From Peter: Nathan spent two summers gracing East Texas audiences at the Texas Shakespeare Festival where I was lucky enough to get to meet him. 

He’s a unicorn. The first time I heard him sing, I ran home to tell Kat I’d just heard the most beautiful voice in the world. He was in college at the time, but it was so glaringly obvious there was a huge market waiting for Nathan after he graduated. In my mind, however, his voice isn’t what made him so special.

Here he was, one of the most talented singers I’d ever heard, interning at a Shakespeare festival to improve his acting. He was already better than most of us, but I was floored at a commitment to the craft I hadn’t seen before. He had a generous and humble spirit to match. Knowing him before he graduated was like sitting at a rocket-launch… You just couldn’t wait for him to take off.

And he has. It’s been a joy to see him make a Broadway debut, be named one of 8 “Rising Stars” by Broadway Direct, and have exciting things coming up we can’t tell you about yet. He’s climbed a lot higher, a lot faster than most of us do, but he levels the field in this interview in a very refreshing way. He’s a great part of our industry, a committed craftsman, and one of my favorite people. 

Nathan, for our readers who didn’t get to meet you as a 19-year-old intern and know you more as one of “Broadway’s Rising Stars”, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Hi! I feel very very happy and honored to be a part of this- Thank you both for having me. About me? Surely! I grew up in a northern suburb of Chicago and was raised in a house with my mother and two older sisters. I was always the quiet one in the family- introverted and always observing things, but mostly getting pushed aside by my sisters so they could be in the spotlight. Not having a male figure in the house, I followed in my sister’s footsteps and did children’s theater starting at the age of 5. After some time I surpassed my sisters in doing a few professional shows in Chicago and began training to become a real live professional myself! All the while picking up and learning the guitar, piano, drums, mandolin, ukulele, mouth trumpet… and a lot of other annoying instruments that my roommates, family members, neighbors and anyone else in a 2 block radius would hate me for. 

Carnegie Mellon, your alma mater, is one of the most prestigious programs in the country. What led you to there and what was the most impactful thing CMU gave you?

I didn’t know very much going into the college audition process. I had only learned names of notable programs from high school teachers, performers I idolized, and where they went to school. I auditioned for 7 schools and was rejected from half because I had absolutely horrible grades in high school and didn’t care to work on them because I thought, “I’ll just go to college for theater so who cares about grades…?!” Well, it turned out a lot of schools care about grades. But it seemed Carnegie Mellon turned a blind eye and accepted me into their program. I chose CMU due to the emphasis on their students being more than just “triple threat” but to be fully rounded artists. On top of the average theater curriculum, the program enabled me to write shows and music, and most importantly how to collaborate. 

You have a breathtaking voice and are an amazing instrumentalist (don’t believe us? Follow this man on Instagram!). You spent two summers, however, working at a Shakespeare festival and made your Broadway debut in a play. Did you make a conscious decision to spend as much time honing your acting craft as you did your musical ability?

Oh, Peter, you are such a mensch. Yes, I grew up in a very musical family. Playing many instruments and singing was a priority/large hobby/something I was naturally good at. When taking stock of my abilities and where I was lacking, I noticed that my acting chops needed major building. I learned to love Shakespeare through college, and all the more so BECAUSE it’s so musical. The Broadway debut thing being a play was just the luckiest way to start my career. I’m very grateful for starting there because people (stupidly) are more willing to consider me in all aspects of the industry. 

Carnegie Mellon has a wonderful showcase, but I know you didn’t find your agent from showcase… Would you share that story with us?

Fun story -- There was a big snowstorm during the weekend of our showcase in NYC 2017 and we had to cancel one of the showings. I had a few responses from the showcase, but very little that I felt enthusiastic about. One great thing that did come from the showcase was the opportunity to sing at 54 Below in a “Broadway Loves” concert with Benjamin Rauhala. Ben made a very kind post about me on social media, an agent saw that post, messaged Ben saying, “I couldn’t see this showcase due to the storm, is he worth meeting?” From that crazy luck, a meeting was arranged and shortly after I was signed! 

