: and Puerto Rico and that was something for that was 154 00:09:12,520 --> 00:09:17,160 Speaker 1: a huge moment. Yeah. But funny enough, it's not just 155 00:09:17,200 --> 00:09:20,440 Speaker 1: a staple. People don't understand how much it means to 156 00:09:20,480 --> 00:09:24,120 Speaker 1: me because it's actually the same dance steps that I 157 00:09:24,160 --> 00:09:26,880 Speaker 1: was doing in fifth grade thanks to my pepper teacher 158 00:09:27,240 --> 00:09:29,280 Speaker 1: that I got on. I got a chance to pass 159 00:09:29,320 --> 00:09:31,360 Speaker 1: on to Andy Black and Miller the choreography of the 160 00:09:31,360 --> 00:09:34,720 Speaker 1: show when he hired me to coach him. Yeah, all 161 00:09:34,760 --> 00:09:37,160 Speaker 1: that I did with Andy when we first met was 162 00:09:37,200 --> 00:09:39,440 Speaker 1: tell him the story just like I'm telling you of 163 00:09:39,480 --> 00:09:42,720 Speaker 1: how art was so important to me, not because I 164 00:09:42,760 --> 00:09:45,680 Speaker 1: wanted to point my feet and hit seven pituets, but 165 00:09:45,800 --> 00:09:50,319 Speaker 1: because it was a cultural changing of life that somehow 166 00:09:50,400 --> 00:09:54,040 Speaker 1: we all get access to. Whether you're in the King's Birthday, 167 00:09:54,400 --> 00:09:57,680 Speaker 1: whether you're singing because you're in church, whether you're waiting 168 00:09:57,720 --> 00:10:03,080 Speaker 1: for that February Carnaval guys that directed by Marvello, right, Like, 169 00:10:03,200 --> 00:10:07,080 Speaker 1: those experiences are the things that formed the layers of 170 00:10:07,120 --> 00:10:09,360 Speaker 1: colors of who we are as a community and as 171 00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:12,839 Speaker 1: an individual. And so when I sat down with Andy 172 00:10:12,920 --> 00:10:16,000 Speaker 1: the first time, it was all about this that we're talking. 173 00:10:16,040 --> 00:10:19,840 Speaker 1: So it was celebrating literally that moment in life in 174 00:10:19,920 --> 00:10:23,240 Speaker 1: fifth grade that changed me. And then how did I 175 00:10:23,280 --> 00:10:25,920 Speaker 1: evolve in that? And how I can now add the 176 00:10:25,960 --> 00:10:30,280 Speaker 1: turns and the pointed foot into whatever we're doing, um, 177 00:10:30,320 --> 00:10:31,880 Speaker 1: and how can we do that in a way that 178 00:10:31,920 --> 00:10:36,520 Speaker 1: feels honest and representation. And so back into thousand and five, 179 00:10:36,679 --> 00:10:39,719 Speaker 1: six seven, that was all that was happening. We were 180 00:10:39,760 --> 00:10:42,800 Speaker 1: really investigating how do you tell a musical with dis 181 00:10:42,920 --> 00:10:46,600 Speaker 1: ingredients and make you legit for both the Latino community 182 00:10:46,679 --> 00:10:49,480 Speaker 1: and the Broadway community. Let's be real about Broadway. It's 183 00:10:49,520 --> 00:10:52,640 Speaker 1: not very Latino. So how was that bringing in a 184 00:10:52,760 --> 00:10:56,040 Speaker 1: musical like in the Heights, something that at that time 185 00:10:56,040 --> 00:10:59,480 Speaker 1: it was so not around. It was an education I 186 00:10:59,720 --> 00:11:03,760 Speaker 1: I think, Um. I remember very vividly being in thirty 187 00:11:03,760 --> 00:11:07,280 Speaker 1: seven Arts when we were off ruggling um and andres 188 00:11:07,320 --> 00:11:12,160 Speaker 1: Ferrero um Our drum player like was hitting a certain melody, 189 00:11:12,280 --> 00:11:15,679 Speaker 1: like he was like like hitting something that it felt 190 00:11:15,720 --> 00:11:19,760 Speaker 1: very soap opera, and I was like, Oh, that's so good. 191 00:11:19,840 --> 00:11:23,080 Speaker 1: That's like we're gonna buy that. Like that's like we 192 00:11:23,120 --> 00:11:26,000 Speaker 1: know what that is. And then the next day that 193 00:11:26,000 --> 00:11:29,920 Speaker 1: that drum bit was cut and I was like, why 194 00:11:29,960 --> 00:11:32,920 Speaker 1: did they cut that? And they cut it precisely because 195 00:11:33,400 --> 00:11:37,200 Speaker 1: we didn't want to look like a soap opera. And 196 00:11:37,280 --> 00:11:39,959 Speaker 1: so I identified with it because I knew my mom 197 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:43,439 Speaker 1: and my grandma were going to understand exactly what that 198 00:11:43,480 --> 00:11:47,520 Speaker 1: moment was. But at the same time, Lynn and Alex 199 00:11:47,600 --> 00:11:50,720 Speaker 1: Lackamore and Tommy Kail and Andy and you know, the 200 00:11:50,880 --> 00:11:54,040 Speaker 1: entire team that was working towards it, We're really aware 201 00:11:54,640 --> 00:11:56,720 Speaker 1: that one thing we needed to do right was not 202 00:11:56,920 --> 00:12:01,440 Speaker 1: make a caricature out of our community interesting, that we 203 00:12:01,520 --> 00:12:04,160 Speaker 1: needed to be really, really honest. There's something to be 204 00:12:04,200 --> 00:12:07,199 Speaker 1: grateful for that, because if you let me at that time, 205 00:12:07,240 --> 00:12:11,320 Speaker 1: at that age quote Uncole had directed show, I would 206 00:12:11,360 --> 00:12:14,040 Speaker 1: have probably be like all over the fact that that 207 00:12:14,160 --> 00:12:19,160 Speaker 1: drum moment made a joke, right, made a joke is 208 00:12:19,160 --> 00:12:23,120 Speaker 1: something that I think I know, and so we talk 209 00:12:23,240 --> 00:12:26,040 Speaker 1: about there's not enough, you know, latinos, so there's not 210 00:12:26,240 --> 00:12:30,920 Speaker 1: enough people of color. And I am one that conversation, 211 00:12:31,559 --> 00:12:36,520 Speaker 1: but I also am celebrating the awareness of Jill Furman 212 00:12:37,200 --> 00:12:41,520 Speaker 1: and you know, Jeffrey Seller and Kevin McCollen being next 213 00:12:41,559 --> 00:12:45,680 Speaker 1: to Lynn and Alex and Tommy and Andy saying I 214 00:12:45,720 --> 00:12:48,080 Speaker 1: don't know that that is what we need to celebrate 215 00:12:48,080 --> 00:12:51,360 Speaker 1: out of your community, or Lynn himself and Luis Miranda 216 00:12:52,080 --> 00:12:54,320 Speaker 1: saying no, no, we saw the sap operas on TV. 217 00:12:54,440 --> 00:12:57,840 Speaker 1: This is a musical, right, and like