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[0:00] Martín Acuña: Hi everyone, I am Martín Acuña and you are listening to Backstage Talk.

[0:10] Martín Acuña: Hello everyone, welcome back to another episode of Backstage Talk. Today's guest is the one and only Angel Sigala.

[0:20] Martín Acuña: He is a Mexican performer, which I had the pleasure to see on stage in New York, New York.

[0:28] Martín Acuña: The latest Kendra & Ev musical with additional lyrics by our amazing, amazing, multi-hyphenate Lin-Manuel Miranda.

[0:38] Martín Acuña: Angel, I am really, really happy to have you over. How are you?

[0:43] Angel Sigala: Oh, I'm good, Martín. Thank you for having me. Oh, it's so good to be here. And just so excited that we finally got the chance to do this.

[0:52] Angel Sigala: We met, I think, like you mentioned, in May, right? This was back in May. And now, so happy to get to be here.

[0:59] Martín Acuña: Yes, Angel and I met in May and we've been planning this episode since then. So I'm really excited to have him over on Backstage Talk.

[1:09] Martín Acuña: Angel, first, before we dive into all the specifics, what else do we need to know about you?

[1:16] Angel Sigala: Okay, well, I am 27. I just turned 27. I'm a Gemini. And well, I guess, like you said, I was born in Mexico.

[1:28] Angel Sigala: I was born in Mexico when I was, and I came to the US when I was 10. So as a child.

[1:33] Angel Sigala: And Spanish was my first language, learned English here in the States. And I was a little bit of a late bloomer when it comes to theater.

[1:42] Angel Sigala: I didn't start theater really until college. And my training started there, voice lessons, dance, everything.

[1:49] Angel Sigala: And I think that's a testament to anyone out there who is still very interested in the arts, who thinks it's too late. It's never too late.

[1:57] Angel Sigala: Yeah, if you have the passion to do it, and you have the people around you and the support to do it, go for it.

[2:04] Angel Sigala: Yeah, go tackle that big monster that choosing a career in the arts is.

[2:09] Martín Acuña: Yes.

[2:11] Martín Acuña: So you just said you were a late bloomer. So why musical theater and why dreaming about Broadway?

[2:19] Angel Sigala: That's a good question, because, you know, there are so many different art forms. But I think what was so exciting to me about theater is how collaborative it is and how many art forms you can include in it.

[2:31] Angel Sigala: You know, I was a dancer first. I danced Mexican folklore, folklore Mexicano in Mexico.

[2:38] Angel Sigala: And then when I came to the States, I was like a little lost because I didn't have that art form.

[2:43] Angel Sigala: So luckily I found a community eventually that was doing Mexican folklore and wanted to do that with me.

[2:50] Angel Sigala: And we did that together for a few years. But theater was kind of that saving grace, you know.

[2:56] Angel Sigala: And all of a sudden I saw kids telling stories and I saw an audience coming together and experiencing something magical for a few hours.

[3:07] Angel Sigala: And that was that stuck with me. And that magic is something that I still feel even to this day.

[3:14] Martín Acuña: I love that. I love that. So let's talk a little bit about your journey all the way to New York, New York, because I can still remember the day you posted that video in which you got the part in that show.

[3:30] Martín Acuña: And it still gives me chills when I think about it because I can still remember you running around the room, telling everybody, crying.

[3:40] Martín Acuña: And that that was really exciting for me all the way here. So tell us a little bit more about that journey to the show.

[3:47] Angel Sigala: Well, the journey was a dream and it was it was so it was a little quicker than I think the normal, because I hear a lot of stories about people auditioning for Broadway and, you know, going to so many callbacks and doing it time and time again.

[4:05] Angel Sigala: And that is not to say that I didn't have that experience. You know, I did work regionally in Philadelphia and regional theaters.

[4:13] Angel Sigala: And Philly, Philadelphia has a great theater community, as I'm sure so many other cities have that great theater community.

[4:20] Angel Sigala: And I think that helped me to be here where I am because it didn't feel like a huge shift.

[4:26] Angel Sigala: Obviously, the stakes are a little higher. It's Broadway a little bit, a little bit.

[4:30] Angel Sigala: And you're dancing and singing in front of John Kander, Susan Stroman and Lynn.

[4:34] Angel Sigala: But it was rather quick. I heard about the the list, the casting through an Instagram post.