You’ve seen a lot of success even at this early point in your career. Do you ever feel pressure to keep up with that pace?

Does the pope shit in the woods? First off, what actor doesn’t want to be working? But secondly, to answer your very legitimate question and not be the asshole that I am, while I feel pressure from everywhere (family, friends, agents), it comes mostly from myself. When graduating from college, I set a list of goals and now that I’ve hit the main goal, my priorities shift to become a lot more specific. Instead of ‘being on Broadway’, now it’s ‘originate’ and ‘create my own material’ etc etc…

You perform at 54 Below all the time. What role does that venue of creation play in your growth and artistry?

I created a fun game for myself after a few times performing at 54 below… play as many instruments as I can and never sing the same song more than once. Performing in these concerts keeps my skills sharp, challenges me to go out of my comfort zone, and it’s also really helpful to have tons of footage of myself doing these silly things. I was lucky enough to perform my own solo cabaret at 54 Below featuring songs I had written. It gives me the chance to be comfortable being my most authentic self in front of supportive audiences. 

What’s the most important thing you’ve done, personally or professionally, that has impacted your career?

1. Therapy is the best. 2. I’ll share one of my favorite quotes a friend told me that helps me daily in my career. “Everyone sits on the toilet shitting, writhing in pain.” Hahaha. meaning, when holding people you admire up on a pedestal, just remember that they, like you, sit on the toilet and are HUMAN. Cuz we’ve all been there. We’re all trying to get the same things out of life.

Where are you on your mountain?

I think(?) I can smell the peak of my current mountain and it smells SO GOOOOD. Getting close for big projects keeps me excited and the more often it happens, the more I think one has to land… right? Getting close has to be a sign…right? right?!! (cut to: Nathan in the fetal position on the floor having a dilemma debating deleting this entire response and questioning his entire career and existence). That being said I think my mountain is ever-changing and growing. I’ve hit some peaks but I know that there’s still a long way to go.

RAPID FIRE:

Favorite Broadway show: Ever? That’s too hard. I’ll name a few favorites I’ve seen in the past few years- Indecent. Hadestown. Spongebob. 

TV show you binge: Bojack Horseman and Shameless. Both bring me such joy and SUCH depression. 

Podcasts you love: Off-Camera with Sam Jones. 

Any other obsessions?: I love spicy foods and I WANT A DOG. 

Religious, Spiritual, or nah?: I identify as Jewish. I am proud to be Jewish. But in the question of religious I only really practice on the high holidays with the thought of giving respect to those who were punished for being Jewish and to live on with their memory and continuing to keep the religion alive. 

New works or Classics?: OOF. Tough question. I mean…The classics are classics for a reason? But new works involves getting to create and put my own spin on it… Pass. Next question.

Show that gave you your Equity card: RAGS the Musical at The Goodspeed Opera House- Working with Stephen Schwartz and Charles Strouse. Aka shitting my pants every day trying not to act like an absolute idiot.

Food that feeds your soul: Buffalo Wings, Pizza, and Buffalo Wings

Any bad audition stories?: Long story short- My first audition at Telsey was for Boq in Wicked. I cut myself shaving the morning of the audition. Mid-audition while singing “March Of The Witch Hunters” my cut reopened and no one behind the table said anything. They looked at me utterly confused and disgusted and said: “Thank you, that’s all”. It wasn’t until 2 minutes after packing up that I stepped into the Telsey bathroom and discovered blood dripping from my chin. (PALM OVER FACE. Didn’t get the job).

Best part of dating a babe (and by babe, we mean the OBC Babe from The Cher Show,  Micaela Diamond): Other than the fact that she’s the most down to earth, selfless, fun-loving, present, talented, humble and most beautiful person I’ve ever met?... Hm… She’s a great cook!

Favorite audition song: ‘After the Goldrush’ by Neil Young. 

Job you didn’t expect to book: An out of town world premiere musical this coming Spring of 2020 with a dream creative team. AND I’ll get to play instruments on stage. 

