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Luis Salgado: I want to go many places. At this moment, I really want to do Broadway. I want to learn a lot about Broadway and get all the experience, not only as an actor, dancer, singer, or whatever ... but to be there, to be on stage, to see the whole process. The lights, the producer, and the director. All the process. Maybe [in] thirty years, I would become a producer myself or a director. So I can't tell you where I'm gonna go in a long time, because I want to die doing this. I want to die doing art. But I started when I was nine years old at school in Puerto Rico. And I had this wonderful teacher, Rosa Riveira. It's so good that I'm talking about him here, cause I owe him so much. I went with him for nine years in a row, year after year, in his company through the school. I finished my elementary school and then he was in my high school also. He was a great teacher. I learned a lot from him and I learned to respect what I do and to go out and try to make it better, and take more classes. [Then] I decided to come to New York. Ten months ago, I made my decision. I had my own academy in Puerto Rico. I was working as a choreographer and as a dancer in Puerto Rico, and I just, like, stopped. "I'm going to Broadway. I'm going to try. I'm going to take more classes; I want to grow more!" And I think I did the right thing. EGG: So, tell me about your character in BROADWAY WORKSHOP. What's his background? How is Luis Llamas different than Luis Salgado? LS: My character is Luis. He's a dancer, actor, singer who comes to New York looking for an opportunity and he gets the opportunity. He becomes the boyfriend of the assistant of the choreographer. That, I think, is not what would happen to me ... but it's part of the script and it's nice and it's an experience. The script says that I [fool around] a lot. But I wouldn't be playing in this production. You know, I wouldn't be all over the place, or asking the choreographer childish questions. So my character goes a little bit away to that fantasy ... you know, asking a lot of things and not staying quiet; playing with Michael, interacting with everybody and like very exited about the whole thing. And I am, I really am! But I wouldn't be asking so many questions. So in that way, my character is more childish than me ... a little bit, I think. But Luis Llamas is basically Luis Salgado. He's so much like me. I came here looking for job opportunities and I got it. So I think I won't go back to Puerto Rico until I've done all I want to ... and that's Luis Llamas. EGG: So tell me about the character you play in "Traps!" LS: Billy. He's fun! I get to play the boyfriend of Amy Spanger, who is beautiful and she's like in charge of this drama, and she's a very strong female. EGG: Are there days where you're confused with who you are? LS: Everything is easy and everything is difficult! It's a paradox. When we get to the set, once we are in the set, we're all the time acting. Sometimes, I go home, I sit down and say, "Ok, I want to do this with my character. I want to do this with Luis Llamas, and I want to do all these things with Billy." But when I come here, everything looks so simple. We get on stage, we get on the set and even if we are eating, even if we are on break, we have to be acting. Because it's also a documentary. So, it's hard to know when I'm not being myself and when I'm starting to use the things I was preparing to do as an actor and when I'm being myself. It's all confusing. Like the other day, we did a scene where this guy comes in and says, "Ok. Right on for today! I'll see you tomorrow, it was great work!" And we were all like, "Is this over? Are we really leaving?" It's so confusing! So, I wouldn't know how to tell you when I'm one, two or three; when I'm Luis Salgado, Billy, or Luis Llamas. EGG: So what kind of extra challenge has this brought to you? LS: One of the biggest challenges that I found was singing with Amy, who has such a beautiful voice. On the other hand, the script says that Luis -- that I -- worry about Luis' voice. So I kind of fake that: "Ok, so do I really worry about the way I sing?" But Doug, the composer, and Amy were so nice. There was so much confidence between us that I just went for it. So I think I have developed here that new part of Luis. I can now go and say, "Ok, I'm a dancer who sings." And I'm not scared anymore of doing it. EGG: So, tell me. What have you learned from your fellow dancers/actors? LS: From here? Oh, my Gosh! EGG: Tell me about that. LS: Michael, for example. I admire him so much. Like this teacher I was telling you about. I always wanted to be, first, like my teacher. I was like, "that guy is such a great teacher." I started teaching and I tried to do all the things he did with me. And since that, I was much more confident in myself and I was like, "yeah, I want to be better everyday; I want to be like me, I want to be like Luis." Luis is who I am, and everyday I'm improving who I am. But now I see people like Michael, who are so talented, who can tap jazz, ballet. He can sing, he can act, he can play the guitar, the piano, and he has a beautiful house upstate. I am looking forward to being an artist like Michael. I went to see him in "42nd Street." The curtain comes up and I just see this pair of pants on stage and all the lighting and a lot of feet, and I just go crazy! And when the curtain finishes going up, it was Michael! I was like feeling his energy through his feet already when the show started. I just feel so welcome here. Amy. It was only two weeks ago and she's like sitting on my lap. This is New York. You kind of get scared when you come to New York. The people in this business, they all want that opportunity and I don't know how they're going to interact with me. And I'm new in the project. How are they going to accept me? And they have been so nice. So one of the biggest things I have learned from all this cast is that there are human and humble people in this business, and they can just guide you and I can just open my arms and trust that I have ... what is the word? ... that I can have good partners in this job and not to be so scared. I was really scared and it's like a family now! EGG: Do you think we've come across a new genre of storytelling? LS: Definitely. I definitely think we have. PBS's EGG the arts show is definitely improving and making something new here. One of the things I've been saying a lot is that they're giving respect for dancers and actors, and art itself And this project cares about what we do, who we are, and how hard it is to do what we do. It's fun and a lot of people see that side. And it is fun; it's beautiful. We have a community out there that for every person [who says], "I hate my job! I hate my job" ... it's so hard to understand that you can love what you do. But it's so much hard work. It's not all about being a star or being in the newspaper, but it's art and the way we have to train and the way we have to work so hard in something like putting together a Broadway show. That's one of the most important things. The way they're filming. We're dancing everywhere. It's so hard, and they're getting such beautiful shots of everything. You know, the whole project is tri-dimensional. I think it's brilliant. It's new. It's spontaneous. It's great! |
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