Growing up in Louisiana, Gonzales described how his school didn’t provide much support or many opportunities in theatre. His overall inexperience left him not knowing if he would ever “be good enough” to truly pursue the art.
The apprehension that followed Gonzales into Hamilton’s Theatre Department was soon countered by the support he received from his professors, especially Mark Cryer. “Mark is the biggest cheerleader for a lot of people on campus,” he said. “He’s really motivating, and I think he sees potential in people who might not see it in themselves.”
Through his relationship with his mentor, Gonzales came to truly believe in his acting ability. He learned that by committing to working and honing his craft every day, he could see a future exploring his passion.
Gonzales’ journey to professional theatre was also shaped by the multifaceted ways in which he engaged with it. He served as co-artistic director for Hamilton’s student theatre organization Untitled@Large and founded its Comedy Night, a collection of short plays that allow inexperienced students to try their hand at all aspects of theatre and performance.
Similarly, Gonzales focused his study abroad experience on the development of his acting skills. He attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA), where he thrived in the program’s constant intensity. “I remember waking up at RADA [thinking] I cannot wait to get into the studio,” he said. “I realized, if I love [acting] this much, and I’m this happy because of it, I need to do this.”
Although almost all of his peers at RADA came from acting-only BFA programs, Gonzales espoused the success of Hamilton’s theatre program, describing it as “a major in collaboration.”
“How you talk about theatre is different when you’re around actors, designers, and stage managers,” he said. “It’s a completely different style of communication, and [at Hamilton] I was able to embrace all of it. … I think that is really unique and really nice.”
Having solidified his experience across all facets of theatre, Gonzales is focused on finding community and creating his own mark in the professional world. He will work this summer as a box office intern at the Croswell Opera House in Michigan.
However, the most important thing Gonzales will take away from College Hill is how to be resourceful. “At Hamilton, I’ve been pushed to find the things I want to work on within my craft,” he said. “We don’t have a set list of courses or clubs to join; we have to find all those things ourselves. I think I’m more than ready to do that now because of Hamilton.”