Biggest beef with the business: I’m going to flip this question on its head and say what I LOVE about the business. (Uh oh) I LOVE auditioning. Actors audition more often than doing actual performances so why don’t we make the most of it!?

Social media handles?: Instagram- @nathan_salstone

Anything you’d like to promote?: I love therapy. 

From Kat: I was insanely lucky to spend a summer with GC at Flat Rock Playhouse (yes, the same summer as Obvious Path feature, Alex Hairston)! Ginna Claire and I became instant friends and bonded over our love for cereal, coffee, girly dresses, a morning devotional, and puppies. I fell in love with her spirit.

We hit NYC the fall after that apprenticeship and that thing you wish would happen to all the lovely and talented people in your life happened to Ginna Claire- she started working. And on BIG things. I’m sure it felt like a methodical rise to her, but from the outside, you could see she was going to blow up. I moved around a lot, but Ginna Claire would always check-in every new job, life development, and move to see how I was doing and tell me what was going on with her. 6 years post-apprenticeship, she toured through Cleveland on the Wicked National Tour…

And, despite all her success, she was as kind, as inviting, and as fun as I remember. Ginna Claire demonstrates charm, honesty, vulnerability, and braveness in her craft, but also in her life. She’s not afraid to make friends, and as you will read, even sing in front of her math class. I’m thankful that I can call her my friend. She has a light around her that is contagious- even through a blog post! We’ll let her take it from here.

Ginna Claire! Thanks for stepping out of your Broadway bubble (see what we did there??) to talk to us! Can you briefly introduce yourself?

Hi y’all! I was born and raised in Nashville, TN, so I think music was always in my bones. My parents raised my fam on the musical theatre classics- Sound of Music, Cats, Annie, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. My favorite soundtracks growing up were My Fair Lady, Les Miserablés, and Annie Get Your Gun. I have three brothers, so I’m a bit of a tomboy myself- with a definite girly side, too! I watched my big brothers perform in community theatre and wanted to get involved, too. The local show I did was Grease in third grade. I was officially bit by the theatre bug!

In fourth grade, I saw my first Broadway show and had the amazing realization that PEOPLE DO THIS FOR THEIR JOB. There was no turning back.

My after-school activities became completely consumed with dance classes, voice lessons, piano and play practices. The real game-changer was in 7th grade- I saw the original cast of Wicked on Broadway, and announced to my parents at intermission that I would be Glinda someday!

Let’s talk about Elon, which has the reputation of being one of the premier MT schools… How did you end up there?

In high school, I started researching BFA Music Theatre programs. I remember freshman year of high school for Christmas asking for all NYU merch because I was thinking, “GET ME TO NEW YORK!”

Upon further research and guidance from my mom, I came to recognize the value of a more “normal” college experience with a campus and student life. Also, New York isn’t going anywhere!

Elon was my first audition, and I considered it a “practice” school. I think that actually put me in a good headspace, because I wasn’t super nervous. I was just having fun, and soaking it all in! I fell in love with the gorgeous campus (a literal botanical garden!), the warm and wise faculty members, and the friendly students. Then I saw their production of Sweeney Todd, and I could NOT believe I wasn’t in NYC seeing a Broadway show! The caliber of the talent and sets and costuming and EVERYTHING totally blew me away. I knew then that I wanted to go to Elon and be part of a program that trained kids to perform like THAT. I was fortunate enough to be accepted early, and actually ended up canceling all of my other auditions!

What did you learn at Elon that changed your career? Did your association with Elon open any doors for you early on? (ie showcase/relationship with CDs)

I honestly cannot say enough good things about Elon. My training there definitely prepared me for this career path.

Something I love about my alma mater is that it’s a liberal arts school with conservatory-style training. That means as a BFA music theatre student, I was, of course, singing and dancing and acting, but I was also taking math and language and science and psychology and history. I’m a firm believer that well-rounded people make well-rounded performers, so I recommend, learn as much as you can about the world! Elon also has a top rated study abroad program. My semester in London was brightly eye-opening and transformative. I highly encourage travel, if possible!

