Latino Broadway news, reviews, and theatre coverage

For Jess Val Ortiz, Fame Came Online. The Dream Is Still Broadway.

Tiktok star, Jess Val Ortiz

2025/11/09 at 8:00am

For Jess Val Ortiz, Fame Came Online. The Dream Is Still Broadway.

11.9.2025 | By Jack Rico |

Jess Val Ortiz has 10.8 million followers on TikTok, with millions more on Instagram and YouTube. She is Penn State-trained in musical theater, makes a living creating viral comedy sketches about many things including dating, family chaos, and the theater. She has built an independent career generations of performers before her could only dream of. She does not answer to gatekeepers nor need their approval. And yet, the thing she dreams of most? To be on Broadway, the oldest dream in show business. Read More

2018 Latino Tony Nominations: John Leguizamo, Ariana DeBose, Chita Rivera, Lindsay Mendez

By Jack Rico

2018/05/01 at 10:04am

Broadway Broadway News

2018 Latino Tony Nominations: John Leguizamo, Ariana DeBose, Chita Rivera, Lindsay Mendez

05.1.2018 | By Jack Rico |

The 2018 Tony nominations have been announced and four Latinos were nominated – John Leguizamo, Ariana DeBose, Lindsay Mendez, and Chita Rivera (Lifetime Achievement). Leading the list with 12 nominations are the new musicals Mean Girls and SpongeBob SquarePants. The 72nd Annual Tony Awards, hosted by Sara Bareilles and Josh Groban, will be held at Radio City Music Hall on June 10. The ceremony will be telecast live on CBS. Read More

Hamilton’s Mandy Gonzalez Talks ‘Fearless’ Album

By Jack Rico

2017/10/21 at 4:17pm

Broadway Podcast

Hamilton’s Mandy Gonzalez Talks ‘Fearless’ Album

10.21.2017 | By Jack Rico |

This week on the Highly Relevant podcast, host Jack Rico is joined by Hamilton’s Mandy Gonzalez and media/tech analyst Rich Greenfield. Gonzalez (9:35), who is currently playing the role of Angelica Schuyler in the mega-smash Broadway hit Hamilton, talks about her debut album Fearless, plus, how she asked Lin-Manuel Miranda to write the title track, her moments of discrimination because of her Latino last name and her upcoming concert appearance at New York’s legendary cabaret Cafe Carlyle. Read More

Disney’s ‘Frozen’ Broadway Musical: The First Official Production Photos

By Jack Rico

2017/09/14 at 9:32am

Broadway Broadway News

Disney’s ‘Frozen’ Broadway Musical: The First Official Production Photos

09.14.2017 | By Jack Rico |

*Update: We have new footage of the curtain call Opening Night in Denver. See below.
Here are the first production photos of Disney Theatrical’s new Broadway musical Frozen which you can see above. The pre-Broadway engagement at the Buell Theatre in the Denver Center for the Performing Arts opens tonight and continues through October 1, 2017. This Broadway-bound Frozen, a full-length stage work told in two acts, is the first and only incarnation of the tale that expands upon and deepens its indelible plot and themes through new songs and story material from the film’s creators; in fact, this new stage production features more than twice as much music as the film. Like the Disney Theatrical Broadway musicals that have come before it, it is a full evening of theatre running over two hours. Read More

‘If Only’ Off Broadway

By Andrea Huswan

2017/08/28 at 3:39pm

Broadway Broadway Reviews

If Only (Off-Broadway Review)

08.28.2017 | By Andrea Huswan |

The 1-4-0: #IfOnly is an entrancing play that “explores a love and a racial equality that might have been.” This is the play that will tug at one’s heartstrings. Read More

The Radio City Rockettes: Christmas Comes Early To New York City

By Andrea Huswan

2017/08/18 at 12:43pm

Broadway Photos

The Radio City Rockettes: Christmas Comes Early To New York City

08.18.2017 | By Andrea Huswan |

Radio City Music Hall made it snow in the middle of August!

The Radio City Rockettes stopped traffic on 6th avenue in Manhattan this week in front of the famous art deco marquee and performed an awe-inspiring and fan-favorite number “New York at Christmas”. The performance took place on a double-decker Gray Line City Sightseeing bus in front of a very surprised and jolly crowd. But that was not all, Santa Claus and the Rockettes had a special announcement. They announced the Gift of Joy program, which aims to bring a sense of togetherness and the spirit of giving back to the community. Read More

2017 Tony Awards Predictions: Who Should Win the Best Musical?

Dear Evan Hansen

By Jack Hobbs

2017/06/09 at 5:35pm

Broadway

2017 Tony Awards Predictions: Who Should Win the Best Musical?

06.9.2017 | By Jack Hobbs |

With the 2017 Tony Awards happening this Sunday, Broadway is gearing up for its biggest night. The question on everyone’s mind is: Who will take home a Tony? Whether you’re rooting for Dear Evan Hansen or Come From Away, this year’s Best Musical isn’t as clear cut as last year, with Hamilton’s record breaking 16 Tony Nominations. Here are the 2017 Tony Awards predictions. Read More

Only One Latino Makes The 2017 Tony Nominations

Ruben Santiago Hudson

By Jack Rico

2017/05/02 at 10:56am

Broadway Broadway News

Only One Latino Makes The 2017 Tony Nominations

05.2.2017 | By Jack Rico |

The 2017 Tony nominations were announced this morning with only ONE Latino making the list -Puerto Rican Ruben Santiago-Hudson who directed the six-time nominated August Wilson play, Jitney. The celebration of Tony’s diversity progression died in the musical category this year in comparison to last year’s Hamilton phenomenon. That’s not to say Broadway as a whole hasn’t made an effort to include more African-Americans, Asians, and Latinos in their shows (Chicago, Miss Saigon, Anastasia, et.al). They have and sometimes at the cost of including them in nonsensical roles (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory), but at least they’re there. In the play categories, we did witness inclusion in most of the nominations, in particular, Jitney, Oslo, and Sweat. For me personally, Latinos are a forgotten ethnicity in the eyes of the arts today. Lin-Manuel Miranda cannot be the sole torchbearer of the largest majority minority in our nation. It has to change, we have to change it. Read More

‘OSLO’

By Andrea Huswan

2017/05/01 at 10:31am

Broadway Broadway Reviews

OSLO (Broadway Review)

05.1.2017 | By Andrea Huswan |

The 1-4-0: If you’re looking for a political thriller, #OSLO will leave you breathless with its intricate drama, performances, and dialogue. Don’t miss out! Read More

Univision’s ‘El Chapo’

By Jack Rico

2017/04/29 at 11:30am

Broadway Reviews Podcast

‘The Highly Relevant Podcast’: Univision’s ‘El Chapo,’ ViceLand’s Panama ‘Jungletown,’ ‘Guardians of the Galaxy 2,’ Broadway’s ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’

04.29.2017 | By Jack Rico |

Thank you for downloading episode 30 of the Highly Relevant podcast! On this week’s episode, we talk with the creator of the most anticipated show in Spanish language TV right now, Univision’s EL CHAPO. We get to the moral and ethical controversies of getting the show done, the fascination of cartel tv shows and if actors Kate del Castillo and Sean Penn will be making cameos. Also urban millennial network VICELAND has a new show called JUNGLETOWN that takes place in Panama. Why are they there and why should we care? I talk to Jimmy Stice, the man behind it all. That, plus highlights of The Premios Billboard, reviews of Guardians of the Galaxy 2 and Broadway’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Read More