we need to 218 00:12:58,120 --> 00:13:04,640 Speaker 1: equally represent our honest truth in humanity as much as 219 00:13:04,679 --> 00:13:08,319 Speaker 1: we can represent the sabots and the colors that feels 220 00:13:08,320 --> 00:13:11,640 Speaker 1: sometimes exaggerated to the rest of the world. It was 221 00:13:11,640 --> 00:13:14,560 Speaker 1: an education and exactly not only what I thought Latino 222 00:13:14,640 --> 00:13:17,920 Speaker 1: representation on Broadway can be, but it wasn't an education 223 00:13:17,960 --> 00:13:21,520 Speaker 1: in what musical theater showed be because I think it's 224 00:13:21,559 --> 00:13:23,520 Speaker 1: the same as what I call now when I teach 225 00:13:23,600 --> 00:13:26,560 Speaker 1: the razzle dazzle moment. Right, Like we think of we 226 00:13:26,679 --> 00:13:30,079 Speaker 1: speak about musical theater to musical theater people and especially 227 00:13:30,080 --> 00:13:33,000 Speaker 1: to non musical theater people, and everybody goes like this, right, 228 00:13:33,000 --> 00:13:36,320 Speaker 1: like we shake our hands like the fossy, like magic 229 00:13:36,400 --> 00:13:39,160 Speaker 1: fingers in that whatever movie that was, I don't know, 230 00:13:39,160 --> 00:13:42,720 Speaker 1: bring It On or something Chicago, Chicago was legit, but 231 00:13:42,800 --> 00:13:45,280 Speaker 1: like making fun of it was like bring it On 232 00:13:45,400 --> 00:13:47,400 Speaker 1: or one of these films that we have the choreography 233 00:13:47,400 --> 00:13:50,000 Speaker 1: that wants to be like and anything that wants to 234 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:53,040 Speaker 1: me musical theater. We need magic thinkers, right, Like musical 235 00:13:53,080 --> 00:13:58,439 Speaker 1: theater is not especially today. After in the House, After Hamilton's, 236 00:13:58,520 --> 00:14:01,320 Speaker 1: After On Your Feet, After are many other shows that 237 00:14:01,320 --> 00:14:05,360 Speaker 1: are not necessarily latin um stories, but like that are 238 00:14:05,400 --> 00:14:08,840 Speaker 1: way more organic in how we tell the stories. And 239 00:14:08,880 --> 00:14:14,000 Speaker 1: so now the style of musical theater can mean anything. Anything. 240 00:14:14,360 --> 00:14:17,520 Speaker 1: You can bring really any style to a musical theater. 241 00:14:17,920 --> 00:14:21,440 Speaker 1: What makes the musical theaters that work aiming honestly at 242 00:14:21,480 --> 00:14:23,560 Speaker 1: telling a story? My lips are getting so dry by 243 00:14:23,600 --> 00:14:26,440 Speaker 1: the way. You're good. I think where you were going 244 00:14:26,440 --> 00:14:28,400 Speaker 1: with is the honesty of everything, and I think now 245 00:14:28,520 --> 00:14:32,000 Speaker 1: nowadays that's what people are more connected with and connected to. 246 00:14:32,120 --> 00:14:35,200 Speaker 1: So that honesty that you guys were working on within 247 00:14:35,240 --> 00:14:38,400 Speaker 1: the Heights, obviously like that came through full force and 248 00:14:38,600 --> 00:14:41,000 Speaker 1: everyone that you're speaking of. When Luise was mentioning the 249 00:14:41,000 --> 00:14:44,480 Speaker 1: team of Tommy Kale, Alex Lackamore, Um, Jeffrey Sellers. These 250 00:14:44,520 --> 00:14:47,360 Speaker 1: are all people that are also involved in Hamilton's and 251 00:14:47,360 --> 00:14:50,400 Speaker 1: they've worked from a very honest place about the story. 252 00:14:50,520 --> 00:14:54,160 Speaker 1: So I definitely resonate with that being in that room. 253 00:14:54,200 --> 00:14:57,760 Speaker 1: I totally agree with you, that's like their foremost vision, 254 00:14:58,000 --> 00:15:02,160 Speaker 1: so telling the true, honest Latino feel of in the 255 00:15:02,200 --> 00:15:08,080 Speaker 1: Washington Heights, I felt your fifth grade moves there. I 256 00:15:08,160 --> 00:15:10,400 Speaker 1: felt that when I first saw it. It's something that 257 00:15:10,640 --> 00:15:12,600 Speaker 1: resonated with me, and that's the reason why I do 258 00:15:12,640 --> 00:15:14,720 Speaker 1: what I do. That's something that for the first time 259 00:15:14,760 --> 00:15:18,880 Speaker 1: I saw myself on stage. Is different. I think post 260 00:15:18,880 --> 00:15:22,800 Speaker 1: pandemic and post Black Lives Matter is different. Like we 261 00:15:22,880 --> 00:15:28,560 Speaker 1: do need the producer money that is Latino money, Latino minded, 262 00:15:29,240 --> 00:15:32,400 Speaker 1: and the director and greographers that are Latino and that 263 00:15:33,520 --> 00:15:36,920 Speaker 1: or Latin. I understand really the scope of where we're 264 00:15:36,960 --> 00:15:39,120 Speaker 1: coming from in a different way, and that get to 265 00:15:39,160 --> 00:15:45,240 Speaker 1: tell different story period, right, But fourteen years ago another 266 00:15:45,360 --> 00:15:49,440 Speaker 1: moment of pride and validation for sure, and it should 267 00:15:49,440 --> 00:15:51,640 Speaker 1: be noticed. And that's why I love that you're bringing 268 00:15:51,720 --> 00:15:55,760 Speaker 1: that up, because it's something that is not talked about 269 00:15:55,880 --> 00:15:59,920 Speaker 1: often now, especially post post Black Lives matter, and especially 270 00:16:00,160 --> 00:16:03,080 Speaker 1: you know, after the pandemic. But it's it's refreshing to 271 00:16:03,160 --> 00:16:05,920 Speaker 1: hear that fourteen years ago, that was a sprinkle of 272 00:16:05,960 --> 00:16:09,360 Speaker 1: it was happening somewhere totally, totally, And if you go 273 00:16:09,520 --> 00:16:14,960 Speaker 1: further in time, the next generation, not in style or 274 00:16:14,880 --> 00:16:19,400 Speaker 1: or in theater necessarily, but in marketing, in in you know, 275 00:16:19,560 --> 00:16:23,480 Speaker 1: audience and in pride on topic and team and subject 276 00:16:23,520 --> 00:16:25,920 Speaker 1: was on your Feet. When you look at on your Feet, 277 00:16:25,960 --> 00:16:29,440 Speaker 1: it's the same formula. Like Jerry Mitchell was a director, 278 00:16:29,800 --> 00:16:33,200 Speaker 1: right and then Surgery through he was a choreographer, and 279 00:16:33,640 --> 00:16:36,600 Speaker 1: they listened to each other on the same idea of 280 00:16:36,600 --> 