Elon doesn’t do a traditional showcase. Instead, the class decides upon and invites individual casting directors and agents to the school, to work with and audition students privately. I thought this was awesome, because I moved to New York feeling like I had a semblance of a relationship with a number of top casting directors. It was also good practice for the “real world.” This is how I got an agent right out of school.

How do you prepare for the big auditions?

In college, I would get really nervous to get up and perform in front of people. I remember I had to sing in front of my whole department, and I was feeling anxious about it. I wanted to get a handle on my nerves, and asked my math teacher if I could get up and sing for my class. I thought, hey, if I can do it for them, I can do it for my department. Silly, I know. But there’s something to be said for making friends with our nerves.

I did summer stock at Flat Rock Playhouse (with Kat!!), and we had weekly “Midnight Studios”. On Friday each week, if there were still open slots to perform, I made myself sign up! To have that experience of getting up in front of my peers and real professionals was so valuable!

I still find myself being nervous for big auditions, and I find the best way to combat that, is to be overly prepared. Practice makes permanent, right? So I always run through things by myself, AND with my husband, friends, and co-workers. Depending on the audition, I may hire a coach, too. If there’s new music involved, I always run through it at my voice lessons Then just go in there, be myself, and HAVE FUN with it!!

You haven’t stopped working since you graduated (which is AMAZING), but your path to leading “Wicked” on a nightly basis included some understudying and lots of time out of town. Did you ever feel like you wouldn’t make it to where you are? Can you talk about the paradox of being thankfully employed (in a business of so much unemployment), but still striving for more?

No matter what I was doing, I never lost sight of my Wicked dream. I always thought it was just a matter of time. And it was!

Each job teaches you something!

I loved doing Flashdance right out of school. I learned so much about the business and the union. Some of the more seasoned actors definitely took me under their wings, for which I’m very grateful. I learned about the discipline required to do 8 shows a week, and how to tour! (Pack light, be flexible, and explore as much as you can!) This was also my first go at figuring out what long-distance marriage looks like, something we would have to keep practicing for the next five years!

Newsies was my next job. This gig honestly taught me a little humility because I went from being a principal to being in the ensemble. It was fun being part of the process and the launch of a first national tour. I gained a lot of precious brothers and sisters from this experience.

Duck Commander Musical was a wonderful surprise. The director of Newsies helped move me to perform the lead in another project that he was also directing. It was very creatively satisfying to help originate a new role within a new production! To this day, the music from DCM is some of my favorite material I’ve ever sung! I loved getting to live and perform in Vegas. The show was short-lived, a reminder that every job is temporary!

My next job was the standby for Glinda in Wicked on Broadway. This position required a lot of preparation and patience. Sometimes I wouldn’t go on for months, then suddenly I would be required to step in to lead a massive show. My 16 months as standby were both thrilling and terrifying. I’m forever thankful that I got to make my Broadway debut in my dream role.

I auditioned again and had the chance to take over the role of Glinda on tour! I was on the road with the “Munchkinland” production for 20 glorious months. Doing the role 8 times a week revealed to me what I needed to do to sustain myself: lots of sleep and water, regular voice lessons, vitamins, stretching, lifting weights, warming up, eating healthy, steaming my voice, icing, etc. My time on tour really prepared me for doing the show in New York.

Being back on Broadway in the role, now truly feels like coming home! I already knew and loved many people in the building from my previous stint at the Gershwin, so it’s been a very sweet reunion. It also feels like the completion of my Glinda Journey. To play this role AND to go home and sleep in my own bed every night is the ULTIMATE.

What is the most important thing you’ve done in your career so far?

The thing I value most about my time as a professional actor is the relationships I’ve formed.

What do you wish you did differently leading up to where you are now? What was the most helpful thing you did in your career?

I wish I had stopped comparing my journey to other people’s and focused instead on the next best step for me.

