Meet Julio Arroyo (Piragua Guy)
Meet Julio Arroyo (Piragua Guy)If you won $96,000 from the lottery, what would you do with it?
In thirds: save/invest, give to my parents/sister & donate
Who’s someone in your life that’s not blood-related, but who you would consider to be family?
I’m fortunate to have a good group of close friends back home and here in my adopted LA. I consider them all family.
What was your neighborhood like when you were growing up? What’s that neighborhood like now?
We were one of the first Latino families to move to Bushwick Brooklyn. It was predominantly Irish and Italian then. That completely changed as I grew up. By the time I was in junior high we had a reputation for being an unsafe neighborhood. In the last 10 years gentrification, although quite slowly, is the trending movement.
What’s your favorite photo from your childhood? What’s your family’s favorite photo?
I have a few. One is of my mom and I on a trip to Ecuador, where my maternal side of the family was raised. The second is of my dad and I.
Where do you call “home”?
NYC & LA
Tell me about someone in your life that made sacrifices for you to succeed.
My mother made many sacrifices to provide for us. She, along with my grandmother, are examples of strength to me.
If you met your character on the street, would you have a beer together? If not, which character would you share a pint with?
ABSOLUTELY! I grew up with the piragueros out of the streets on hot Summer days. I’d want to drink with ALL the characters! Separately and as a group. Though I’d opt for wine or a cocktail instead.
Do you have a favorite moment in the play?
I am absolutely in love with this show for many reasons. The setting, the music, the context. I can identify with it personally, I’m part Puerto Rican or, as we prefer to say, Boricua. My stepfather is Dominican and I spent a lot of time on the island growing up. Additionally NYC is my birthplace and where I grew up. I was a teaching artist back home at various locations. One in particular, Bronx Theatre HS, was the first stop out of Manhattan. My walk to the school is almost identical to the set.
What was your first job in theater?
This is my first paying gig in theatre.
What excites you about this story and why should people come see it?
Positive Latino stories, rich in heart and culture, and true to the American Dream, are rarely recognized in the mainstream let alone garner as many accolades as In The Heights has. And yet the rich and varied cultures of Latin America have become the majority of the US population. It’s disheartening that skin tone, economic status and language barriers are allowed to create separation between ourselves and our very own compatriots, whose parents and grandparents went through similar struggles and moved here for similar reasons. We all have amazing stories to tell but they are not being told. There are only three Broadway shows I can think of — West Side Story, Evita and In The Heights that are Latino based, and West Side Story is on the fence for me as most of the major numbers belong to the Jets. Only three? That is frustrating for an American of Latino heritage that grew believing in the promise of equal opportunity. Artists have it bad enough as it is. The same is true for other races. There are not many opportunities for non-white actors to be in a stage show that celebrates their heritage the way In The Heights does. To me, this show is about recognition, celebration, overcoming obstacles, making strides and progress. It is about the essence of the dreams of every single individual and family that took a leap of faith leaving behind what they know and choosing to cross a border in search of more.
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