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Dan Guerrero performed a critically acclaimed world premiere run of ¡Gaytino! in Los Angeles during the spring of 2006 produced by the Center Theatre Group. His last stage musical performance was in an off-Broadway show in 1973. That’s a long time between bows. He began his eclectic career in New York where he was a successful theatrical agent with clients in the original casts of countless Broadway musicals in the years from A Chorus Line to Cats.
Guerrero most recently co-produced and co-wrote Lalo Guerrero: The Original Chicano, an award-winning documentary on his late father, Chicano music legend Lalo Guerrero.
Guerrero has been twice honored by the distinguished Imagen Foundation for his positive portrayal of the Latino culture in his work and Hispanic Magazine recognized him as “one of the 25 most powerful Latinos in Hollywood.”
You-Tu: How does an accomplished agent/producer transfer over to stage performer?
DG: They both feed each other. I have segued over these many years through several careers.
YT: Where did you start?
DG: I started as a performer in NY in the 60’s, and started as an agent in the 70’s, did that for a dozen years for Broadway and then came out to LA where I started producing and directing.
YT: But you wanted to perform?
DG: Then I came up with this idea and started performing again with this particular show. I still produce and direct in the middle of it all. Each of those has fed the next one. Whatever I learned as a performer helped me as an agent. When I started producing, what I learned as an agent helped me. It all served me very well.
YT: Sounds like this was all very natural for you.
DG: When I first came up with the idea for ¡Gaytino! my producing was incredibly valuable because I was setting up readings, getting the theatre filled, all that. I knew how to do everything because of my producing years. It was a wonderful feeling to do it for the first time off-book with a director.
YT: What was it like having a director?
DG: I noticed this light moving to slow during a performance so when I finished and the director said, “You know that light is moving too slowly.” I thought how fabulous, somebody’s taking care of me. Trust me, as an agent and producer you are a baby sitter. I remember thinking how nice that someone is going to do this for me. I get to just wear my performer hat. It all works very well.
YT: Do you consider yourself more a performer or a producer?
DG: I think I am a performer all the time. I am the son of a performer. I grew up with it. Even though producing is considered a behind the scenes job, I have always been a very visible producer. Meaning if I am producing an awards show I will always introduce somebody or speak on stage at some point. I’ve always been very much in front. I’m a performer.
YT: ¡Gaytino! is the only play of its kind that we know of, right?
DG: There have been other shows but the thing that makes it unique is that mine is completely autobiographical and I have had an incredibly interesting life living in those two worlds at a time when it wasn’t as common. When you look at the Mexican-American experience in the 50’s, it is very different from today. That’s what makes it unique is that I have witnessed and been a part of this long history. That’s why I worked on a documentary about my dad.
YT: Did you always want to do a documentary on your father?
DG: The reason I always thought it was important to have a documentary was not just because he accomplished a great deal, which that alone made it worth it, but his career is Chicano history because he always wrote about what was going on with us. “Lalo Guerrero the Original Chicano” aired on PBS and is the story of Chicano history through his music and career and ¡Gaytino! is very much like that as well. I don’t consider it just my story, it is Chicano history and how I embrace being a Chicano.
Have you always been an out gay man?
DG: Yes always. I was never in. I was always out. I didn’t wear hoop earrings and a peasant blouse but I grew up at a time when I got the usual name calling but I was who I was. Then I moved to New York City at 19 and there you could be almost anything and no one cares and I got involved in Musical Theatre.
YT: It never interfered with your career in any way?
DG: It was never an issue and when I moved back to LA in the late 80’s and started producing I wouldn’t push people to buy tickets to the Gay and Lesbian Ball. I was never that kind of a gay, but everybody knew. Everybody accepted it. They all knew that Richard was my partner because we have been together 27 years. It was just a given. It’s often been a big deal for others but not with me. I knew at a very early age and I always just accepted it. It has always been part of who I am.
YT: Do you think that your show is a positive influence to help others in a similar circumstance?
DG: I KNOW it is. I’ll tell you why, they come back stage. I wrote ¡Gaytino! as a positive look at being gay and Chicano. I know that both have worked because people tell me. I did not write it for a gay audience or a Latino audience. Obviously they are drawn to it but what was the point of preaching to the choir.
YT: Do you consider yourself an activist?
DG: Yes, I guess I am without really trying to be, but because of what I do I just am, like my Dad was a Latino activist just by being himself.
¡Gaytino! Will be performed as part of the Latino Laugh Festival at 7:30 on Saturday, June 23 at the King King Theatre
6555 Hollywood Blvd. Phone 323 960-5765 www.latinolaughfestival.com
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