00:16:39,480 Speaker 1: the soap opera thing that I was talking about before, right, 281 00:16:39,520 --> 00:16:43,880 Speaker 1: Like like Jerry is saying, how do we make the 282 00:16:43,960 --> 00:16:47,160 Speaker 1: audience happy? How do we make the audience get on 283 00:16:47,200 --> 00:16:53,400 Speaker 1: their feet? Literally? And and Jerry's a manswer at that, 284 00:16:53,920 --> 00:16:57,120 Speaker 1: and in surges here like how do we represent how 285 00:16:57,160 --> 00:16:59,920 Speaker 1: do we like get grounded? Like you know what I mean. 286 00:17:00,240 --> 00:17:03,440 Speaker 1: I mean the mix of those two beautiful humans comes 287 00:17:03,480 --> 00:17:06,359 Speaker 1: a show like on your Feet, you know, and gives 288 00:17:06,440 --> 00:17:09,720 Speaker 1: us another opportunity to feel really proud. So there's something 289 00:17:09,760 --> 00:17:13,920 Speaker 1: about that balance when it's done with respect and integrity, 290 00:17:14,280 --> 00:17:16,919 Speaker 1: because I kild you not like if any of us 291 00:17:16,960 --> 00:17:20,240 Speaker 1: were to have direct originally on your feet again, what 292 00:17:20,320 --> 00:17:22,879 Speaker 1: would have happened? Right, Like we could have been Not 293 00:17:22,960 --> 00:17:25,680 Speaker 1: to take away from any of us, but I think 294 00:17:25,840 --> 00:17:30,399 Speaker 1: we might fall too deeply into the pride, right, and 295 00:17:30,480 --> 00:17:34,199 Speaker 1: so into the struggle of the cube and experience and 296 00:17:34,240 --> 00:17:37,760 Speaker 1: the political thing that it is and like and maybe forget, 297 00:17:38,080 --> 00:17:40,600 Speaker 1: let's stand on on your feet and dance like right, 298 00:17:40,640 --> 00:17:44,640 Speaker 1: And then once we had had those examples, now there's 299 00:17:44,640 --> 00:17:49,160 Speaker 1: a good moment of like understanding, way what has worked, 300 00:17:49,200 --> 00:17:52,240 Speaker 1: not because it was only made by a white person 301 00:17:52,320 --> 00:17:55,600 Speaker 1: at all, right, because again this shows we're not the show. 302 00:17:55,640 --> 00:18:00,600 Speaker 1: We're balanced, but there are chemical cues to that worked 303 00:18:00,920 --> 00:18:04,679 Speaker 1: from a wide mentality is producing mine that now we 304 00:18:04,720 --> 00:18:07,480 Speaker 1: can look at and say, well, I disagree with that, 305 00:18:07,520 --> 00:18:09,680 Speaker 1: and I'm going to take a very different route. Or 306 00:18:10,040 --> 00:18:12,800 Speaker 1: let me not forget this. Whenever I want to hit 307 00:18:12,840 --> 00:18:16,200 Speaker 1: those drums in a soap opera way, let me not 308 00:18:16,400 --> 00:18:19,359 Speaker 1: forget that that is a taste that is so mine 309 00:18:19,480 --> 00:18:25,760 Speaker 1: that my alienate you knows or consumers of this product. 310 00:18:25,800 --> 00:18:27,719 Speaker 1: And I want this product to also round. And you 311 00:18:27,720 --> 00:18:30,199 Speaker 1: can say I don't care for the American audience to 312 00:18:30,240 --> 00:18:32,760 Speaker 1: come and watch it. I want the soaper thing and 313 00:18:32,800 --> 00:18:34,880 Speaker 1: I want my grandma to feel very proud of that. 314 00:18:35,160 --> 00:18:37,320 Speaker 1: And now we have a choice because we have a 315 00:18:37,359 --> 00:18:40,960 Speaker 1: study case of something that actually worked. In The Heights, 316 00:18:41,400 --> 00:18:46,400 Speaker 1: On Your Feet Hamilton's are great examples that we can 317 00:18:46,440 --> 00:18:49,159 Speaker 1: now say, wait, this is it. I like it, I 318 00:18:49,200 --> 00:18:51,600 Speaker 1: don't like it. What can I do? If we were 319 00:18:51,720 --> 00:18:55,920 Speaker 1: only left with West Side Story and the CapMan, We'll 320 00:18:55,960 --> 00:18:59,520 Speaker 1: be fucked trying to figure it out what path would 321 00:18:59,520 --> 00:19:02,240 Speaker 1: be a path that works? When producers are saying, yeah, 322 00:19:02,280 --> 00:19:04,000 Speaker 1: but how are you going to make us listen? We're 323 00:19:04,040 --> 00:19:06,720 Speaker 1: in a very interesting time right now where I'm like, 324 00:19:06,920 --> 00:19:10,560 Speaker 1: I completely understand the business aspect of all of that. 325 00:19:11,040 --> 00:19:16,680 Speaker 1: There's a lot of lacking of representation still obviously of 326 00:19:16,800 --> 00:19:19,919 Speaker 1: us behind the table on some projects. I think we 327 00:19:20,040 --> 00:19:24,920 Speaker 1: both have been really lucky to work with that team. 328 00:19:24,960 --> 00:19:27,920 Speaker 1: I think like, just in like the other grander scale 329 00:19:28,000 --> 00:19:31,720 Speaker 1: of everything else we're talking about one Hamilton and this 330 00:19:31,920 --> 00:19:34,639 Speaker 1: one moment of On your Feet and the Heights, I 331 00:19:34,680 --> 00:19:37,119 Speaker 1: do feel like I just wish some other you know, 332 00:19:37,119 --> 00:19:38,800 Speaker 1: because I was a part of Lion King and things 333 00:19:38,840 --> 00:19:41,199 Speaker 1: along those lines, and like there are no people of 334 00:19:41,240 --> 00:19:43,600 Speaker 1: color behind that table, you know. So it's like you 335 00:19:43,640 --> 00:19:47,159 Speaker 1: can really sense when something is working and when something 336 00:19:47,240 --> 00:19:50,159 Speaker 1: is still lacking, like it's in the flavor, you know 337 00:19:50,160 --> 00:19:52,560 Speaker 1: what I mean. Funny you say that. And one of 338 00:19:52,600 --> 00:19:57,400 Speaker 1: the most brilliant directors artistically speaking, not only commercially speaking, 339 00:19:57,880 --> 00:20:02,440 Speaker 1: it's right, it's you know, Julie's him and and and 340 00:20:02,440 --> 00:20:05,679 Speaker 1: and you know. What she did with Lion King is unique, 341 00:20:05,720 --> 00:20:08,919 Speaker 1: and her experience as a white director going through the 342 00:20:08,960 --> 00:20:12,520 Speaker 1: world gave her a sense of what the caliber of 343 00:20:12,680 --> 00:20:16,119 Speaker 1: artistry to be used was. But when I came to 344 00:20:16,160 --> 00:20:20,680 Speaker 1: New York back into thousand and two, and I my 345 00:20:20,760 --> 00:20:24,960 Speaker 1: first Broadway audition was for