[4:43] Angel Sigala: And then that same day, my an old professor of mine sent me that post.

[4:48] Angel Sigala: And I was like, OK, this is two different signs from the universe that I have to at least try.

[4:56] Angel Sigala: And when I sent my submission, it was kind of like those things. I was like, we'll hear about it. Maybe, maybe not.

[5:02] Angel Sigala: Yeah. And then a few days later, they're like, can you come in in person?

[5:06] Angel Sigala: And I was working in a show. And so gratefully, I would shout out to People's Light Theater Company in Malvern, Pennsylvania, who allowed me to miss two shows to come to New York to audition for this.

[5:18] Angel Sigala: And when I came in in person, we danced.

[5:21] Angel Sigala: And when I can tell you one of the most chilling moments that I got was when Susan Stroman walked into the room because we learned the combination and then she came in.

[5:29] Angel Sigala: And when everyone came in, everybody stood a little taller and the air just kind of shifted.

[5:35] Angel Sigala: And I was like, wow, this is so powerful. But she was always so kind and so with a smile on her face.

[5:41] Angel Sigala: And the second day when we were invited to come back, there was only three of us.

[5:47] Angel Sigala: I heard from casting that they auditioned over 500 Mateos, 500 people.

[5:52] Angel Sigala: And then when I came in that second day, I sang the first song.

[5:58] Angel Sigala: And then Susan was like, great job, Angel. John, do you have any, any notes?

[6:03] Angel Sigala: And I look over and there's John Kander. And I, when I tell you I cursed, I said, like, I cursed so, I'm sorry for saying that.

[6:13] Angel Sigala: I cursed and I like had a moment and I was like, OK, like, here we go. This is, this is it.

[6:19] Angel Sigala: Something also shifted in me. And then I got to sing gold. That was the last thing that I did.

[6:24] Angel Sigala: I got to sing gold. And there's a lyric in there that says, you know, we're going to shine like that skyline, that New York skyline that is always so dreamy to look at.

[6:36] Angel Sigala: And thankfully, in the room where I auditioned, they had the windows open and I was able to look out into the skyline.

[6:43] Angel Sigala: And it was just, it was so magical. I was like, wow, even if I don't get this, this is a story that I will never forget.

[6:49] Angel Sigala: And then they told me to walk outside. And I was like, wait, they told me to wait outside. Is this what I think it means? I'm not going to.

[6:58] Angel Sigala: And it just felt so surreal. And when I came back in the room, Susan was like, OK, we want one more thing from you.

[7:05] Angel Sigala: We want you to be Mateo on Broadway. And I cried and they all stood up and it was magical.

[7:14] Angel Sigala: I wanted to call right away, my family, my boyfriend, tell everybody. But I was like, no, I have to tell them in person.

[7:21] Angel Sigala: And I wanted to savor that moment for myself too. But that journey, even though it was quick, it definitely hasn't been easy.

[7:30] Angel Sigala: I mean, Latino representation on Broadway is like really starting to pick up. And I feel it this year too.

[7:38] Angel Sigala: I mean, we have so many Latinos on Broadway right now. I think that a few years ago that wasn't a thing.

[7:45] Angel Sigala: So to be able to have that right now is a cool moment. And I feel the momentum going.

[7:50] Angel Sigala: And I hope that this is a beginning for more stories to come.

[7:55] Martín Acuña: I love that. I love that.

[8:28] Ángel Sigala: Yeah, tell us a little bit about that.

[8:30] Ángel Sigala: Yeah, I think it was from the beginning, from the beginning. That's what they wanted to do. And when they were looking for Mateo, they were looking for somebody who spoke Spanish, and I think that that was the biggest green flag for me. I was like, wait, that's I can do that. I can I can do that, you know, and the fact that I didn't even realize this until a few people told me, like, right, like we don't translate anything on the stage. We just say our Spanish and unapologetically. And some people get it. Some people don't. And you can hear that when there's not a lot of Latinos out there in the audience. Sometimes people go like, what? But I think that that's so wonderful. And, you know, that's an experience that a lot of immigrants in this country have. Yeah. And I think, like I said, it's the beginning, but definitely it was from the beginning, I think, from the inception of this musical that they wanted to have that Spanish language in there.

[9:30] Martín Acuña: I love that. I love that. So how has your heritage influenced your artistry and more in a role as Mateo in New York, New York?

