Last week I was lucky enough to see “Once The Musical” on Broadway (which is amazing and if you have the ability to see it, I definitely would) and meet Carlos Valdes, who is in the show. He was unbelievably incredible, just phenomenally talented. And how can you not love a guy who thanks the StarKids in his bio?
After the show, he was one of the last to come out for stagedooring and I was getting nervous that he wouldn’t come out so when he did, my mom and I both went, “Carlos!” and he grinned and came over to us first. I told him what a great job he did and how it was so incredible to see him on Broadway because I was a huge StarKid, and as soon as I said StarKid, this giant grin appeared on his face. He was so genuinely happy to see a StarKid there who had known his work before this. I asked him a bunch of questions about random stuff, including Gibson Fleck (the original musical he wrote with AJ Holmes and Ali Gordon about two years ago). He said that with kickstarters and everything, they might dust off the old soundtrack that they had recorded and either try to master it up or re-do it or something.
He probably talked to us for a good 10-15 minutes (which at a stagedoor is like hours because actors usually move pretty quickly from person to person) and it was just so wonderful to get to finally have a conversation with someone who I’ve admired for a number of years now.
This is me (looking absolutely hideous because it was humid that day and humidity and Jewfros do not mix well) and Carlos:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY CARLOS!! I hope you have an incredible day and an even better next year of your life. You deserve the world and I’m so lucky that I got to be a part of this journey, even for a moment.
-Adina
