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[0:00] Mo Brady: You're listening to The Ensemblist, the only podcast that shows you Broadway from the inside out. Welcome, I'm Mo Brady.

[0:27] Mo Brady: Today we celebrate the life and career of Doreen Montalvo, who passed away last week, breaking the hearts of many of her friends and colleagues. Doreen was a legend in the Broadway Ensemblist community, originating the role of the Bolero singer in In the Heights. She was also an original company member of On Your Feet, where she understudied the role of Gloria Fajardo. Most recently, she was in the ensemble and played the role of Janet Lundy in the new Broadway musical Mrs. Doubtfire. Many of her friends and colleagues were gracious enough to share memories of their work and time with Doreen, which we are sharing with you today. You'll hear from Jocelyn Bioh, Natalie Caruncho, Shani Talmor, Linedy Genao, Analise Scarpaci, and Alèna Watters.

[1:35] Jocelyn Bioh: For Doreen. Doreen Montalvo, man, and I lived in the same building many years ago. I was a struggling actor and I was obsessed with In the Heights, of which Doreen was an original cast member. One day she and I were waiting for the elevator together. It was clear she was just getting home from a show that night and I worked up the nerve to say, hey, you're really amazing. I've seen the show four times and I love your voice. She was so touched and we struck up a conversation. She talked about having a weird show that night and even how invisible she sometimes felt being in the ensemble, a perspective that had never even occurred to me, one who was so desperate to even touch a Broadway stage. She let me share with her the shit day I had had, waiting all day at an open call only to not get seen, the life of a non-union actor.

We stood in the hallway and talked for over an hour that night. She let me cry and be vulnerable. We shared how hopeless this business can make you feel sometimes, but she made me feel like I was an actor, not just aspiring. That night we were just two artists on different career levels talking truths. She inspired me to keep pushing and she told me I inspired her to always remember how hard she's worked and even better, we became friends. I slipped a note under her door after In the Heights won the Tony Award for Best Musical that June. When I briefly decided to become a photographer to make some extra money, Doreen let me practice my skills on her by coaching me through the art of taking a great headshot.

She sent me the sweetest note when I finally booked my first Broadway show and was even more thrilled when my play was produced. I went to see every show she was in and was excited to support her in her new Broadway show. I'm so sad I won't get that opportunity. Our friendship was based on reminding each other to remember our light and that's truly what she was, a shining, beautiful and talented light. I didn't even know how much I would miss her until I read that she was gone. May she rest in infinite power.

[3:47] Natalie Caruncho: Hi, this is Natalie Caruncho. So thinking about Doreen, I didn't realize until recently that I've known Doreen on and off for 11 years. When she was going to take over for Gloria Fajardo, she obviously already knew the part. She had been understudying it, she had worked on it in the lab, but now it was going to be hers and so part of the process was she was going to have some rehearsal. One of the things I was going to do with her was have a ballet bar. I think we did it maybe three times or something. Doreen showed up to Ripley Greer, we had the bar at the center, and she showed up like ready to go. I was saying to somebody the other day, it feels like that joy, that transparency that we see in kids where they're just like, show me, like a sponge, like eager, and that's how she was.

She just stood there like just present. And at something so small like a ballet bar gave her such joy. And then seeing her on stage just like eat it up, you know, every day, you know, she just didn't, she didn't miss a beat. And I think she did that certainly on stage and definitely off in her experiences with other people. And I know I always felt very seen by her and very loved. And I feel like we've all gained this beautiful star in the sky that can be a reminder to us to be a little better and love a little more and check our ego at the door and just show up like Doreen did as an example and for all of us. And I think that's pretty special.

[6:01] Shani Talmor: Hi, my name is Shani Talmor. Doreen was one of the kindest human beings I've ever met. She was the nicest and the sweetest to everyone she ever met. She helped me with all my questions since I was such a newbie and she helped me feel super loved and accepted. I was shocked that this superstar from In the Heights is being my friend. I respected her so much and I could not believe she was so, so humble and down to earth. One of the times that she went on to be Gloria Fajardo, she wanted to practice. She always wanted to make that part better and better. Even if she went on multiple times already, she still wanted to rehearse every single time. One of those times she texted me if I can come early to the theater and work with her for a bit.

When I came, she already had the dress on, which I found very cute and committed. Side note, she loved that dress. She loved wearing that gold huge dress. Anyways, she said she doesn't know always what to do with her hands and she wants to play with the dress and if I can help her. We ended up rehearsing for about 10 minutes just so she can get practice moving with the dress in some new ways and being graceful and not think on stage. Of course, within the choreography, we didn't change anything, but overall just being more comfortable. She killed that part that night. She came to me after and said, did you see? I did the thing with the dress that you showed me. And I said, yes, Doreen, you are a star, you are a queen, you killed it.

And she was. She did. She lived on that stage and always gave her 110% in any role she ever played. But it was super important for her to deliver when she was on for Gloria Fajardo and she enjoyed that dance break so much. She used to tell me how much she loves when the guys lead her in a certain way and she feels comfortable like that and ask me questions about lead and follow just because she knows I do salsa. And I felt so honored to be able to give her some of my knowledge and help her because to me she was on a pedestal, one of the stars.

[8:39] Linedy Genao: Hey, it's Linedy Genao and I wanted to share...

[8:50] Linedy Genao: One of my most precious memories with the late and incredible Doreen Montalvo Man. She is the reason I found my soulmate and am engaged to the love of my life. She was our Cupid and I will never ever ever forget that day and will always love her forever because of that even more. It was now five years ago, we were out to dinner at the Lamb's Club for our friend Liz Ramos' husband's birthday. Liz Ramos' husband is a stagehand just like my fiancé Anthony. He was invited to the dinner as well and he had been working at On Your Feet as a swing. And so we were at a long dinner table and it was literally the game of telephone. Doreen had always been telling me, do you think Anthony's cute? And I'm like, yeah, but I just went through a breakup.