The Lion King, and there 346 00:20:25,000 --> 00:20:27,200 Speaker 1: was a lot that I did not know, and there 347 00:20:27,240 --> 00:20:28,959 Speaker 1: was a lot that I was not ready with. I 348 00:20:29,000 --> 00:20:31,320 Speaker 1: was totally ready with my dancing, but I wasn't ready 349 00:20:31,359 --> 00:20:33,320 Speaker 1: with my singing, and I wasn't ready with my English, 350 00:20:33,400 --> 00:20:35,400 Speaker 1: and there were a lot of things that that were 351 00:20:35,400 --> 00:20:38,159 Speaker 1: not there. And the casting company at that point, I 352 00:20:38,160 --> 00:20:40,800 Speaker 1: don't know if they still have this um they had, 353 00:20:40,840 --> 00:20:45,480 Speaker 1: like the Lion King School, Yeah they do. Now we 354 00:20:45,520 --> 00:20:47,720 Speaker 1: call it like a bookhead. And so they sent me 355 00:20:47,800 --> 00:20:53,639 Speaker 1: there and was who ran that and he was coming 356 00:20:53,680 --> 00:20:56,280 Speaker 1: from South Africa, and the first thing that I learned 357 00:20:56,320 --> 00:21:02,280 Speaker 1: to do was because it's clearly Africa, Malu bakaiso No, 358 00:21:02,480 --> 00:21:06,200 Speaker 1: I'm sorry, I just bastardized that I knew what you 359 00:21:06,240 --> 00:21:09,160 Speaker 1: were trying to go for. I mean, and I need 360 00:21:09,160 --> 00:21:14,560 Speaker 1: to do it with the melody. And so you know, 361 00:21:14,680 --> 00:21:18,040 Speaker 1: we were learning the history of Africa, and we were 362 00:21:18,080 --> 00:21:21,520 Speaker 1: learning solely when we were learning to do the right 363 00:21:21,560 --> 00:21:24,800 Speaker 1: and yeah, and so like we were getting that and 364 00:21:24,840 --> 00:21:28,119 Speaker 1: I wasn't even in the show. So there was again 365 00:21:28,160 --> 00:21:31,080 Speaker 1: we can say and we and we have the right 366 00:21:31,160 --> 00:21:35,000 Speaker 1: to say, there wasn't any people of color behind the table, 367 00:21:35,480 --> 00:21:38,680 Speaker 1: but we cannot forget to say, but they were doing 368 00:21:38,720 --> 00:21:42,760 Speaker 1: everything they could to give us training and understanding of 369 00:21:42,800 --> 00:21:46,320 Speaker 1: what the roots of that was two very different conversations, 370 00:21:46,359 --> 00:21:51,119 Speaker 1: two very different conversations, absolutely but important conversations. And also 371 00:21:51,160 --> 00:21:53,800 Speaker 1: we're talking about two very different times because Lion King 372 00:21:53,800 --> 00:21:56,040 Speaker 1: has been around for quite a while, so we're talking 373 00:21:56,080 --> 00:22:03,119 Speaker 1: about the O two. I was getting legit South African 374 00:22:03,160 --> 00:22:06,959 Speaker 1: training as someone who was a finalism and audition, not 375 00:22:07,040 --> 00:22:09,840 Speaker 1: even getting the game, and that was paid by Disney 376 00:22:09,920 --> 00:22:12,719 Speaker 1: and I'm grateful for that. That's an incredible experience and 377 00:22:12,760 --> 00:22:14,800 Speaker 1: as we were just talking about in the heights like 378 00:22:14,880 --> 00:22:17,439 Speaker 1: fourteen years ago, like that blows my mind that it 379 00:22:17,480 --> 00:22:20,240 Speaker 1: was fourteen years ago. I feel everything that we've been discussing, 380 00:22:20,320 --> 00:22:23,120 Speaker 1: like those moments need to be as you say, they 381 00:22:23,160 --> 00:22:26,480 Speaker 1: need to be discussed and spoken about, and we need 382 00:22:26,520 --> 00:22:28,760 Speaker 1: to keep holding onto those moments because those are the 383 00:22:28,800 --> 00:22:32,480 Speaker 1: moments that I feel like we're creating, we're being together 384 00:22:32,640 --> 00:22:35,399 Speaker 1: where and those are the things that I'm I'm hoping 385 00:22:35,440 --> 00:22:38,040 Speaker 1: that in Broadway we can continue to still hold on too. 386 00:22:38,400 --> 00:22:40,800 Speaker 1: I will say to you, Darline though that coming out 387 00:22:40,800 --> 00:22:43,720 Speaker 1: of Covet see like perspective changes right and and our 388 00:22:43,840 --> 00:22:46,280 Speaker 1: necessity to take action is different. I love it, and 389 00:22:46,320 --> 00:22:48,840 Speaker 1: I'm grateful to have this conversation with you, such a 390 00:22:48,880 --> 00:22:51,000 Speaker 1: great artist like you, and that we can, you know, 391 00:22:51,040 --> 00:22:54,160 Speaker 1: put our experiences into play and through the debate, figured 392 00:22:54,160 --> 00:22:56,119 Speaker 1: it out where are we today and what is our 393 00:22:56,200 --> 00:22:59,159 Speaker 1: job right? So I'm super grateful for that. But I 394 00:22:59,200 --> 00:23:02,399 Speaker 1: will say that as an audience member coming out of 395 00:23:02,440 --> 00:23:08,359 Speaker 1: covid Um, who who then see the UK production of 396 00:23:08,400 --> 00:23:13,240 Speaker 1: The Lion King do this thing around that table and 397 00:23:13,720 --> 00:23:19,280 Speaker 1: raffiki it's about to sing. Marketing has seven cameras. They're 398 00:23:19,440 --> 00:23:22,920 Speaker 1: capturing the moment where all these black people are seeing 399 00:23:22,960 --> 00:23:25,440 Speaker 1: in this chant and it's supposed to be so spiritual, 400 00:23:25,920 --> 00:23:30,200 Speaker 1: but the table was populated by white people. Now I'm 401 00:23:30,280 --> 00:23:35,400 Speaker 1: pissed right now. I'm like, that doesn't seem right right now? 402 00:23:35,960 --> 00:23:38,920 Speaker 1: How do we change that? Right now? But when I'm 403 00:23:38,960 --> 00:23:41,600 Speaker 1: looking at two thousand and two and again, I'm seeing 404 00:23:42,160 --> 00:23:45,640 Speaker 1: the contributions and like what was happening? And again, there 405 00:23:45,760 --> 00:23:50,240 Speaker 1: was not necessarily that much opportunity for a show that 406 00:23:50,320 --> 00:23:54,560 Speaker 1: celebrated Africa at that moment, right and like whoa and 407 00:23:54,600 --> 00:23:58,480 Speaker 1: the world has gotten to know a Disney version of 408 00:23:58,560 --> 00:24:02,720 Speaker 1: what Africa might feel like through the movie and through 409 00:24:02,760 --> 00:24:04,960 Speaker 1: the show, blah blah, But how many of the people 410 00:24:05,000 --> 00:24:07,280 Speaker 