I think the most helpful thing I’ve done is stayed in training. I love learning! Voice lessons and film classes are my favorite. It challenges me to expand my skillset and to work on new material.

You’re doing something right now lots of people don’t get to do, which is realizing (one of) the dreams they had in middle school. Do you mind sharing what being Broadway’s good witch means to you?

When I was a kid, I liked Glinda because she wore cute dresses and sang fun songs. Now I love Glinda because of her growth and goodness, heart and humor. She has such a dynamic path from naive, unfiltered school girl to passionate and loyal ruler of Oz. I think her arc is intriguing and makes her story a super interesting one to play. I’ve done the show almost 900 times, and I’m still discovering new qualities and moments with Glinda girl.

The story of Wicked is a beautiful one of friendship and overcoming differences to unite together. It’s meaningful to share this message on stage for a live audience 8 times a week!

Glinda inspires me. And I hope I can play her in such a way that she inspires others, as well!

Are you at the top of your mountain?

In some ways, yes! My dream since I was 13 was to play Glinda on Broadway! So I’m doing that, which is awesome. But now I find myself dreaming new dreams and looking to new mountains, exploring different storytelling mediums, imagining what’s next!

RAPID FIRE:
Favorite Broadway show: The Light in the Piazza (favorite show currently out is Come From Away!)

TV show you binge: Mindy Project, This is Us, The Good Place, Jane the Virgin, Fixer Upper, Queer Eye

Podcasts you like: The Glorious in the Mundane, That Sounds Fun, Armchair Expert, Passion City DC, Booked It

Any other obsessions?: ABLE!! (Fashion and female empowerment), Paddywax candles, French press coffee, Whole30 lifestyle, DOGS, country music

Religious, Spiritual, or nah?: Christ follower 🙌🏻

Any former side hustles?: teaching voice lessons

Any bad audition stories?: Oh man, one time the casting director never looked up from his phone while I did the material. That was... 🙈

Best part of being married to Prince Eric? (Go stalk them on Instagram- they’re adorable): His ginormous heart. The way he loves God, his family, me. He lives his life thinking about how he can be a blessing to others. He is intentional, disciplined, adventurous, kind, and inspires me to be better. And, my goodness, those baby blues still make me swoon. I’m forever needing more kisses, please.

How I made being on the road feel like home was ______: Having a kitchen!! (Opt for an Airbnb instead of a hotel, if possible!) It gave me control of how I was nourishing myself.

Favorite audition song: I think the last time I auditioned with my own song (instead of material from the show) was probably 3 years ago?! I used “When He Sees Me” from Waitress. Such a good song! I also love singing “The Beauty Is,” “Cockeyed Optimist,” and “Another Life.”

Job you didn’t expect to book: Duck Commander Musical

Biggest beef with the business: the push for self-promotion? Always looking for the next job? 8 shows a week?

Social media handles: @ginnaclaire everywhere

Anything you’d like to promote?: my favorite non-profits are Show Hope (helps fund international and domestic adoptions), Love Without Boundaries (international orphan care), and In Our Hands Rescue (animal rescue based out of NYC)

Books: Rhythms of Renewal by Rebekah Lyons, Love Does by Bob Goff, Blue Book

Photo Credits:

Photo by: Nathan Johnson, Press Shot by Joan Marcus, Ginna Claire and Parents, Photo by Joan Marcus, Photo by Kristine Kelly, Photo by Matt Andrews, Photo by Michael Kushner, Singing at Yankee Stadium, Photo by Christine Small, The cutest now and then photo!

From Peter: My first job out of undergrad was on Disney Cruise Line alongside Jacob’s Aladdin. Jacob kind of blew my mind from day one. He was committed, musical (he plays both piano and guitar), fit, a remarkably good dancer, generous, and funny. Jacob made that first contract remarkably easy. He traveled to Kat and I’s wedding after knowing us for less than a year. He was a person I hoped would be in my life for a long time.

