On The Road: Ixchel Cuellar

Hello babes! Today I want to introduce you to my new friend, Ixchel Cuellar. She grew up in San Francisco and is a proud Penn State alumna. My favorite fun fact about Ixchel is she made her Broadway debut in April 2016 in Finding Neverland BEFORE she even graduated from college! (PLUS she only had four days of rehearsal before making her debut. Craziness.) You all know I absolutely love babes who chase down their dreams! Ixchel is a little brunette ball of sunshine and I’m so happy she agreed to this On The Road interview and photoshoot with local photographer Kate Burkholder while she was in Tucson, Arizona with the Finding Neverland national tour. Unfortunately, the tour has closed, but click here to follow Ixchel’s NYC adventures. Happy reading!

How long have you been a performer?

I guess officially I have been performing since I was like nine-ish? But my dad was in a band when i was a kid and I used to sneak on stage with him and dance with him during his shows, that probably started when I was about two.

When did you realize that you wanted to be on Broadway?

My mom put me in a musical theatre camp when I was nine and everyone around me wouldn’t stop talking about this new show Wicked. So for my 10th birthday I asked if my parents could take me to see the tour, which was stopping in San Francisco. This is so cliche, but when I saw that show my little ten year old self cried because I knew that this is what I wanted to do. To sing and dance on Broadway.

What was your "big break"?

I feel like so far, I have had two.

The first one is when I booked the summer season at Pittsburgh CLO and got offered my equity card. Taking my card felt like a big step to take while I was still in college, but that step provided so many other fantastic opportunities throughout college.

Which leads to my second “big break”. Because I had my card I would come to the city during my senior year of college to audition. This brought me to a random ECC for Finding Neverland, one thing led to another and I got to make my Broadway Debut!!!

What is your favorite show you've ever worked on?

In The Heights! It’s my favorite show so when I got to do it, it was TRULY a dream come true. Also, I absolutely fell in love with everyone in the show and at the Fulton (the theatre where I did the show). It could not have been a more perfect experience.

How did you feel on the night you made your Broadway debut?

INSANE! Honestly, I think I blacked out a little while it was happening. One of my lifelong dreams came true very quickly and I was so shook that I couldn’t process what was happening. One thing I do remember though was as I was stepping out on stage for the opening number Rory Donovan, another ensemble member, linked his arm with mine and said “Your broadway debut is happening right now, take in this moment. You did it.” I took in that moment and the rest is a blur. Hahah

How long were you on tour with Finding Neverland?

I was on tour with Neverland for about six and a half months.

What are some items you absolutely can't live without backstage?

Water. Water. Deodorant. Ricola’s.

What is your favorite thing about your job?

Seeing young faces in the audience getting completely transported through the magic of theatre.

What is the most challenging part of being an actor on tour?

I think the hardest part about being away on tour is not having friends or family around. I am a wanderer at heart, so seeing and living in new places is very exciting to me. However, my friends and family are my home so when I was away I really missed that familiarity. Thank goodness for facetime!

What is the best advice you've ever been given?

“You have nothing to prove, only to share”

What piece of advice would you give your 18 year old self?

To not sell yourself short. For so long I confused self- deprecation with being humble. I spent so many years saying “I wasn’t a singer” or “I don’t sing” in order to stay humble. But really I was reinforcing self- doubt which left no room for growth. I have learned to replace the “i’m not’s” and “i cant’s” with “I AM” and “I CAN!”, it has done wonders for my work and my growth in all areas of this business. This job is so grueling and impossible if you don’t love yourself.

What advice would you give to a young person who wants to pursue a career in the arts?

Believe in yourself! Every artist has something so special and unique to offer to this world and we have to believe that that is good enough. Yes, work on your craft and take class but your authenticity is rare, beautiful, and human… so take that humanity with you everywhere you go. Humanity is undeniable.