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[0:01] Martín Acuña: Hi, everyone. I am Martín Acuña, and you are listening to Backstage Talk.

[0:10] Martín Acuña: Hello, everyone. Welcome back to another episode of Backstage Talk. Today's guest is someone that I admire a lot. And it's been a whirlwind trying to get a hold of her because life is hectic. And more being a Broadway performer. Today's guest is the incredible Maria Bilbao, who is a Miami native performer and is part of the 2023 Broadway revival of Sweeney Todd. We've all been looking forward to this revival for so long. And it's a star-studded cast. It has amazing performers in it. It has people from the pop and music industry and Broadway veterans, too. So it's amazing to have Maria today here. So, Maria, thank you so much for being on Backstage Talk. Welcome.

[1:05] Maria Bilbao: Thank you. Thank you so much for having me. I'm so excited to be here. I love it. I love it.

[1:11] Martín Acuña: I just mentioned that you are a Miami native performer, but what else do we have to know about you?

[1:18] Maria Bilbao: Oh, what else? I love all things astrology. That's the first thing that I can think of. I'm a huge animal lover. One day I would love to have a farm with just a bunch of rescue dogs and cats. I love it. And, yeah, I just love storytelling.

[1:45] Martín Acuña: That is amazing. I love it. I love it. And, yes, actually, when we started, before we started recording this episode, we were texting over Instagram and we were like, hey, sorry, my computer is being slow. And the first thing that came into my mind was Mercury Retrograde.

[2:01] Maria Bilbao: Yes, it's already done.

[2:03] Martín Acuña: Yeah, it's doing it. We're recording this interview on August 24th. It will be out near the winter, near Thanksgiving. So all of you know that comms were a little hectic with Mercury Retrograde. But, Maria, I wanted to know your beginnings in theater and musical theater. So why did you choose this path? Why musical theater and why Broadway?

[2:31] Maria Bilbao: Yeah, I honestly think that it kind of chose me. My mom and my grandmother have always loved music. And, you know, before I was born, they would go to see, you know, the national tour productions of like Cats or Phantom of the Opera in Miami. So when I came into the picture and I was this very animated, loud, expressive child, the first thing that they thought to do was to put me into a summer camp for theater. And that was my first introduction to Miami Children's Theater where I ended up, you know, doing community theater there up until I left for college when I was 18. So I did my first show when I was seven years old. And I just, like, didn't want to stop. I love it.

[3:25] Martín Acuña: Do you remember what show it was?

[3:27] Maria Bilbao: Yes, I do. It was Honk Jr. And I was a frog. And I sang a song called Warts and All. And I will never forget that show. I love it. I love it.

[3:40] Martín Acuña: And tell us a little bit more about your Broadway debut, your journey to Broadway.

[3:45] Maria Bilbao: It has been long and amazing and crazy and unpredictable. So I graduated AMDA, the American Musical Dramatic Academy, in February of 2018. And quickly after that, I was so lucky to sign with an agent. And later that fall, I started doing regional theater. And I got my Equity card with my first show, Evita. I was one of the ensemble members at St. Louis Rep. And I had been auditioning for Broadway shows, you know, like my last semester of college. I went in for Dear Evan Hansen. And that just, like, didn't end up happening. But that was an amazing experience. I remember being in a final callback and just being everyone on the panel. And that was just an incredible experience. As a very young person, I think I had to be 19 years old.

And, you know, I just kept on doing regional shows. When the pandemic happened, I was doing a production of On Your Feet in Atlanta when the pandemic happened. And, you know, I decided that it was a great opportunity to just continue honing my craft and, like, taking class and filling myself up as an artist. So I took those months. I went back home to Miami, did acting class through Zoom in my parents' room. So that was...

[5:23] Maria Bilbao: Like, we all did.

[5:24] Martín Acuña: I mean, we all did. The things that we had to do for, you know, the sake of, you know, love for what we do. And then, you know, I moved back to New York after a couple of months in the end of 2020. And I was lucky and I signed with a manager whom I love dearly. And I just kept on doing regional shows, auditioning for Broadway shows. I went into Hamilton so many times. And then kind of suddenly I saw Sweeney Todd was happening. It was, like, one of the first posters, I think, in March of last year. And it came out with Annalee and Josh. And I was like, hmm, this will be really interesting. I wonder if they're looking for a Joanna. And I was texting my manager, are they looking for Joanna? Like, please get me in.

And it was a lot of, like, they're probably going to look for a star. They're probably going to look for a name. I was like, okay, whatever. Fast forward to the fall of last year, I just suddenly got a self-tape request for Joanna. And two weeks later, I got the call from my manager that I booked it. So it happened really fast. It was a long journey. But once I got that audition, it was just like, bam, bam, bam, bam, bam. This is life. So that was really cool. I love it. I love it.

[6:59] Martín Acuña: And how has it been being on Broadway with this star-studded show, with this iconic piece of theater?