And, luckily, he has been. You’ll get to hear Jacob take you on an unexpected journey of success, rehabbing an injury, quiet times, and, perhaps when he least expected it, a Broadway debut. Through it all, I admire how he looks for growth in himself and always ground himself with a myriad of healthy things, family most of all. He has a lot of wisdom, so we’ll pass it along to him.

Jacob, you are definitely a friend that makes us “Proud of [our] boy”. Could you introduce yourself to our readers?

Well, first of all, LOVE THE PUN. Second of all, that is incredibly kind of you, because I could GUSH back at how proud I am of both of you, Peter and Kat. I have always thought the world of the both of you, so to be asked to this in the first place is hella flattering. BUT! Hello, blog-iverse. I am Jacob Gutierrez, and I am currently in the (now long-running) Broadway show of Aladdin. Where I am in the ensemble every night, and I understudy Aladdin and Omar, both.

I grew up in Hays, KS, a small-western Kansas town, where theatre was kinda few and far between. I was a “sports kid” up until my sophomore year of high school, when I caught the “theatre bug.” It was kinda a two part-er: I first went to see the national tour of Wicked that fall with my choir, and at intermission—right after (now) Tony Award winner, Stephanie J. Block defied gravity—I walked into the lobby, looked at my mom, and said “I wanna do that.” About two months later, I did my first musical, Oliver! at my high school, where I played Fagin. And I was hooked. 

I went to Oklahoma City University and majored in musical theatre. After graduation, I moved to New York, and booked my first gig, Disney Cruise Line—which is where I met the irreplaceable Peter AND Kat—and have basically been in and out of the city since then. 

Oklahoma City University… Can you tell us how you ended up there and how it impacted your career?

I first heard of Oklahoma City University while at an audition for Music Theatre of Wichita, while I was in high school. While I was in the audition room, my mom was in the lobby, and was talking with another mother there, who happened to be the wife of the dean of the music school at OCU. After going home, I started looking it up, and found some big Broadway names, like Kristin Chenoweth and Kelli O’Hara, who both hailed OCU as their alma mater. 

I went on to do a summer music program there after 11th grade, and after meeting some of the faculty and experiencing the campus, I auditioned my senior year, received a great scholarship, and decided it was the best fit for me. The fact that it was a Bachelor of Music degree also really appealed to me, as I had always been a musician first. 

OCU connected me far better than I think I even know. While at OCU, I furthered my relationships with Music Theatre of Wichita, as they come to OCU every spring to audition students for their resident company. OCU also had a Spring Break Workshop in New York every spring, where we met Broadway coaches, directors, casting directors, choreographers. I attended every year while at college, and then upon arrival in New York City, I felt like I at least had a starting point to hit the ground running. Some of those very coaches have now become some of my dearest mentors in the business. 

You spent significant time on cruise ships, like a lot of performers do. Can you talk about pros and cons?

Oh yes, I can. I did three contracts with Disney Cruise Line. Cruise ships are one of the most alluring contracts out there and with good reason. Having booked it right out of school, it was the best opportunity for me to create a nest egg of cash in the bank. You are covered with room and board, and make a pretty decent salary, and if you are wise about it, it’s so easy to set aside a huge chunk of change—which is what I did. 

It also gave me a great escape from New York, to grow up a bit more. You learn the most while “on the job.” I learned what my limits are, how to maintain a healthy mind/body/spirit in the midst of work, and learned to say “no.”

(I’ll never forget when my parents and I were driving cross country for me to move into my first NY apartment, my mom asked me what I wanted to happen when I got to New York. My response was “I wanna book a job and leave for 9 months to a year.” And despite my mom’s subtle reaction of, “wait… WHY are we moving all your stuff there again?” she did support it, and that’s exactly what happened. And it was the biggest blessing ever.)

For me, the cruise ship was an incubator, of sorts. It was this isolated time I had where I began to really ask some tough questions of myself. And because I was so removed from it all (the business, family, land friends) it really made me ask a lot. I think what’s so beautiful about that, is that the questioning has never stopped. That was my first job out in the real world, and it spun this beautiful web of continually asking, seeking answers, reflecting, and taking time to grow. I began to really learn what my strengths were, and what people I found myself gravitating toward. 