1: have actually then say, I do want to know this 411 00:24:07,400 --> 00:24:10,479 Speaker 1: culture more. I do want to know what Zulu sounds like. 412 00:24:10,640 --> 00:24:14,480 Speaker 1: Let me contribute charity Water Foundation and help you know 413 00:24:14,480 --> 00:24:18,080 Speaker 1: what I mean? Like it has made a contribution, but 414 00:24:18,440 --> 00:24:21,240 Speaker 1: what is the contribution that it can make? Now you 415 00:24:21,400 --> 00:24:26,080 Speaker 1: profited so well, you gain your money back, and now 416 00:24:26,240 --> 00:24:30,000 Speaker 1: there's so much more to do. And I know Julie 417 00:24:30,040 --> 00:24:33,720 Speaker 1: Tamer has programs too for new upcoming directors and young 418 00:24:33,840 --> 00:24:36,920 Speaker 1: people and I believe that her program is about sending 419 00:24:36,960 --> 00:24:40,399 Speaker 1: them to places they've never been to discover new ways 420 00:24:40,440 --> 00:24:45,119 Speaker 1: of theater they've never experience, to see that hopefully, um 421 00:24:45,160 --> 00:24:48,240 Speaker 1: they can embellish and develop their art in a way 422 00:24:48,280 --> 00:24:51,520 Speaker 1: that they never imagine like she has done thanks to 423 00:24:51,560 --> 00:24:55,680 Speaker 1: the cultures and communities. And that's amazing. I would love 424 00:24:55,680 --> 00:24:59,000 Speaker 1: that multiplied by two hundred thousand, you know what I mean? 425 00:24:59,040 --> 00:25:02,320 Speaker 1: And so these are it again pointing fingers and like 426 00:25:02,440 --> 00:25:05,760 Speaker 1: being a victim and says about things without trying to 427 00:25:05,760 --> 00:25:07,719 Speaker 1: figure it out. Where we are and where can we go? 428 00:25:08,040 --> 00:25:11,200 Speaker 1: I know that there's a community of Latino I mean, 429 00:25:11,560 --> 00:25:14,880 Speaker 1: or I should say Latin a millionaires, but I don't 430 00:25:14,920 --> 00:25:16,640 Speaker 1: know where they are. I don't know how to tap 431 00:25:16,680 --> 00:25:20,200 Speaker 1: their doors. But I do know a community of Broadway 432 00:25:20,240 --> 00:25:23,399 Speaker 1: producers who have money to invest in the arts. And 433 00:25:23,440 --> 00:25:27,640 Speaker 1: so although I want the Latino supporters and producers who 434 00:25:27,760 --> 00:25:31,560 Speaker 1: lack maybe the Broadway experience, I do have access to 435 00:25:31,600 --> 00:25:33,959 Speaker 1: this other Like why am I going to alienate A 436 00:25:34,119 --> 00:25:36,000 Speaker 1: and B? Like I don't think that that's a solution 437 00:25:36,040 --> 00:25:37,880 Speaker 1: to the problem. No, at the end of the day, 438 00:25:38,080 --> 00:25:40,720 Speaker 1: Broadway is how Broadway started and so forth, So we 439 00:25:40,760 --> 00:25:43,879 Speaker 1: have to work together and in a certain way. And 440 00:25:43,920 --> 00:25:46,120 Speaker 1: I think that what you're saying, I think what we've 441 00:25:46,160 --> 00:25:49,960 Speaker 1: both been saying and hitting on is when we're invited 442 00:25:49,960 --> 00:25:52,359 Speaker 1: in the room, we need to be heard and validated 443 00:25:52,520 --> 00:25:56,120 Speaker 1: and respected. And the stories of your five year old dance, 444 00:25:56,160 --> 00:25:59,520 Speaker 1: of your fifth grade dance moves need to be the 445 00:25:59,560 --> 00:26:03,960 Speaker 1: focus of honesty, the focus of storytelling as valuable as 446 00:26:04,040 --> 00:26:07,720 Speaker 1: you know any choreographer who studied for thirty years one 447 00:26:08,040 --> 00:26:10,760 Speaker 1: technical dance step right. And I do hope that we 448 00:26:10,800 --> 00:26:14,080 Speaker 1: continue to have people such as yourself, such as said here, 449 00:26:14,200 --> 00:26:17,080 Speaker 1: such as Lynn, such as and I hope that continues 450 00:26:17,119 --> 00:26:20,720 Speaker 1: to expand. Me Hello, such as me and continues to expand, 451 00:26:20,760 --> 00:26:23,919 Speaker 1: and we continue to bring others in the room to 452 00:26:24,119 --> 00:26:27,520 Speaker 1: celebrate ourselves to also like you know, just that's how 453 00:26:27,560 --> 00:26:29,400 Speaker 1: it is, right, Like we have to support each other 454 00:26:29,440 --> 00:26:31,240 Speaker 1: at the end of the day. It is something that 455 00:26:31,359 --> 00:26:34,560 Speaker 1: is happening right now, and especially in the world of Broadway, 456 00:26:34,560 --> 00:26:39,480 Speaker 1: coming back after the pandemic, after all of this racial 457 00:26:39,560 --> 00:26:42,720 Speaker 1: issues that our country has been pushing and trying to 458 00:26:44,119 --> 00:26:49,000 Speaker 1: align um and figure out. So it's a very important conversation, 459 00:26:49,119 --> 00:26:51,280 Speaker 1: especially in the Latin community too, because we have a 460 00:26:51,280 --> 00:27:07,400 Speaker 1: place um here in that conversation as well, you've been 461 00:27:07,400 --> 00:27:11,639 Speaker 1: doing the work also in that department. You have Revolution, Latina. 462 00:27:11,720 --> 00:27:14,080 Speaker 1: Can you tell us a little bit more about what 463 00:27:15,119 --> 00:27:18,960 Speaker 1: that is for you? What the goal, what the mission? Guess? 464 00:27:19,119 --> 00:27:24,920 Speaker 1: Guess Revolution? You know, it's born in many ways out 465 00:27:25,000 --> 00:27:27,600 Speaker 1: of in the heights. And the representation that I was 466 00:27:27,640 --> 00:27:30,560 Speaker 1: seeing at that time. Funny enough, now I get to 467 00:27:30,560 --> 00:27:35,679 Speaker 1: step back and see, oh wow, back into thousands and six, 468 00:27:35,720 --> 00:27:40,520 Speaker 1: two and seven, I was having the conversation we're having 469 00:27:40,560 --> 00:27:42,440 Speaker 1: today in a different way, right. I was looking and 470 00:27:42,600 --> 00:27:45,800 Speaker 1: noticing that we were in that many out there, and 471 00:27:45,840 --> 00:27:48,280 Speaker 1: that there were some people that were very valuable, but 472 00:27:48,320 --> 00:27:51,600 Speaker 1: we weren't paying attention to them. So I started making 473 00:27:51,840 --> 00:27:54,800 Speaker 1: interviews to people like Pricia Lopez, who had already won 474 00:27:54,880 --> 00:27:59,000 Speaker 1: Tony Awards and you know, created the role of Diana Morales, 475 00:27:59,040 --> 00:28:02,959 Speaker 1: the creative, amazing team of a chorus line with Michael 476 00:28:02,960 --> 00:28:07,000 Speaker 1: Bennett and whatnot. The people like the Montali looking past 477 00:28:07,040 --> 00:28:09,080 Speaker 1: the cancer, you know what's next to me? And I 478 00:28:09,200 --> 00:28:12,560 Speaker 1: noticed there's just there's just here woman who is over 479 00:28:13,000 --> 00:28:16,119 Speaker 1: a certain amount of age, and it's now accomplishing a dream. 