By Joe Contreras, Latin Life Denver Media
It has not been an easy road for Andrés Quintero. Growing up in Caracas, Venezula his family was forced to leave that country for political reasons when he was just twelve years old. Next stop, Denver, Colorado.
The energetic and personable young man soon found himself at Rangeview High School in Aurora where theatre was and still is a big thing. In an interview with Latin Life Denver Media, Quintero said “We would do four productions a year and thanks to the instructors there I was able to learn and grow as an actor and performer. I absolutely fell in love with theatre at that school and wanted to make it my career.
At age 20 he found himself in New York, where he is now based, playing parts in television commercials, then bigger parts in television crime dramas, Law & Order as others. “That was a big challenge early on. As a Latino I was always typecast as a villain, a thug, drug dealer, a criminal and so on. It was a tough mold to break out of . Plus Broadway has traditionally not been very welcoming for minorities. But that is now changing rapidly” says Quintero.
He’s been cast on several TV shows, including Comedy Central’s “The Other Two” and “Madam Secretary” on CBS, as well as in musicals, such as “In the Heights” and “Rent.”
Quintero plays Baby Doll, a drag queen, in the “Moulin Rouge!” ensemble. But he is not the only Latino in the cast. There are several others including Gabe Martínez, Alexander Gil Cruz, Ricardo A. Zayas &Yvette Gonzalez-Nacer.
“It took me six auditions to finally land the part in Moulin Rouge in 2020” said Quintero adding and “I was very lucky to get that part, it was a coveted role.” Then Covid 19 pandemic hit and Broadway along with everything else shut down. I had to wait two years to finally play the part.”
“That was a really hard. Everything shut down and nothing was happening. This was a massive industry that shut down for two years. It made me take a hard look at what I was doing with my life. It made me question weather acting was really for me.” Quintero continued saying, “The entertainment business is hard as it is, then you throw a global pandemic on top of that. It was tough.Quintero added, “for me it was a time to regroup, to be still and think. You grow the most when you are in stillness and that was a time to be still” he said.
It was in that stillness that Quintero decided acting was in fact the very thing he wanted to do. “It is what I want to do. It has always been the thing I wanted to do. I love it! I love being back on stage see the audiences reaction to the diversity of the show dealing with diverse issues.
“I grew up in Denver and have deep roots in that city. I am so excited for audiences at The Buell Theatre to experience this spectacular show,” says Andrés Quintero. “I’m extremely proud to be a part of such a diverse company and welcome all communities to get your tickets if you have not already.”
The North American Tour of the Tony Award-winning Best Musical Moulin Rouge! The Musical begins a limited engagement at The Buell Theatre June 9-26 only.
Tickets are now on sale at Denvercenter.org.
In advance of the start of performances, the production announced today that it will host a digital ticket lottery offering fans the chance to purchase a limited number of $45 tickets available per performance.
How to enter:
- Make a Lucky Seat account if you do not have one already. If you enter, be sure to keep an eye on your email around 11:00 a.m. on the dates listed below to find out if you won. Winners will have a limited window to purchase and claim their tickets. Fans who have been selected can then purchase up to two (2) tickets at $45 each.
Lottery Schedule:
- Performances on June 9 – 12
Entries must be received by Tue, June 7 at 10:30 a.m.
- Performances on June 14 – 19
Entries must be received by Fri, June 10 at 10:30 a.m.
- Performances on June 21 – 26
Entries must be received by Fri, June 17 at 10:30 a.m.
Entrants must be 18 years or older. A valid, non-expired photo ID that matches the name used to enter is required for pickup. Seat locations awarded by the lottery are subject to availability. Read the full official rules.
ABOUT MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL
Enter a world of splendor and romance, of eye-popping excess, of glitz, grandeur and glory! A world where Bohemians and aristocrats rub elbows and revel in electrifying enchantment. Pop the champagne and prepare for the spectacular spectacular … Welcome to Moulin Rouge! The Musical.
Please be advised that the DCPA — denvercenter.org — is the ONLY authorized ticket provider for these productions in Denver. As with all production produced and/or presented by the DCPA, ticket buyers who buy tickets from a ticket broker or any third party run the risk of overpaying or buying illegitimate tickets. Patrons should be aware that the DCPA is unable to reprint/replace lost or stolen tickets and are unable to contact patrons with information about time changes or other pertinent updates about the performance if they buy from a ticket broker or any third party. The DCPA is not able to intervene with ticket purchases through a third party or ticket broker. Patrons found in violation of the DCPA Ticket Purchase and Sale Terms and Policies may have all their tickets cancelled.
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