But in that very vein, the isolation is the thing that can be the hardest, or a huge con. For me, a fair amount of isolation was good, but after a while, it wasn’t the right thing for me. I needed to be back in New York. I needed to be surrounded by people who knew me outside of that floating city. I needed to be able to call my dad or my brother on a random Tuesday at 3:17 PM to just talk, and not have to worry about the “all aboard” time and my home floating away. While on a ship, a big term that circulates is “ship goggles.” Aka, you start seeing the world through the lens of this ship you’re living on. It can be really easy to lose perspective. That, ultimately is how I knew my time on ships was at its end. 

Was there ever a moment where you felt like giving up? What did you do to get through that time?

I absolutely wanted to give up. I left my second Disney Cruise Line contract with a pretty terrible shoulder injury. I moved back to the city—in a sublet apartment with three guys who I didn’t know— and after a week there, had surgery on my shoulder. I spent that winter (and the following year) recovering from that horrendous shoulder surgery. I don’t think I ever cried as much as I did that first 6 months. 

It was a very odd feeling. It felt like everything I had worked for through college, and right out of school, was “taken.” I couldn’t audition, I couldn’t work out. Two huge things that I feel like my identity clung to for a long time: “Jacob is an actor, a very FIT actor.” So all of that was stripped away. Yet again, soul searching. Identity crisis.

I had some pretty incredible people guide me through that time, though. 1. I clung to my friendship community and their support, love, and laughter. 2. I had a voice teacher who really put me in my place about nine months after surgery. I was still in a lot of pain, and really down in the dumps about it, moping around, saying my career was “taken from me,” and he shook me out of it and told me to stop, “you are CREATING this. Just stop! Your career is still there.” It was one of the greatest lessons of my life. 3. The physical therapists I had here in New York completely changed my perspective on the human body and what it’s capable of. Especially the power of the mind, and what it tells us. Y’ALL, YOUR BRAIN IS SO POWERFUL. 4. And of course, my family, was there for me. The rocks in my life. I have the most supportive parents, siblings, and siblings-in-law. I’m halfway across the country from them, but a phone call had never felt so close, than it did during that time.

So in the end, a greater blessing came because of it. I am so much smarter now, both mentally and physically. I am more in tune with my body. I know how to take care of myself, and how to maintain 8 shows on Broadway a week. Very grateful. 

What is the most important thing you’ve done so far in your career?

Well, the achiever in me could say “I have bowed last on Broadway in a hit musical.” But that doesn’t necessarily ring as my truth. 

I think of the people. I think the impact I can have on people each day is the most important. Most notably, my company members at Aladdin. The stage managers I talk to, the crew members I laugh with, the castmates I relate to in so many ways. A simple shared laugh (and there is so much laughter) can go a long way to spread joy. What we do is a gift. 200+ people come together for 3 (or 7) hours a day to create magic for 1700 people in the audience. We bring our joys, our struggles, our strengths, our weaknesses—our very full lives—we bring it all together for that time, and make something incredible happen at the New Amsterdam Theatre. If you come to see the show, you will see a company of happy, loving people. And I firmly believe it is evidenced on our stage.

And to be frank, in the midst of it, I fail. A lot. I can get so caught up in my stresses, my frustrations, my insecurities, that my impact is stifled. But, at the end of the day, I chalk it up to being a human, and I learn from it. After all, I’m fortunate enough to come back again, tomorrow, and try again.

Looking back, is there anything you would change about your path? 

Oh man, change? Probably not. Because I think our paths are what makes us who we are. The good, the bad, the complex. But there will always be this small part of me that wonders what it would have been like to go to a huge state school, with a rockin’ basketball team, and I’d have bought season tickets in the student section to go to all the games at Allen Fieldhouse—wait, what?—Yes. Yes, I wonder what it would’ve been like to go to the University of Kansas. Rock Chalk Jayhawk. GO KU!