[7:07] Maria Bilbao: Oh, my goodness. It has been so amazing. I always tell people it still feels surreal. Like, we opened the show, we started previews, I think, in February. And it still hits me every day when I come off that stage, like, what just happened? Yeah, I'm, like, living my dreams of my seven-year-old self being a little frog. Not even knowing what New York City was, honestly. Being like, oh, this is what I want to do. And everyone is just so lovely. And singing with that orchestra, that 26-piece orchestra every night is, there's nothing like it. The audiences are incredible and so invested in the story. And I think just being able to do a Sondheim show as my first Broadway show is something, it's just really special.

[8:09] Maria Bilbao: And I just feel so honored to sing his songs and say his words every night. I love it. And yes, what an iconic Broadway debut, to be honest. It's pretty magical. It's not lost on me how amazing it is. I look around my cast and I can't believe I'm here. I can believe it, but I'm also like, wow, this is so crazy.

[8:38] Martín Acuña: Yes, it is. I want to know how has your heritage influenced your artistry as a performer?

[8:47] Maria Bilbao: The first thing that comes to mind is, you know, us as Latinos, we are so passionate about who we are and what we do and what we love. And I think that I bring that passion everywhere that I go. And also that authenticity, like I carry my culture and who I am everywhere that I go. And bringing that into a character like Joanna has been really a beautiful experience for me because I didn't know that she could be so human in a lot of ways. You know, there's been such a stereotype of how she has been played. And I think bringing my full self, my culture included, has just allowed me to dive deeper into her and honestly into all of the characters that I play. I like to bring a really huge sense of humanity and passion and like drive into them. So I just feel really lucky to have that inside of me and to carry that with me.

[10:06] Martín Acuña: I love that. And yes, I agree with you that Joanna's character is, maybe has been portrayed as this traditional ingenue, small little girl. But I love that you are able to bring your Latin side to this character and to give that twist, that little spice that we have in our blood because that changes it.

[10:38] Maria Bilbao: It does, definitely. And I was talking to someone last night who came to see the show and we were talking about this and I was like, you know, when I was 16, and that's how old Joanna is in the show, when I was 16, I was wild. I had so many opinions. And why wouldn't Joanna have the same opinions? Why wouldn't she have the same passion and drive and need for more? So yeah.

[11:04] Martín Acuña: I love it. And yes, why not? That is the main question. Why not give this character all that we are as Latin people and as humans generally to just like enhance who they are within the show? I love that.

[11:23] Maria Bilbao: I love that. What is the best thing about being a Latin artist?

[11:29] Maria Bilbao: The community. The community, there's nothing like it. And we always find each other. We always find each other in the theater community as Latinos. It's beautiful. And, you know, I have, most of the shows that I've done regionally have all been Latin-esque shows like In the Heights, Evita, On Your Feet. I did a production of Ana in the Tropics. And I am still close with all of these people. And I know that I can still lean on them if I ever need anything in the city or if I'm in a different state and they're there. I know that they always have my back. So yeah, definitely the community is just, there's nothing like it.

[12:19] Martín Acuña: Yes, absolutely. And that is something that I've built for me through these seasons, getting to know my community, my Latin people, my Latin siblings across the states and across the industry. And it's beautiful to see how people that I interviewed two years ago, three years ago, when I started this, are now like, hey, what you were doing is so valuable, not only for me, but for, I don't know, someone listened to the episode and got back to me. And it's just beautiful, that sense of belonging and community that we're building here.

[13:01] Maria Bilbao: Yes, it's a family.

[13:03] Martín Acuña: Yeah, absolutely. Who is your biggest Latin inspiration?

[13:08] Maria Bilbao: This is such a hard question. Oh, my goodness. My first one that pops into my mind is Gloria Estefan. Such a trailblazer. I think that she really, really allowed Latina artists to come into the scene. Her and Emilio did something so special that I think changed, paved the way for so many Latina artists in the pop industry and even in just entertainment in general. And she's a self-starter. She didn't take no for an answer, and she continued to be persistent and determined with what she wants, even now. She's such a queen. And just being from Miami, oh, my God, Gloria is everything.

[14:05] Martín Acuña: Yes, I love it. But you said the first one, so I guess you have others in the back of your mind.

[14:12] Maria Bilbao: Oh, my God, yes. Well, Jennifer Lopez, that's another woman who paved the way for Latinas to be on the big screen. Frida Kahlo, she's not like an entertainment person, but just who she is, who she was, is just really inspirational. Just her authenticity and her rawness in her artistry. Yeah, it's just beautiful.

[14:52] Martín Acuña: I love it. I love it. Maria, final question for you. What are your top five favorite musical theater shows?

[15:00] Maria Bilbao: In the Heights, Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods, Light in the Piazza, and number five. Ooh, number five is going to have to be Bridges in Madison County.

[15:21] Martín Acuña: I love them. What a variety.

[15:24] Maria Bilbao: Yeah, all of it.

[15:26] Martín Acuña: All classics, all nice, love them all. Maria, thank you so much for being here, for sharing your story. We cannot wait to see you succeed. We know that this is not your only Broadway show. You have a lot of way to go. We are so happy that you are enjoying your time at Sweeney. We cannot wait to see you perform on the stage. Thank you so much for being here.

[15:53] Maria Bilbao: Thank you so much for having me. Thank you.

[15:58] Martín Acuña: Thanks everyone for listening to this new episode of Backstage Talk. Remember to follow us on Facebook and Instagram at Backstage Talk Podcast.