WHO:
Andy Se帽or, Jr.
WHY HE MATTERS:
For the first time in over 50 years, a commercial American production was performed in Havana, Cuba. That musical was Rent, and Andy Se帽or, Jr. was at the helm. For an openly gay man to bring a musical about AIDS, gay relationships and gender fluidity to the Communist country was a feat, not least because 鈥渄uring the Revolution, homosexuals were put into the Cuban version of concentration camps or sent out of the country,鈥� says Se帽or. 鈥淭o be able to bring this message of love and intolerance 鈥� and gay relationships to life on stage in Havana 鈥� it was amazing. It鈥檚 incredible to push boundaries with theatre. Period.鈥�
It was Tony-nominated director Michael Greif who discovered Se帽or鈥攚hen the up-and-coming performer was auditioning for graduate school back in the late 鈥�90s. Instead of offering him a slot in the theatre department at the University of California, San Diego, Greif offered him a role in the ensemble in the Los Angeles company of Larson鈥檚 musical.
鈥淚 thought RENT would be great training for Andy,鈥� Greif explains. 鈥淚 was part of the UC San Diego recruiting tour when I was running The La Jolla Playhouse. When Andy came in the room, he sang for us鈥� That was one of his talents, and I just knew that he could be part of a very different kind of educational process.
鈥淚 watched him grow first as a performer and then as a director and also a producer. Andy has great ideas of what theatre can do to for communities.鈥�
Today, you can find Se帽or at Broadway鈥檚 Marquis Theatre, serving as the associate director for the Gloria and Emilio Estefan bio-musical, On Your Feet!
Who has had the biggest impact on you as an artist?
Michael Greif. Michael cast me in Rent, and I learned the show under his direction. He sent me to London, he brought me to Broadway, and I performed in more than five companies [in the ensemble and as Angel]. He also gave me the opportunity to be his assistant for the Off-Broadway revival of the show, then sent me to direct the Japanese company. After that, he supported me when I went out to cast and direct Rent in Cuba. He鈥檚 such an intelligent man.
What鈥檚 one thing that surprises people about you?
How available I am. The value of humility and relationships are so important in this business.
LGBTQ theatrical moment that most impressed me this year:
I鈥檓 impressed with how there鈥檚 an ongoing dialogue regarding the transgender community on stage and on screen.
Untapped talent ready to make it big:
My best friend Henry Gainza. I grew up performing with him. He did this Off-Broadway show called 4 Guys Named Jose and Una Mujer Named Maria years ago. He then went down to Miami to work for a while鈥攂ut I told him, 鈥�On Your Feet! is going to be your Broadway debut!鈥� He has this incredible voice. Now people are starting to see him the same way I鈥檝e seen him for years. This is only the beginning for him.
I wish the theatre had more鈥�
Diversity (I鈥檓 kidding!) I wish Broadway theatre had more out-of-the-box expression. So many of the shows we see are in a proscenium setting. I wish Broadway theatre was more immersive and non-traditional.
Favorite artist of all time and why:
Michael Jackson. He was transcendent. When I was a kid and saw him live, I was mesmerized by him. No one else has reached his level.
The next challenge I want to take on is鈥�
Exploring the film medium.
I hope my legacy as an artist will be鈥�
Bridging social and political issues with theatre. Theatre can be a device to create change in the world.
