Giving a shout out to all the nominated productions this year, thirty-six in totaly, DeBose expressed the importance of live theater and that this evening belonged to all the nominees. And among the nominees, there were seven Latine who were either nominated for their work on stage and behind the state as well. 

Lindsay Mendez, who never saw herself as a lead in a Stephen Sondheim musical while growing up in Norwalk, California, was not only the lead in Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along, but she received her second Tony Award nomination for her performance.  Her first Tony nomination and win was in 2018 for Carousel! 

“Like almost everything I’ve done, I didn’t see it, so I couldn’t have imagined it”, The Mexican American actress was raised in Norwalk, California and came to Broadway to pursue her dreams. “There just weren’t many people who looked like me doing this, other from Chita Rivera. And… they were essentially put in a Latino box. Therefore, it is a privilege for me to be able to play these kinds of characters”.

Noting that leaders in the theatrical business declared measures to make the profession more inclusive following the epidemic and the Black Lives Matter movement. Mendez said she has observed a change in this regard. “We’re still having this conversation, of course, but I think there’s a lot more awareness and effort to share other people’s stories and diversify a company and crew”.  She adds, 

“Even though there is a long way to go, I feel at least more attention has been raised and there are more initiatives, more efforts, to get more [diverse] voices out there,” she said.

Broadway is still predominately a white industry, despite the prominence of Latino performers like Rivera, DeBose, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and John Leguizamo. According to the Broadway League, the bulk of the audience is white, and Latinos make up only 3.5% of Actors Equity’s active membership, which represents theater artists.

Nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical  for Lempicka, Eden Espinosa, considers this nomination “one of those things that you hope for – dream about.

Being of Mexican American descent, Espinosa frequently works with youth and students, being open and honest with them about the realities of life in the theater industry. She recounts, “I tell them it’s okay if you get more no’s than yes’es; it doesn’t mean you’re not talented or successful.” Everybody has a unique set of gifts that help them stand out from the crowd and make them unique.”

Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer also was up for a Tony Award in the same category as Mendez, Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical, for her work in Spamalot, Monty Python.

Renowned designer Emilio Sosa was nominated this year for Best Costume Design of a Play (Purlie Victorious), and David Israel Reynoso was nominated for Best Costume Design of a Musical (Water for Elephants). 

Kristoffer Diaz’s nomination was for Best Book of a Musical for his semi-autobiographical musical Hell’s Kitchen, written by Alicia Keys.

Although Diaz was raised in the Bronx, his mother frequently took him to the theater in Manhattan. He claimed that watching Leguizamo’s Spic-O-Rama in 1994 was a turning point. 

Diaz declared, “It altered my life.” It was the first time I had seen people on stage who resembled my family in appearance and voice, when Leguizamo played a variety of roles, all of them members of a Latino family.

“It allowed me to realize that, hey, I can put my people and myself on stage too,” Diaz remarked. “And that’s when it really took off what I wanted to do with my life.”

New York University associate arts professor Diaz is appreciative of the Latino artists who helped his generation thrive. Diaz would frequently approach a lobby picture of Raul Julia during Hell’s Kitchen performances at New York’s Public Theater downtown and, “just place my hand on the poster and sort of thank him.” Diaz recounts, “He was one of the spirits in our room, and he assisted me in identifying with the Nuyorican artistic legacy.”

Scenic designer Ricardo Hernández, Picked up his third Tony nomination.  This year he was nominated foBest Scenic of a Musical for Lempicka.  He also created the scenic design for the musical Suffs on Broadway. Born in Cuba and raised in Argentina, Hernández claimed that he was the “lonely Latin” in his family for a long time.

Horacio Quiroga of Uruguay, Ernesto Sábato of Argentina, and the late Jorge Luis Borges are among the writers who influenced Hernández’s aesthetic sensibility.
Hernández urges his Yale University pupils to discover their own voices while warning them that “the theater is tough.” Giving his students this advice: , “Don’t be someone else’s copy. If you’re scared to speak up for yourself, don’t try to be like other people. Continue on your journey of self-discovery while putting out your best creative and professional effort.”

Although all the nominees listed here did not take the award home, Mendez expressed her feelings and excitement on just being nominated for the Tony Awards, “This has been such a huge season, and I’ve been thrilled to be a part of it.” Noting that “I’m really proud of my work, win or lose,” she remarked. “I’m just proud of making it to the Tonys; it’s been a long, amazing run.”

There is a lot to be proud of when you are nominated for your work on Broadway, the ultimate stage in theater actress the country.  It is true getting nominated among all the actors and creatives on Broadway is already a win. 

Mendez claims that her 2018 Tony Award was stored on a shelf in her house near to her daughter’s medal for completing a two-year-old sports class. She laughed and replied, “In my house, all the trophies go together.” “I am aware that the Tony Award exists, but I don’t often look at it. Additionally, I always let people hold it if they come over and want to see it

The post From Sondheim to ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ Latinos On Broadway Shine at the Tony awards! first appeared on .

By Cris Franco

To celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, Broadway’s rapidly expanding roster of Latinx talent will be live on-stage at NYC’s toniest supper club & cabaret, 54 Below, which features twice-nightly performances by The Big Apple’s hottest stage names. From its inception, the intimate showroom has presented Latinx talent from the legendary Chita Rivera to our latest Tony Award-winners, Lin Manuel Miranda, Paulo Szot, and Lindsay Mendez (soon to be co-starring with Daniel Radcliff in Sondheim’s opus to friendship, Merrily We Roll Along). Here’s the impressive calendar of musical acts 54 Below has in store. 