But I have a feeling my life would’ve been very different. (I’d be an engineer. Or a chiropractor. And live in Dallas. Ha.)

Are you at the top of your mountain?

No. I don’t think I’ll ever consider myself at the top of any mountain. Because 1. it’s incredibly lonely at the top and 2. I’m far too goal-oriented, future seeking, and a builder of my dreams. I think the moment I get complacent or stop challenging myself, that will be the day I’ll need to quit this business. Or, if I am ever at the top of a mountain, it just means that point is the bottom of the next mountain. Keep building.

I think I’ve achieved some success, sure, and I’m beyond grateful to have achieved that. But what is bizarre, is that even in the midst of this success, some days can still feel kinda low. Broadway does not equal happiness. I didn’t wake up the morning after my debut, and think to myself, “wow, life is complete! I’m good. Look at me.” Because the reality is, the next day, it’s a job; it’s normal. An incredible opportunity? Absolutely, but it’s only a fraction of life. Which is why I look inward and keep asking hard questions of myself. I dig deeper. I seek more answers about where I can find them. I keep dreaming. And I don’t settle. 

But I think that’s the beautiful, challenging, puzzle we call life. We’ll never have it figured out. Or all the answers. But it’s ok. It makes us more and more curious, and reliant on far more than just ourselves. And thank God for that.

RAPID FIRE:

Favorite Broadway show: The Light in the Piazza. (But currently running show, Freestyle Love Supreme… seriously, go see it.)

Favorite TV show: I’m such a bad TV watcher. Dexter is the only series I’ve ever watched all the way through. But I have been known to binge a little Great British Baking Show. And I’ll still go back and watch The Office, too. That show was comedy gold.

Any other obsessions?: before and afters of any kind, Panda Express, nachos, log cabin Instagram accounts.

Religious or nah?: I am. I think faith plays a huge journey in all of this, and also believe it is so incredibly unique to each person. I literally could not do what I do without my faith. I pray protection and blessing over myself every night as the curtain rises, and we’re off.

Former side hustles: Product specialist for the national Mercedes-Benz team, MD for musical theatre school for kiddos in NY, waiter in midtown east. 

Most stressful part of understudying on Broadway: The self-expectation to always give your 100% show, even if you’re thrown on last minute. Because the fact is, with doing 8 shows a week, some days, you just aren’t 100%, and that’s that. You can only do what you can do, and learn acceptance from that. But what’s hard, is that, because you don’t get to do it every day, you don’t get multiple chances a week to “go out there and ‘HaVe The BeSt sHoW eVeRr!’”

Any bad audition stories?: Oh gosh. YES. Which one? HAHA. I went through a time where I repeatedly (yes, on MULTIPLE occasions) entered audition rooms with my fly undone, unbeknownst to me. After singing, doing sides, sitting in a solid “manspread”—the whole shebang—with my fly GAPING open… I walked out, looked down, realized it, and just CACKLED laughing. ’Tis what it is. GIMME A CALLBACK!

Job you didn’t expect to book: Umm… Aladdin on Broadway. HA. I hadn’t auditioned for a musical for 6 months prior to the week I auditioned for Aladdin. I was burnt out. I let it go. In a sense, I let all the musical theatre world go. And then, I saw an ECC come up for it, and I went in. And during that same week, I auditioned for two other regional shows. The day I got the call for Aladdin, I got the call for Sky in a regional production of Mamma Mia, and Che in Evita.

Biggest beef with the business: When people don’t respect my time. In any capacity.

Social media handles: @jacobtgutierrez for both instagram and twitter. (do people still use twitter??)

Anything else you’d like to promote?:  Be hungry to grow. Challenge yourself to dig deeper, always. Ask more of yourself. Seek Seek Seek. Seek answers, insight, wisdom, peace. Reflect. Because the learning never stops. We are on this ever-constant path to keep refining ourselves. Cherish that. Embrace that. Be open to that. Because most times, the obvious path is not so obvious.