480 00:28:16,160 --> 00:28:19,359 Speaker 1: Because a show like in the Heights is open, opening 481 00:28:19,359 --> 00:28:21,640 Speaker 1: the door for her to actually have a voice. There's 482 00:28:21,680 --> 00:28:27,040 Speaker 1: people like Roman, like Janet, you know. I was like, 483 00:28:27,200 --> 00:28:32,240 Speaker 1: I'm surrounded by kings and queens of arts and culture 484 00:28:32,800 --> 00:28:35,880 Speaker 1: that are not having the opportunity to like really fully 485 00:28:36,040 --> 00:28:38,400 Speaker 1: share their voice if it's not for something like this. 486 00:28:38,960 --> 00:28:41,200 Speaker 1: And so we took the microphone and we started making 487 00:28:41,480 --> 00:28:44,680 Speaker 1: asking questions and those questions landed at YouTube, which was 488 00:28:44,720 --> 00:28:47,600 Speaker 1: the social media of the time that in my space, 489 00:28:47,960 --> 00:28:52,080 Speaker 1: and people started yeah, and people started asking more questions 490 00:28:52,200 --> 00:28:54,720 Speaker 1: and then asking us to do a workshop or to 491 00:28:55,200 --> 00:28:58,400 Speaker 1: give exposure, and we started doing makeup workshops in the 492 00:28:58,520 --> 00:29:02,520 Speaker 1: dressing rooms of in the Heights, and we started providing 493 00:29:02,640 --> 00:29:05,440 Speaker 1: you know, um summer camps, going to the Bronx and 494 00:29:05,480 --> 00:29:09,040 Speaker 1: going to Brooklyn and meeting at other organizations all the 495 00:29:09,080 --> 00:29:12,240 Speaker 1: way onto one day. But Hispanico allowed us to use 496 00:29:12,400 --> 00:29:14,800 Speaker 1: their space to bring the kids to us instead of 497 00:29:14,880 --> 00:29:17,280 Speaker 1: us going to them, and that was our first big 498 00:29:17,320 --> 00:29:19,560 Speaker 1: summer camp. We had over I don't know at that time, 499 00:29:19,640 --> 00:29:22,600 Speaker 1: like a hundred kids, and from their own it catapulted 500 00:29:22,640 --> 00:29:25,800 Speaker 1: into no less than two hundred kids every summer camp 501 00:29:25,840 --> 00:29:28,760 Speaker 1: we have presented now for fourteen years. But his Panic 502 00:29:28,960 --> 00:29:32,280 Speaker 1: is another program that is run in the city. Right. Yeah, 503 00:29:32,320 --> 00:29:35,360 Speaker 1: But it's funny because a dance company that has been 504 00:29:35,440 --> 00:29:40,200 Speaker 1: running for many years UM and UH now inherited by 505 00:29:40,200 --> 00:29:45,880 Speaker 1: a new artistic director. Um In Costina was the founder 506 00:29:45,920 --> 00:29:49,920 Speaker 1: director before UM and she passed it on about a 507 00:29:49,920 --> 00:29:54,960 Speaker 1: decade ago. And anyway, now they have UM their own beautiful, 508 00:29:55,000 --> 00:29:59,200 Speaker 1: big place and most recently they got a secret donation 509 00:29:59,240 --> 00:30:02,720 Speaker 1: of over think ten million dollars. This donation just happened 510 00:30:02,800 --> 00:30:05,800 Speaker 1: just during COVID year and they they are now in 511 00:30:05,800 --> 00:30:09,040 Speaker 1: a beautiful position. UM. But they are really like the 512 00:30:09,080 --> 00:30:11,680 Speaker 1: al Ben Alien of our Latino community. You know, it's 513 00:30:11,720 --> 00:30:16,360 Speaker 1: been around UM and so anyway, long story short, UM, 514 00:30:16,480 --> 00:30:18,200 Speaker 1: one thing led to the next, and now we have 515 00:30:18,280 --> 00:30:20,640 Speaker 1: this whole thing that we call the Circle effect, where 516 00:30:20,640 --> 00:30:23,479 Speaker 1: at the beginning of the year we provide free training 517 00:30:23,520 --> 00:30:27,560 Speaker 1: to adult artists. Those are those artists become our volunteer 518 00:30:27,760 --> 00:30:30,280 Speaker 1: and they help us in the summer with our summer camp. 519 00:30:30,400 --> 00:30:32,480 Speaker 1: So then we get to affect our children. And then 520 00:30:32,480 --> 00:30:34,440 Speaker 1: in the last part of the year, we fundraise and 521 00:30:34,480 --> 00:30:36,800 Speaker 1: we do productions and we try to start all over again. 522 00:30:36,880 --> 00:30:39,280 Speaker 1: We do that cycle every year, and that is all 523 00:30:39,400 --> 00:30:41,840 Speaker 1: things to probably care sectified sais who has been our 524 00:30:41,880 --> 00:30:47,880 Speaker 1: parents organization for all these things. That is beautiful. We've 525 00:30:47,880 --> 00:30:50,720 Speaker 1: been fighting this battle for fourteen years. We've been fighting 526 00:30:50,760 --> 00:30:54,200 Speaker 1: this rhetoric of how we need the representation, but we 527 00:30:54,240 --> 00:30:56,239 Speaker 1: also need to inspire each other and be in the 528 00:30:56,240 --> 00:30:59,240 Speaker 1: best place possible. Um. And so what we did is 529 00:30:59,280 --> 00:31:00,880 Speaker 1: as a philosophy is that be up there to go 530 00:31:00,920 --> 00:31:03,320 Speaker 1: beyond what beyond whatever you need to go on, right 531 00:31:03,400 --> 00:31:06,600 Speaker 1: like that answers come from you, not from us. And 532 00:31:06,640 --> 00:31:08,720 Speaker 1: so the philosophy is there to challenge is to be 533 00:31:08,720 --> 00:31:11,560 Speaker 1: better at representing ourselves and being ready for when the 534 00:31:11,560 --> 00:31:15,040 Speaker 1: opportunity comes at you know, being bi lingual, like like 535 00:31:15,120 --> 00:31:17,320 Speaker 1: celebrate our language. But if I'm going to compete in 536 00:31:17,320 --> 00:31:19,480 Speaker 1: the English market, I have to then become better with 537 00:31:19,520 --> 00:31:22,920 Speaker 1: the English. Like if I am struggling with the economy, 538 00:31:22,920 --> 00:31:25,080 Speaker 1: I have to become better at my own economy so 539 00:31:25,120 --> 00:31:28,200 Speaker 1: that I can sustain myself rather than ask for favors. 