JChris & Friends: Noche Latina

SEPTEMBER 17, 2023 @ 7 pm SHOW INFO
Come enjoy a night of Latin music presented by urban Latin artist JChris (aka Chris Urquiaga) and an all-star cast from Broadway and TV: October 26, 27 & 28 @ 7 pm, Anna Paloma, Carmen Ezcurra, La Lulu, Jeffrey Nuñez, Jon Rodriguez and Valerie Torres-Rosario.

54 Below is honoring the fact that la música Latina is embedded into NYC’s cultura by dedicating a night to the genre and all of its eclectic subgenres. You will hear selections from the Broadway repertoire, Latin pop standards, and original urban Latin tunes penned by JChris. Through their deeply personal performances, the guest artists will express the role Latin music has played in defining their artistic, personal, and cultural identities. JChris is known for his smooth voice and high-energy bilingual performances. His music transcends boundaries, infusing Latin, Afro, and Brazilian influences while exploring themes of gender fluidity and queer culture. This is a joyous night of celebrating the diversity within la musica Latina. To add to the fun, join JChris’ livestream by logging into

To add to the fun, join JChris’ livestream by logging onto: 54below.org/JChrisLIVE

The Twisted Worlds of Christian De Gré Cárdenas

SEPTEMBER 29, 2023 @ 9:30 pm. SHOW INFO
“A creepy-carnival vibe. Simply put, it’s twisted and wonderful.” – Time Out New York

Join La Muerte, the boozy ruler of the underworld, and their adorably ill-made Diablito as they bicker over what worlds to weed in the coming great reckoning of their beloved garden. New York Innovative Theater Award nominee Christian De Gré Cárdenas returns to 54 Below with a dark and twisted retrospective of five fantastical worlds spanning two centuries on the verge of total blissful collapse.

Starring a macabre mix of Broadway veterans, opera stalwarts, and indie theater all-stars, the evening features hilarious never-before-seen material along with highlights from the award-winning: Beware The Chupacabra, Jack of Hearts: Master of None, Ampathy (miscreated by a non-writer), Fish Food For Feelings, Sappy Tales for a Broken Heart, Whiskey Pants: The Mayor of Williamsburg and the gleefully morbid cabaret series A Drink With Death.

The magical evening features the talents of Sebastian Armendariz, Rob Moreira, Raquel Suarez Groen, Justin Anselmi, Matthew V. Carter, Nicholas Connolly, Molly Craven, Bethany Geraghty, Christian Mark Gibbs, Emma Grimsley, Caitlin Mesiano, Eric Michael Parker, and Trevor Pierce. It features collaborations with Joseph Reese Anderson, Sarah Sanders, Elias UVA Díaz, Serrana Gay, R. Patrick Alberty, Brian Freeland, and Ariana Paganetti. So, join us and step into an unforgettable night of Broadway at its bizarre best.

“De Gré’s Sondheim-esque operettas are the perfect answer to the accusation that there is no new musical theater of quality being made.” OffTheBeatenTrackTheater

Mauricio Martinez: 5’11” Based in NYC

October 5 & 6, 2023 @ 7 pm SHOW INFO
“Speaking economically, it was a perfect night of cabaret entertainment.” – Stephen Mosher, BroadwayWorld

Mauricio Martínez Mexican actor and singer (On Your Feet!, Broadway; El Vato, NBC) is an Emmy Award-winner and Tony Award® watcher. The gifted vocalist with leading man looks, and a Broadway star voice has had a lot of self-tape sides filling up his Dropbox. In his new show, 5’11, Based in NYC, he’s putting those recordings to good use in a musical titled, “What If…” where he incorporates popular musical songs into his various audition self-tapes. Pushing aside the ring light, this very funny and personal peek into an actor’s life is an electric night of musical theatre. Accompanied by a band led by musical director Brian J. Nash and featuring special guests, the “Mexican Marvel,” hailed as a “world-class vocalist” by BroadwayWorld, proudly brings his new solo show to 54 Below for two nights only. Martinez’s charming manner and smooth vocals ensure a thrilling night of cabaret. Written by Mauricio Martínez and Robbie Rozelle, with musical direction and arrangements by Brian J. Nash. Directed by Robbie Rozelle.

MAURICIO MARTINEZ SINGS ”Another Hundred People” 

Jai Rodriguez: A Thousand Sweet Kisses

October 26, 27 & 28 @ 7 pm SHOW INFO

Emmy Award winner and Broadway veteran Jai Rodriguez returns home to the NYC stage after 17 years, with his new cabaret show A Thousand Sweet Kisses, chronicling his hilarious journey through love, sex, and relationships. We fell in love with Jai when he was introduced to us as the “Culture Guy” in the groundbreaking original reality show Queer Eye. Theater audiences first met Jai at the age of 18 when he played Angel in Rent, making him the youngest person ever cast in a leading role in that show. While in NYC, puertoriqueño Jai appeared at Lincoln Center in Spinning Into Butter, as Carmen Ghia in The Producers, and as Zanna in the cult classic Zanna, Don’t! While performing eight shows a week, Jai became a fixture in nightlife with his popular postmodern pop cabaret night at XL called Twisted Cabaret. Since then Jai has become a regular fixture in TV and film guest starring on shows like Grey’s Anatomy, The Rookie, The Magicians, How I Met Your Mother, Fantasy Island, and as the scene-stealing Geoffrey in Malibu Country opposite Reba McEntire and Lily Tomlin. Most recently Jai was in the Judd Apatow film BROS and in Uncoupled.

A Thousand Sweet Kisses is a hilarious and touching musical cabaret featuring Broadway and pop classics as well as never-before-told behind-the-scenes stories. Each night will feature a different surprise guest dueting “I’ll Cover You” from Rent with him. You’ll love Jai’s unforgettable return to the NYC stage!

The post Live and On-Stage Latino Performers Celebrated at NY’s 54 Below  first appeared on .