[9:40] Ángel Sigala: Oh, well, I am an immigrant. My parents are immigrants there. Oh, and I think my heritage, you know, having that big family value. You know, really believing in and in what and then the sacredness of family and the sacredness of hard work and a work ethic has definitely influenced this character. We see Mateo Diaz strive to live out his dreams, but he also is there for his family, for his mom. And I got to say, like, personally, when I was in Mexico, my dad came to the United States first. He immigrated first about two years before my mom, my sister and I did. And that moment of just being with my mom, I personally, because of cultural influences, I felt like I had to be the head of the household because I was the man of the house.

Yeah. And that, you know, that dynamic, those gender dynamics in our culture still exist to this day. And we are hopefully moving forward and finding new ways to teach our children that, you know, gender is what you want it to be and what that means for you. And I think, you know, that that definitely was powerful to me as I discovered Mateo and that relationship with my mom. I'm really close to my mom. My mom and I sit down and kiki all the time. And I think that that was really beautiful. And you can bring a lot of that stuff to Mateo.

[10:24] Martín Acuña: Yes. Like your own story is really, really close to Mateo's story on the show. And that is just beautiful. What would you say is the best thing about being a Latin artist?

[10:40] Ángel Sigala: Oh, the best thing about being a Latin artist is having that flavor, having that community there and the music. I mean, Janet, Takal and I get together. Sometimes we just start a beat and we get going and we kiki and we talk about in Spanish, in and out of Spanish. And I think that sense of community and I felt it also from other Latinos in other shows, in Sweeney Todd, in Schucht, in Camelot, that support of Latinidad and knowing that we're here together and knowing that it wasn't easy to get here. And it's a beautiful thing, community.

[12:22] Martín Acuña: Yeah, absolutely. So who's your biggest Latin inspiration?

[12:29] Ángel Sigala: Oh, my gosh. I want to give a shout out to all of the queer Latino artists, Latina artists and personality celebrities that never really got the chance to come out and or really like claim their identities like Walter Mercado, Juan Gabriel. Juan Gabriel, for me, as a Mexican artist, was one of those voices that was so powerful and his songs just come to me and they're so powerful to me, but I don't think they never really got to claim their identity because lo que se ve no se habla, right? Or something like that in Spanish. And that to me gives me the power to be like, OK, I can maybe make that decision to be conscious and to be fully proud of who I am and maybe get to inspire other Latino artists and the new generations that come.

[13:27] Martín Acuña: Oh, absolutely. And trust me, you are inspiring a lot of new artists, young Latin artists by just being on Broadway and fully unapologetically being you on Broadway. And that is just ginormous. My last question for you is what are your top five favorite musical theater shows?

[13:53] Ángel Sigala: Oh, my goodness. Martin, this is hard. And I have to think about this one, because I don't really have like a huge favorite musical. I think my favorite musical, to be honest, is going to be one that is coming soon, you know, and I and I don't know what that is yet. But a story that fully embraces Latinidad and queer culture, I don't know. But a few of my favorites, In the Heights.

[14:18] Martín Acuña: Yes.

[14:20] Ángel Sigala: Company.

[14:20] Martín Acuña: Yeah.

[14:26] Ángel Sigala: Oh, I loved Phantom of the Opera as a kid. That's I kind of got enamored to musical theater by I wish that I could be Phantom, but I'm not tall enough to be Phantom, unfortunately. But OK, Phantom, Company, In the Heights. I love. I love to be honest. This one's going to be a little bit biased, but New York, New York has become one of my favorite musicals because it has a classic feel, but very contemporary, too.

[14:59] Ángel Sigala: Yeah. And I would say last but not least. Maybe Hamilton. Sure.

[15:08] Martín Acuña: Yeah, why not?

[15:11] Ángel Sigala: Just pumping our incredible Lin-Manuel a little bit.

[15:15] Martín Acuña: Exactly. Exactly. I love that. Ángel, thank you so much for being here, for sharing your story, your journey, your Latinidad. Thank you so much.

[15:25] Ángel Sigala: Gracias a ti, Martin. Thank you for having me. And many, many huge congratulations again. I hope that to see you in New York whenever you're here.

[15:38] Martín Acuña: Thanks, everyone, for listening to this new episode of Backstage Talk. Remember to follow us on Facebook and Instagram at Backstage Talk Podcast.