540 00:31:28,240 --> 00:31:30,280 Speaker 1: Like it's the whole thing of getting us to go 541 00:31:30,400 --> 00:31:34,720 Speaker 1: forward with a very progressive mind while we are taking 542 00:31:34,760 --> 00:31:37,880 Speaker 1: the steps to go beyond. So during the pandemic, what 543 00:31:38,000 --> 00:31:41,440 Speaker 1: have you been UM working on? What's next for you? UM, 544 00:31:41,440 --> 00:31:45,920 Speaker 1: I know you talked on not jumping from a window. 545 00:31:48,520 --> 00:31:52,120 Speaker 1: That's what I've been working on. Um, come on, honesty. 546 00:31:52,320 --> 00:31:56,280 Speaker 1: The pandemic was hard, and uh. The reality is that 547 00:31:56,520 --> 00:31:59,720 Speaker 1: I had just directed Matilda and we were I think 548 00:31:59,760 --> 00:32:04,040 Speaker 1: like our third performance and we had to close brow Close. 549 00:32:04,080 --> 00:32:05,560 Speaker 1: And the next day knew that we were going to 550 00:32:05,680 --> 00:32:07,640 Speaker 1: have to close and that I was going to leave, 551 00:32:08,240 --> 00:32:12,040 Speaker 1: you know, about thirty kids orphan of a production emotionally 552 00:32:12,640 --> 00:32:18,880 Speaker 1: and literally, and so we immediately met with Latina and 553 00:32:18,920 --> 00:32:21,040 Speaker 1: I was like, Okay, this is a problem. I don't 554 00:32:21,040 --> 00:32:22,600 Speaker 1: know how long this is gonna last, but what are 555 00:32:22,600 --> 00:32:26,200 Speaker 1: we gonna do? And a week after Broway had shut down, 556 00:32:26,760 --> 00:32:31,960 Speaker 1: Latina was offering classes, singing classes, dancing classes, meditation classes 557 00:32:31,960 --> 00:32:35,280 Speaker 1: because everybody was scared. Two weeks in, I had lost 558 00:32:35,360 --> 00:32:38,400 Speaker 1: all the future jobs I had. But we kept on 559 00:32:38,480 --> 00:32:41,680 Speaker 1: teaching classes and doing meetings and doing talks and meeting 560 00:32:41,680 --> 00:32:45,360 Speaker 1: with people from Spain virtually and like doing all these 561 00:32:45,360 --> 00:32:49,240 Speaker 1: cafesitos and trying to keep people like at ease. And 562 00:32:49,280 --> 00:32:52,680 Speaker 1: then two months passed by and we had given given 563 00:32:52,720 --> 00:32:55,840 Speaker 1: work to so many people. But I realized two or 564 00:32:55,840 --> 00:32:59,520 Speaker 1: three months later, I haven't even fueled out for unemployment, 565 00:33:01,040 --> 00:33:03,320 Speaker 1: like I've been taking care of everything that I think 566 00:33:04,040 --> 00:33:08,080 Speaker 1: my job is as a community leader, but I didn't 567 00:33:08,120 --> 00:33:10,720 Speaker 1: put my own mask on, and that was a problem 568 00:33:10,960 --> 00:33:13,640 Speaker 1: with the moment I realized that I've always tell the 569 00:33:13,680 --> 00:33:18,400 Speaker 1: leaders of the Virgin Latina that we serve if I mean, yes, 570 00:33:18,480 --> 00:33:21,920 Speaker 1: we can sacrifice, but in order to properly selve under 571 00:33:22,000 --> 00:33:24,280 Speaker 1: the concept of Latina, we have to be in a 572 00:33:24,280 --> 00:33:29,040 Speaker 1: healthy place. You have to because if you're you're then 573 00:33:29,080 --> 00:33:31,680 Speaker 1: you're not going to give your best. And so at 574 00:33:31,720 --> 00:33:34,120 Speaker 1: that moment, I realized that I had betrayed my own 575 00:33:34,120 --> 00:33:37,240 Speaker 1: philosophy that I was helping people of not realizing that 576 00:33:37,320 --> 00:33:39,600 Speaker 1: I had not put my own mask on, And so 577 00:33:39,640 --> 00:33:41,720 Speaker 1: I went down a rabbit hole from there because I 578 00:33:41,760 --> 00:33:44,960 Speaker 1: needed art. I also needed a community outside of the 579 00:33:44,960 --> 00:33:48,440 Speaker 1: community that I was serving, and it became really difficult. 580 00:33:48,680 --> 00:33:51,880 Speaker 1: So I hustle a couple of Zoom projects that were 581 00:33:52,080 --> 00:33:55,240 Speaker 1: terrible because I hated being in front of the computer. 582 00:33:55,360 --> 00:33:57,880 Speaker 1: For now, I have a hunch in my back from 583 00:33:57,880 --> 00:34:01,360 Speaker 1: being like ten trying to bureographed people like on this 584 00:34:01,560 --> 00:34:05,480 Speaker 1: little camera thing. Like literally now I have to probably 585 00:34:05,520 --> 00:34:08,280 Speaker 1: like sleep for two more years, Like oh, my roller 586 00:34:08,360 --> 00:34:12,719 Speaker 1: to get my back spine back to place. It's crazy, 587 00:34:12,760 --> 00:34:14,919 Speaker 1: but yeah, and it's still been crazy because I'm still 588 00:34:14,920 --> 00:34:16,400 Speaker 1: going through it. I don't know about you if you're 589 00:34:16,440 --> 00:34:18,160 Speaker 1: still doing a lot of zoom stuff, but I'm still 590 00:34:18,200 --> 00:34:20,960 Speaker 1: doing a lot of I have thankfully been able to 591 00:34:21,040 --> 00:34:25,439 Speaker 1: find an in person route. UM. I just directed three 592 00:34:25,440 --> 00:34:28,839 Speaker 1: shows in the last two months, UM A person and 593 00:34:28,960 --> 00:34:32,480 Speaker 1: been learning a lot about what that means today. UM, 594 00:34:32,520 --> 00:34:35,200 Speaker 1: as far as like dealing with humans in a space 595 00:34:35,400 --> 00:34:37,279 Speaker 1: and they're coming to that space with a lot of 596 00:34:37,320 --> 00:34:40,080 Speaker 1: new insecurities that were in there before. I'm going to 597 00:34:40,200 --> 00:34:43,200 Speaker 1: ask you something. This is a new tradition that we 598 00:34:43,239 --> 00:34:46,080 Speaker 1: are doing here on Moranita and UM, this is our 599 00:34:46,160 --> 00:34:50,319 Speaker 1: little closing question, but can you share something with us 600 00:34:50,600 --> 00:34:54,799 Speaker 1: the one thing that always reminds you of home? Like 601 00:34:54,880 --> 00:34:58,520 Speaker 1: however it is that you define home? Wow, that's a 602 00:34:58,680 --> 00:35:04,000 Speaker 1: great question. The thing is that I'm triggered by the 603 00:35:04,640 --> 00:35:08,280 Speaker 1: setup because the setup you said something that's really powerful 604 