#Streets2Stage

[urbantheater]

Meet the Cast

Hey hey hey! There’s another lovely actor here for you to get to know. Give a real warm welcome to Amy Toruño, our Beatriz “Miss B” Soto in Back in the Day: An 80′s House Music Dancesical. We asked the following questions so you could get to know them better:

What was your first experience with house music? 

This was my mom’s era, so I grew up listening to it at home. 

What is your favorite line in the show?

Eddie’s line “my mother says it’s the devil getting back to the gays.” I think it’s so poignant and of the time. Helps the audience relate to all the queer characters online. 

Do you identify with your character?

I love Miss B. She doesn’t take no for an answer and she was a pioneer of her time. I also left everything behind to pursue my career. 

The show follows the ALLSTARS and their frenemies, the CULITOS and IMPORTED TASTE. Miss B’s an ALLSTAR, but which would you join?

I learned some of the IMPORTED TASTE choreography and loved it. I like the Jazz infusion and technique it requires.

What has been your favorite moment working with UTC on this production?

The Puerto Rican Day Parade! I felt like J-Lo. It was the happiest day of my life (although I think most people say that about their weddings). I felt like a local celebrity and loved the party afterward. Eating tacos off of paper plates, dancing, kids running around... I felt “en familia.” 

What dance move do you think sums up the show or your experience working on the show?

My movement for Miss B is very strong. Lots of throwing punches and firm steps. That definitely helped me embody her. I loved finding that in the original choreography. How she moves vs how I move. It’s a marathon. Very arm heavy, the kids in the 80s really knew how to party!

You can see Amy and the rest of the cast at Back in the Day now until August 3rd! http://bit.ly/utcbackintheday

[urbantheater]

Meet the Cast!

What’s this? Another talented actor blessing your feed? Meet Larry Trice! They play Jose “Gringo” Echevarría in Back in the Day: An 80′s House Music Dancesical. We asked the following questions so you could get to know them better.

What was your first experience with house music?

My first experience with house music was my mother waking me up on a Saturday morning to help her clean with some house mix. 

What is your favorite line in the show?

People are going to expect me to say one of my own, but it’s actually Troy’s line after Belmont Rocks: “Yeah I’m Black and beautiful and I got your banana right here.”

Do you identify with your character?

I absolutely identify with most of El Gringo. I helped start and choreographed for a dance group in high school and hold ridiculously high standards for my own performances. I also am regularly referred to as the mom of my friend group, that’s what connected me to the role so quickly. I always try to make sure my friends are doing what’s best for them.

The show follows the ALLSTARS and their frenemies, the CULITOS and IMPORTED TASTE. Gringo starts the ALLSTARS, but which could you see yourself in?

I hope the ALLSTARS don’t get upset about this, but with my own personal style and training, I would absolutely be on IMPORTED TASTE.

What has been your favorite moment working with UTC on this production?

My favorite moment was when Raquel [Torre], our co-director, separated the groups and had us come up with our own choreography. Each group knew our styles well enough to come up with great stuff that was distinct but fit with the rest of the show. 

What are you most excited for people to see in Back in the Day?

I’m excited for people to see a forgotten story. This is a story that only people from the time truly know. I’m glad that others are getting the chance to experience this pocket of time in Chicago history.

What dance move do you think sums up the show or your experience working on the show?

The arm explosions that the ALLSTARS perform during the auditions sequence and during the transition into the final dance. We do different variations on that all over the place.

You can see Larry and the rest of the cast at Back in the Day now until August 3rd! http://bit.ly/utcbackintheday

[urbantheater]

Meet the Cast!

Say hello to Christopher Sylvie! He plays Shane Ruiz in our production of Back in the Day: An 80′s House Music Dancesical. We asked him the following questions so you could get to know him better.

What was your first experience with house music?

I think through my parents and my older brothers. They were definitely of that era and liked to have a good time.

What is your favorite line in the show?

Miss B saying, “Let me know if you want to see these Jedi powers.”

Do you identify with your character?

At first, I didn't think I had anything in common with Shane and found it quite difficult tapping into that character, but after being in his shoes I found that we have more in common than I would had thought. He just wants to have a good time and find the people that love him. Shane is always up for a party and I think that's why he follows Leach [Solís] around. He is the first person who takes him under his wing and says, "hey you can be apart of my crew." This is what makes him most happy because his family life is rough, which is where a lot of his more dark side comes from.

The show follows the ALLSTARS and their frenemies, the CULITOS and IMPORTED TASTE. Your character reps the CULITOS, but which could you see yourself in?

Oh, I feel so conflicted by this question. It's kinda like choosing which Hogwarts house you belong to. I really identify with the ALLSTARS because they are kind of like the underdogs, but I definitely see a bit of CULITOS in me too because they know how to have a good time. I think CULITOS for sure.

What has been your favorite moment working with UTC on this production?

Definitely, the friends I made. The rehearsal process was definitely a safe space for us and I love that we all hang out after shows and rehearsals. It feels like family and I love that aspect of the show the most.

What are you most excited for people to see in Back in the Day?

I am most excited for people to see the relationships between the characters. These characters all know each other in some type of way and have interesting backstories. It’s like a web, which is typical for young characters like this.

What dance move do you think sums up the show?

Definitely the California shake. The CULITOS do a lot of shaking.

You can see Christopher and the rest of the cast at Back in the Day now until August 3rd! http://bit.ly/utcbackintheday

[urbantheater]

Hi everyone!

My name is Ana. I’m a Puerto Rican Chicago-native (Humboldt Park born and raised if you want to get specific) home for the summer. I just finished up my junior year abroad in Australia and will be starting my final year of undergrad at Connecticut College in the fall.

I’m an English and theater double major with a concentration in race and ethnicity. Through my studies and time abroad, I’ve done work in nearly every area of theater production from acting and stage managing to designing and production managing. Post-graduation, I hope to pursue playwriting and stage management.

This summer I’m interning with UTC, working on a couple of cool projects. One of those being, writing here on the G.R.I.N.D. about this incredible experience. You can also find me working at the Chopin Theater as front of house staff during Back in the Day: An 80’s House Music Dancesical performances, where I’m getting access to one of the most fun and engaging pieces of theater I’ve ever seen as well as an amazing group of talented people.

Though I am genuinely and thoroughly enjoying myself with this work, it is not what I am most excited about this summer. I am working with UTC and the Puerto Rican Cultural Center to research Puerto Rico, the nationalist party, and Isabel Rosado for a play I am writing as my senior capstone and thesis. This has exposed me to all kinds of texts, plays, and people that are both inspiring and lighting a flame within me. I can’t wait to share it all with you 😊