Interview: Natascia Diaz of ONE HAND, ONE HEART: ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF LEONARD BERNSTEIN at NJPAC

Editor's Note: A special thank you to BWW writer, Katherine Rose Reardon for her assistance with this article.

On Saturday, February 18th at 7:30 pm at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), come celebrate Maestro Leonard Bernstein's 100th birthday. Famous vocalists and a four piece band will perform your favorite Bernstein classics including "Tonight", "Somewhere", "New York, New York", and may more.

Creator-director Scott Coulter and Music Director John Fischer have assembled a cast of Broadway's best to pay tribute to the musical masterpieces he created such as "America", "Some Other Time" and "Make Our Garden Grow" from Bernstein's legendary musicals like West Side Story, On the Town, and Candide.

Singers include Mary Testa, Natascia Diaz, Lisa Howard, Kelli Rabke, Max Clayton, Mike Schwitter, the award winning vocal group Marquee Five, and the Broadway by the Year Chorus featuring Alex Getlin, Chelsea Lee Wheatley, and Matt Weinstein.

Broadwayworld.com had the fascinating opportunity to chat with Natascia Diaz about her career and the upcoming show.

Diaz was born in Lugano, Switzerland to Puerto Rican opera singer Justino Diaz and Italian ballerina Anna Aragno (http://www.freewebs.com/annaaragno/). Diaz began her training at The School Of American Ballet, going on to receive a BFA with Honors from Carnegie Mellon University. After dancing the role of Anita with the New York City Ballet for their 'West Side Story Suites' helmed by Jerome Robbins, she was hand picked by Robbins and Laurents to perform the role in the subsequent National and International touring productions.

Her breakout performance as Anita won her a Chicago Jeff Award and St. Louis's Kevin Klein Award. Among New York credits are the Broadway companies and cast albums of Seussical and Man of La Mancha where she played the role of Aldonza, performing opposite Brian Stokes Mitchell. Off-Broadway, some of her credits include playing opposite Patrick Wilson in Bright Lights, Big City, directed by Micheal Greif, in Saturday Night at Second Stage, tick, tick... BOOM! opposite Joey McIntyre, and in the 2006 hit revival and cast recording of Jacques Brel.

In Washington DC, she won her first Helen Hayes Award for Best Actress in a Musical as Scottish punk-rocker Monica in Rooms. Later that year, she was featured in the Broadway documentary film, Every Little Step. Returning to NY, Diane Paulus cast her in the central role of Esmeralda Agron in The Public Theatre's re imagined production of The Capeman at the Delacorte.

Natascia was invited by Fun Home producer Mike Issacson in his inaugural season as head of The St. Louis MUNY to play Velma in Chicago directed by Denis Jones. Back in DC she performed as Jenny in The Threepenny Opera. Last year, she went from receiving her third Helen Hayes Award nomination for her performance as Anita in Signature Theatre's sold out run of West Side Story, to Othello at The Shakespeare Theatre, to the world premiere of Jen Silverman's Collective Rage at Woolly Mammoth directed by Mike Donahue.

We asked Natascia when she first realized her passion for performing. "I was surrounded by the gravity and magnitude of opera through my father Justino Diaz having been in the wings and audience from a young age. Understanding the musicality, power of movement in dance came naturally to me from my mother, Anna Aragno." Natascia was encouraged and supported from the very beginning by both of them and started her ballet training at age 3. She commented, "I am grateful to have that discipline."

Natascia told us about some of her inspirations. "My parents were, of course, my mentors. My partner, Andrew Nason (http://www.nasonworks.com/) is a practicing artist and a talented individual who shares my interests."

Natascia has traveled worldwide in her career. We wondered if she has a preferred performance venue or city where she likes to be. "I could not answer that question without reiterating how vibrant Washington DC is. I have been able to realize a diversity in my career path that I always hoped I would have. Here, I go from Shakespeare to musicals, have been able to avoid being typecast, and have found that my work has traction. Discovering DC has become a twofold blessing. I have found my significant other and the artistic direction I have been looking for. I come to NY frequently and have discovered opportunities are everywhere."

Natascia told us of one of the biggest challenges in her career. "Between acting, dancing and singing, singing always came the hardest for me. When I was cast in Man of La Mancha on Broadway I had to overcome my fear and do what was asked of me. If you're going to afford yourself opportunities, you have to be courageous. The art demands it."

Natascia told us a little about the upcoming show, One Hand, One Heart: One Hundred Years of Leonard Bernstein. "The great thing about the show's Creator and Director Scott Coulter is that he knows the pool of performers and talent. He is sensitive to people's work, where they've gone and what they've done. Scott knows that their talents can be celebrated in giving these wonderful concerts that highlight this incredible material. My father sang with Lenny (as he affectionately calls him) many times. In fact, he performed with him in the first operatic concert christening the Kennedy Center in Leonard Bernstein's famous MASS in 1971. As for me, I love performing pieces from West Side Story. I have enjoyed inhabiting and honing this role for years and I am grateful to have been so well received critically in it."

We asked Natascia about some of her plans for the future. She told us that she will be a guest professional performer in Smile Lines on the mainstage of Signature Theatre in Virginia. The play is written by Joe Calarco and will be a part of the "Signature in the Schools" series. She also told us that she remains curious about and interested in diverse, challenging work from classical theatre to musicals and looks forward to many more opportunities. Coming this spring Natascia will be featured as Mary Magdalene in Signature Theatre's Jesus Christ Superstar directed by Joe Calarco.

You can visit Natascia Diaz's web site at www.natasciadiaz.com and follow her on social media.

Watch the Sizzle reel from Natascia Diaz in West Side Story at Signature Theatre in Virginia. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iF2T69hVOB0.

Plan to enjoy an evening of well-known theatrical talent in One Hand, One Heart: One Hundred Years of Leonard Bernstein as they pay tribute to the scope of Bernstein's genius. Locations and Directions: NJPAC is located at 1 Center Street, Newark, New Jersey. For Ticketing Information, visit http://www.njpac.org/ and for additional information call 1-888-GO-NJPAC (888-446-5722).

Photo Credit: DirtySugar

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