00:35:08,280 --> 00:35:12,160 Speaker 1: in my mind these days, which is the one thing 605 00:35:12,760 --> 00:35:16,040 Speaker 1: when you say that one thing? UM, I am really 606 00:35:16,480 --> 00:35:18,759 Speaker 1: I'm triggered because I'm reading a book. I probably have 607 00:35:18,840 --> 00:35:21,160 Speaker 1: read this book already thirty times. I don't know if 608 00:35:21,200 --> 00:35:23,719 Speaker 1: you have read it, darling, but it's called The One Thing, 609 00:35:24,320 --> 00:35:26,960 Speaker 1: and it's a business book. But I invite you to 610 00:35:27,000 --> 00:35:29,440 Speaker 1: read it because as an artist, we always do a 611 00:35:30,239 --> 00:35:33,520 Speaker 1: things at the same time. It's a good exercise at 612 00:35:33,560 --> 00:35:36,760 Speaker 1: trying to better focus our priorities, and so I invite 613 00:35:36,800 --> 00:35:40,239 Speaker 1: you and our listeners to to check out The One Thing. 614 00:35:40,320 --> 00:35:42,000 Speaker 1: So that's the first thing I wanted to say from 615 00:35:42,280 --> 00:35:46,160 Speaker 1: the way you created a question. Okay, I'm getting the book. 616 00:35:46,280 --> 00:35:48,719 Speaker 1: I think the second thing or the answer to your 617 00:35:48,840 --> 00:35:55,319 Speaker 1: question really beyond the Alps, beyonds, beyond the fact that 618 00:35:55,360 --> 00:35:58,000 Speaker 1: my mom's hug or having the cafesito with her, all 619 00:35:58,040 --> 00:36:01,520 Speaker 1: of that. In reality, the thing that I'm most think 620 00:36:01,520 --> 00:36:05,200 Speaker 1: about home is nature, is the palm trees, the ocean, 621 00:36:05,680 --> 00:36:09,480 Speaker 1: or the mountains, the rivers, and so I cannot step 622 00:36:09,480 --> 00:36:12,360 Speaker 1: into Puerto Rico without going to either of those two places. 623 00:36:12,440 --> 00:36:15,200 Speaker 1: So this day is the way that I feel about life. 624 00:36:15,719 --> 00:36:17,799 Speaker 1: That is home, and that is where I would love 625 00:36:17,880 --> 00:36:23,160 Speaker 1: to die. Mm hmmm, I want to resonate with that. 626 00:36:23,239 --> 00:36:25,400 Speaker 1: I used to want to die and you wanted to 627 00:36:25,400 --> 00:36:27,400 Speaker 1: die in the theater. You wanted to die in the theater. 628 00:36:27,520 --> 00:36:30,040 Speaker 1: Now I'm like, no, put me next to a potoma 629 00:36:30,800 --> 00:36:33,440 Speaker 1: somewhere and that the wind hit me and now have 630 00:36:33,560 --> 00:36:36,600 Speaker 1: a heart attack there. I'm good. All that dancing and 631 00:36:36,640 --> 00:36:39,160 Speaker 1: singing and everything, I don't know. I'm like, I'm with 632 00:36:39,200 --> 00:36:42,720 Speaker 1: you now the nature. The nature is a much better place, Louise. 633 00:36:42,840 --> 00:36:45,160 Speaker 1: Thank you so much, my love, for your time. Thank 634 00:36:45,160 --> 00:36:48,359 Speaker 1: you for being vulnerable and getting into a place during 635 00:36:48,360 --> 00:36:50,279 Speaker 1: this conversation that maybe we didn't know we were going 636 00:36:50,320 --> 00:36:53,000 Speaker 1: to discuss about. But thank you for being open and 637 00:36:53,040 --> 00:36:57,040 Speaker 1: I'm sharing your thoughts and your vulnerability and your story. Luise, 638 00:36:57,320 --> 00:37:00,600 Speaker 1: How do our beautiful listeners keep following in you? Where 639 00:37:00,600 --> 00:37:03,520 Speaker 1: do they follow you? Where do we look for your journey? Um? 640 00:37:03,560 --> 00:37:06,200 Speaker 1: This is your moment to plug your social and tell 641 00:37:06,280 --> 00:37:09,840 Speaker 1: us where Right now, most of my social is happening 642 00:37:09,880 --> 00:37:13,680 Speaker 1: at Instagram. Um, I don't know what's happening with Twitter 643 00:37:13,719 --> 00:37:16,239 Speaker 1: and Facebook in my life, but it's not happening that much. 644 00:37:16,680 --> 00:37:20,880 Speaker 1: So um. L Salgado Art L from Luis el Sargado 645 00:37:21,040 --> 00:37:25,040 Speaker 1: Art will be the at whatever you call that for Instagram. 646 00:37:25,080 --> 00:37:28,880 Speaker 1: I also have an Instagram ref Latina, which is my 647 00:37:29,040 --> 00:37:33,600 Speaker 1: nonprofit organization, and also Salgado Prouds, which is Salakalo Productions, 648 00:37:33,600 --> 00:37:36,120 Speaker 1: which is my producing company. Thank you for your time, 649 00:37:36,160 --> 00:37:38,560 Speaker 1: thank you for being here on more Anita. We love you. 650 00:37:38,560 --> 00:37:41,440 Speaker 1: You're welcome back anytime. Thank you for bringing me to 651 00:37:41,560 --> 00:37:44,440 Speaker 1: more Anita, and thank you for the example you are 652 00:37:44,480 --> 00:37:48,400 Speaker 1: setting for our present and our next generation. Because this 653 00:37:48,440 --> 00:37:54,000 Speaker 1: podcast will live there forever, So thanks for your work. Louise. 654 00:37:59,000 --> 00:38:01,759 Speaker 1: How great was that heart about Louise and his grandmother. 655 00:38:01,960 --> 00:38:04,480 Speaker 1: She didn't want Louise to leave, but he had to 656 00:38:04,520 --> 00:38:06,680 Speaker 1: go and chase his dream, and when he made it, 657 00:38:07,040 --> 00:38:10,560 Speaker 1: she was so proud. It validated his decision in her eyes. 658 00:38:10,680 --> 00:38:13,719 Speaker 1: And it's a topic that kept coming up. Validation. When 659 00:38:13,760 --> 00:38:15,920 Speaker 1: we see in the Heights or Get on your Feet, 660 00:38:16,000 --> 00:38:18,799 Speaker 1: we're seeing our hint, this struggle on the stage, and 661 00:38:18,840 --> 00:38:22,160 Speaker 1: it's validating those struggles because we need to feel pride 662 00:38:22,200 --> 00:38:24,840 Speaker 1: in the risks that we take. We aren't just taking 663 00:38:24,840 --> 00:38:32,879 Speaker 1: those risks for ourselves, but to move everyone forward. Man 664 00:38:32,920 --> 00:38:35,680 Speaker 1: Anita is a production of Sonato and partnership with I 665 00:38:35,800 --> 00:38:39,640 Speaker 1: Heart Radio's Michael Luta podcast Network. For more podcasts from 666 00:38:39,640 --> 00:38:43,400 Speaker 1: I heart Radio, visit the I heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, 667 00:38:43,520 --> 00:38:45,480 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.