{"id":9520,"date":"2023-05-05T07:42:03","date_gmt":"2023-05-05T12:42:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin-new\/?post_type=campus_story&p=9520"},"modified":"2023-05-05T12:40:33","modified_gmt":"2023-05-05T17:40:33","slug":"from-uw-stevens-point-course-to-the-broadway-stage","status":"publish","type":"campus_story","link":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/story\/from-uw-stevens-point-course-to-the-broadway-stage\/","title":{"rendered":"From UW-Stevens Point course to the Broadway stage"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Photo<\/a>
UWSP alumnus Felix Torrez-Ponce made his Broadway debut as a member of the ensemble and an understudy in this month’s revival of “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.” (Photo courtesy of Torrez-Ponce)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The journey to performing under the bright lights of Broadway usually begins with an audition.<\/p>\n

For University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point bachelor of fine arts acting alumnus Felix Torrez-Ponce, Green Bay, that audition happened last spring while he was a student in the university\u2019s Senior Showcase course.<\/p>\n

The class led to an opportunity to meet with representatives from LG Talent Management in New York City. He was signed, which led to an audition for the Broadway revival of \u201cSweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street<\/a>,\u201d starring Tony Award-nominee Josh Groban and Tony Award-winner Annaleigh Ashford.<\/p>\n

Torrez-Ponce made his Broadway debut, cast as a member of the ensemble and understudy for two roles, as the show opened officially March 26 in the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in New York City.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s so surreal,\u201d he said. \u201cThis was not the path I saw for myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Senior Showcase course that led him to a role on Broadway is part of UW-Stevens Point\u2019s Department of Theatre and Dance BFA acting and musical theatre curriculum. The semester-long course teaches students how to be working actors, from preparing audition materials to managing money. It culminates with auditions in front of leading agents and casting directors, who offer feedback and advice.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Senior Showcase is a powerful experience for our graduates,\u201d said Professor Tyler Marchant, theatre. \u201cThe opportunity is tailor-made to make this difficult process seem possible and help spread the word of the talent that UW-Stevens Point is cultivating.\u200b\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Portrait<\/a>
Felix Torrez-Ponce turned an audition during his Senior Seminar class into a role on Broadway. (Photo courtesy of Torrez-Ponce)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Torrez-Ponce credits his successful audition with LG to one of his early lessons at UW-Stevens Point: how to enter a room and make a good first impression.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a huge part of auditions,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s about how you showcase yourself and what energy you bring.\u201d<\/p>\n

Torrez-Ponce was acting in a production of \u201cA Christmas Carol\u201d at The Denver Center in early December when he got the call that he was cast in \u201cSweeney Todd\u201d and would need to move to New York City.<\/p>\n

He is among the six members of the cast that are making their Broadway debut. For some that may be intimidating, but he said, \u201cWhen you step into the room you have to let go of your insecurities, be present and focus on the task at hand.\u201d<\/p>\n

His daily routine during show previews, which began Feb. 26, included rehearsals from noon to 5 p.m., then dinner and a performance at 8 p.m. Now that the show has begun its full run, Torrez-Ponce is also rehearsing for his understudy roles of Anthony and Tobias. The cast has Monday and Tuesday off, then performs at 8 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday with 2 p.m. matinees on Wednesdays and Saturdays.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s enjoying the show\u2019s \u201cbeautiful score and cool choreography.\u201d The best part of the experience is watching his fellow cast members work, he said. \u201cI\u2019m in a room with incredibly talented people and I\u2019m just taking it all in.\u201d<\/p>\n

As the demon barber, \u201cJosh does it so well,\u201d he said. \u201cAs a person, he\u2019s a sweet guy, but he dives into this role. And watching Annaleigh Ashford is like taking a masterclass.\u201d<\/p>\n

Torrez-Ponce won\u2019t soon forget performing on stage for the first preview. \u201cIt was crazy to hear everybody cheering. The houses on Broadway are large, but intimate. I could feel the energy of the people \u00a0in the audience.\u201d<\/p>\n

He credits his UW-Stevens Point mentors, including Marchant, acting and directing, and Assistant Professor Luke Shepherd, musical theatre, for preparing him for his career and helping him see himself as both an actor and singer. At UW-Stevens Point he was The Baker in the musical \u201cInto the Woods\u201d and acted in \u201cAs We Climb\u201d and \u201cClown Bar.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe skills our students develop are based on their passions,\u201d said Marchant. \u201cWe cast them in shows based on their talent, not their major. Felix is the perfect example of listening to what students need and supporting that.\u201d<\/p>\n

For fellow Pointers looking to follow in his footsteps, Torrez-Ponce\u2019s advice is to try for roles in everything.<\/p>\n

\u201cSweeney Todd wasn\u2019t something I thought I\u2019d do. You never know, you may be the perfect fit for a role. Send in your auditions, just do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

When in a show, \u201cbe a fly on the wall,\u201d he said. \u201cTake in everything and be present. A lot of cool things happen in those rehearsal rooms. It\u2019s one of the best parts of being an actor.\u201d<\/p>\n

What\u2019s next for Torrez-Ponce? \u201cSweeney Todd\u201d will keep him busy for a while, and he hopes to continue to act in New York.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m already in my dream job,\u201d he said. \u201cI feel like I found my way here and I want to stay, do good work and try to be a part of this community.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

Written by UW-Stevens Point<\/p>\n

Link to original story: https:\/\/www.uwsp.edu\/news\/felix-torrez-ponce-broadway-2023\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The journey to performing under the bright lights of Broadway usually begins with an audition. For University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point bachelor of fine arts acting alumnus Felix Torrez-Ponce, Green Bay, that audition happened last spring while he was a student in the university\u2019s Senior Showcase course. The class led to an opportunity to meet with […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":9546,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","institution":[95],"story_category":[],"class_list":["post-9520","campus_story","type-campus_story","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","institution-uw-stevens-point"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/campus_story\/9520","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/campus_story"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/campus_story"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9520"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9546"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9520"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"institution","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/institution?post=9520"},{"taxonomy":"story_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/story_category?post=9520"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}