Interview: Spotlight On Artist and Performer Gonzalo Aburto de la Fuente

New York City-based artist and performer Gonzalo Aburto de la Fuente opened up to Broadway World for an exclusive interview! His profile Q+A is below:

BWW: Tell us about your career so far!
GON: I feel extremely proud and grateful with where I'm at with my career. I'm originally from Mexico City, and I started doing theatre to focus and redirect my energy as a kid, but quickly found it to be my safe space. I tried to find something that felt more tangible, but once I moved to San Antonio, TX, I got back into acting and realized there was nothing else that could fulfill me the same way. The rest, as they say, is history... and we'll cover in the next few questions.

BWW: Where did you go to school?

GON: I went to the Weitzenhoffer School of Musical Theatre at The University of Oklahoma. I learned about their program while I was in high school in Texas, and it became one of my dream options. I still wasn't quite sure about going into performing, so I auditioned for hundreds of programs, and got offered a cumulative $750,000 in scholarships! I even considered going into Costume Design, but after visiting OU I quickly fell in love with their campus and theatre program and knew that was where I had to be.

BWW: What were some of your favorite roles you performed there?
GON: One of my favorite roles at OU was Man 2 in Songs For A New World. I love Jason Robert Brown's work in general, but this musical is particularly special to me, as it was my last university show. The song cycle structure opens small windows into several different stories with varying struggles, but it also showcases their similarities. This allows audiences to connect with the material, which stays as relevant now as ever. Another role I loved was Fector in Dogfight, my first show at OU. The show starts with so much energy, but quickly tugs at your heart. I got to perform with most of my closest friends and really bond through what we all love. We even had to shave our heads!

BWW: What have you done professionally since graduating that has been exciting or
unique?
GON: There's a production you might be familiar with, I got to play Sonny in Grease at the Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma! Due to covid, we got to perform fully outdoors in a high school stadium in Oklahoma, which felt totally appropriate to the show. It was a production that truly captivated the attention of the media and locals, with one of their biggest casts to date, real vintage cars, excellent performances, and of course all the classic music from the hit movie.

Since moving to NYC, I have also gotten to work on some amazing TV shows. You can now catch me as Wyatt in Uncoupled on Netflix. This is a new show starring Neil Patrick Harris, and created by Jeffrey Richman and Darren Star, the creators of Sex and the City, Emily in Paris, Modern Family, and so many more. It was unreal to get to work with these giants just weeks after moving to the city! Quickly after wrapping Uncoupled, I got to work on one of my all-time favorite shows on HBO Max as well! They haven't announced a release date, but more information should be coming soon.

BWW: What's your dream role?
GON: I have many, so choosing is a little hard. My quick answer has always been Raoul because Phantom of the Opera was one of the first shows that made me love this art form. There's also Marius in Les Misérables, Melchior in Spring Awakening, or to lighten it up, Emilio Estefan in On Your Feet.

BWW: When you're not acting or preparing for roles, what are some of your favorite time-off activities?
GON: My absolute favorite place, as basic as it might be, is the gym. It's a place where
I can just listen to my favorite music and tune the rest of the world out for a few hours. Being relatively new to NYC, I also love going on walks or bike rides, exploring the city, trying new restaurants, and finding cool events happening around is so easy!

BWW: What do you think audiences should know about you?
GON: I absolutely love my family with all my heart and have always felt empowered by them. I'm the middle child of five artistic and musical children, with two of the most supportive parents we could have ever asked for. We moved to the US almost 10 years ago for my siblings and me to have a brighter, better future. This is something I have continued to uphold and fight for, up to this very day with my new work visa process. I even dedicated my degree to them, with my cap reading "Cuando me vean volar, recuerden que ustedes me pintaron las alas - para mi familia" ("When you see me fly, remember you're the ones who painted my wings - To my family"). They are the force that keeps me going, and I will always take an opportunity to remind them of this.

Follow Gonzalo on Instagram! @gonzalo_aburto

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