I don't want to be with anyone. And he was going through a divorce, so he was on the same boat. But she was persistent and she was like, I'm going to make this work for you. She asked me, do you think he's cute? And I was like, yeah, he's cute. And I don't know. By the time I got to him, I have no idea what, you know, you know, the game of telephone that what you actually say is never really what the last person hears. But literally that night, she was like, the lady thinks you're cute. He thinks you're cute. So why don't you guys just try it out? And so the next day he wasted no time and asked me for my phone number and we are together five years later. Doreen's husband, Michael, is also a stagehand.

So all of the guys knew each other from the business and it was just an instant family from the get go. And I will never forget that. And, you know, one of the things that breaks my heart is Doreen is the reason I'm going to get married. And I wanted her at my wedding and she will be honored at my wedding because it is because of her that I have found my forever and I will be forever indebted to her for that and for so many other things. Since the day she met me, she said, I want you to be with someone girly and you will. I thank her for that, for introducing me to Anthony and making sure that we just even spoke more than a conversation just at work on thank you for paging the curtain for me or thank you for this and that, but just on a deeper level. And I will remember her forever for that.

[11:28] Analise Scarpaci: I don't entirely know how to wrap my head around the fact that she's gone. Doreen was such an incredible human being and I will always cherish our friendship forever. During our Doubtfire run in Seattle, she always made sure I was taken care of and had everything I needed since she knew it was the farthest and longest I had ever been away from home. Every night she would ask me how many days it was until my parents came. One, because she knew how much I missed them and two, because she was so excited to meet them. When the day finally came, Doreen couldn't have been kinder to my parents. Doreen was always a part of my family, but this really assured me that she was going to be a part of my family's life forever.

Doreen's talent was beyond comparison. I always loved watching her dance her butt off as Julia Child and watching her be a female boss icon as Janet Lundy. I used to love hearing her powerful voice as she sang on stage and off. During one of our final tech rehearsals for Broadway, the full cast waited in our spots as they were lighting As Long As There Is Love, our final number. One of our cast members told the most hilarious story and I will never forget uncontrollably laughing and looking at Doreen as we belly laughed until we cried. I never could have imagined that March 12th would be the last day I would ever see Doreen in person and that September 25th would be the last time I saw her face in a Brady Bunch box on my computer and hear her voice. I wish I could tell her how grateful I am to have shared the stage with her bright light, but more importantly, I am so honored to have been her friend and that she was a part of my life.

[13:23] Jocelyn Bioh: I met Doreen in 2016 doing a developmental reading of a new musical, Frida. We were aware of and recognized one another, but had never actually worked together, and from the very beginning, she was warm, welcoming, excited, and grateful to be a part of creating something new and excited and curious about everyone involved. She was one of those beautiful humans who has an authentic curiosity about who you are, where you come from, and was truly interested and enthusiastic about creating connection and quality time together both inside and outside of the theatrical office, if you will. On the first day of rehearsal, even though we'd only had that brief experience working together, we were both so excited to have the opportunity to connect as colleagues and to grow our friendship through the new musical, Mrs. Doubtfire.

Witnessing Doreen throughout our process was a joy to not only see her shine in her feature role as Janet Lundy, but to also see her off to the side of the rehearsal room working so diligently with choreography that she felt challenged with. Oh, and when we got to the theater, she was game to play backstage, and we would make each other laugh with silly dressing room remixes of whatever songs were playing on the monitor as we prepped for our next scenes. It's surreal that she's gone. She was a dedicated, talented, incredibly kind woman with a fantastic work ethic and was the epitome of having gratitude in one's attitude. On a personal level, and I've heard this from many people, Doreen made me feel like family.

I confided in her that for years I hadn't known a part of my ancestry. My dad was adopted and didn't know his father's background, but we suspected there might be Italian or Hispanic ancestry in the mix. I shared with her that growing up, I was immersed in Puerto Rican and Mexican culture through close friends in school and have felt a bond with Hispanic culture for as long as I can remember. Then I shared with her that I finally got a DNA test that confirmed that I do have some Spanish and Portuguese in my DNA, but that the percentage of the ancestry in my blood is small. I felt uncertain if it was okay to celebrate and own that part of myself as an artist. Doreen brushed aside my worry and with such love in her eyes, she said something like, oh chica, you are familia.

And I didn't realize until now how healing her love and acceptance was for me, never knowing for sure what part of my ancestry was. And Doreen wholeheartedly affirmed, accepted, and celebrated all parts of me. She was a loving, exuberant, enthusiastic, talented, hardworking, dedicated, and open-hearted woman. And having this stunning Latina performer love me as her friend is a great blessing of my life. Her love, acceptance, and celebration of me and all the people she loved, which was so many, means the world to me. I can't believe she's gone. We've lost a huge loving light in this world. She was a magnetic performer and a connective human being. And she may be gone, but her brightness has left a lasting mark on my life and so many others. What a woman.

[16:49] Mo Brady: Special thanks to Analise Scarpaci, Jacqueline Bieu, Natalie Caruncho, Shani Talmor, Linedy Genao, and Alèna Watters for sharing their stories with us today. The Ensemblist was produced today by me, Mo Brady. There are two great ways you could be helping The Ensemblist right now. One is by leaving us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. And the second is by becoming a Patreon member, which you can do at patreon.com slash The Ensemblist. Please follow The Ensemblist wherever you listen to podcasts, on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or at bpn.fm, the home of Broadway Podcast Network. You can also follow us on Instagram. Thanks for listening. Until next time.