By Andrew Gans
17 Jul 2009

Justina Machado

News, views and reviews about the multi-talented women of the musical theatre and the concert/cabaret stage.

JUSTINA MACHADO
Actress Justina Machado, best known for her portrayal of Vanessa Diaz on the award-winning HBO series "Six Feet Under," is currently making her Broadway debut in the Tony Award-winning musical In the Heights at the Richard Rodgers Theatre. Machado is temporarily filling in for Andrea Burns as the sassy hairdresser Daniela in the musical penned by Tony Award winner Lin-Manuel Miranda and Quiara Alegría Hudes. Machado, whose screen credits also include "In the Electric Mist," "The Accidental Husband" and "Pedro," was also part of the cast of the ill-fated musical The Mambo Kings, which never quite made it to Broadway, and she will be seen this fall in the new TV series "Three Rivers." Last week I had the chance to chat with the vivacious performer, who spoke about her Broadway debut, Mambo Kings and more; that brief interview follows.

Question: How did the role in In the Heights come about for you?
Justina Machado: I went to go see [In the Heights] last year in August because a friend of mine was playing the father, and I just loved, loved the show. I don't really know how [the casting came about] — just by the grace of God, me putting it out there. All I know is I loved the show and [Daniela] was my favorite part, and I [thought], "God, if I ever get the opportunity to play that role, it would just be so great." And then the opportunity came about that Andrea Burns was going away for a little bit on a vacation and they needed somebody in. I was lucky enough to be that person.

Question: Had you done much musical theatre before Heights?
Machado: No. I did Mambo Kings that never made it to Broadway. We were in San Francisco, and after San Francisco it kind of died, [so] this is only my second musical theatre thing.

Question: What was the rehearsal process like? I know sometimes you don't get that much time when you're stepping in to a role.
Machado: Exactly. It was horrible! [Laughs.] It was so funny because everybody was like, "Are you having a good time?" I was like, "No, I'm not having a good time. This is scary. This is terrible!" [Laughs.] But they said, "Don't worry, you're gonna be fine. We know that the first week is super-scary." I had two-and-a-half weeks of rehearsal. It was scary, but it all came together. They were right.

Question: What was that first night like for you onstage?
Machado: The first night I was on adrenaline. I had so much energy. I don't even remember it. It's not until the second night that you remember and you're like, "Oh, I'm supposed to be here, I'm supposed to be there." It all kind of fell in to place the first night, but I was just running on adrenaline. It's a total fog to me, a haze. [Laughs.]

	Justina Machado with Janet Dacal in In the Heights
	photo by Joan Marcus

Question: What would you say the biggest challenge has been?
Machado: I think that the biggest challenge was the music, which is so great, but it's so precise.… What I just found out, especially with this musical and this is why it's such a successful musical, is it's so precise. You really have to be on the money. I've never done anything so beautiful but yet so precise. If you're two steps on the stage to your right, literally half an inch, you can bump into another person because there's so much going on. Coming from the world of television, it's not that precise. You just have to stand on your mark, and the camera follows you. That was [the biggest challenge], being aware of everything all the time.

Question: How would you describe the character?
Machado: She's the best. I love her. She's like the matriarch… Besides Abuela, who's the matriarch, she's like next in line. She's kind of the big sister to everyone. She says it herself, "Tough love." But she really, really does love deeply. She's just no-nonsense, and she's a hustler and she's a survivor. She's funny.

Question: Do you have a favorite moment in the show for her?
Machado: I do. I think it's so funny when Vanessa's dancing with Usnavi and Sonny, and [Daniela] comes outside and breaks this beautiful [moment] and [yells], "Vanessa!!!" I think that's so funny. [Laughs.] "I'm thirsty! Come on, give me my drink!" That is one of my favorite moments.

Question: Was Broadway a dream of yours?
Machado: Oh my God, my whole life! This is all I ever wanted to do. I moved here from Chicago 15 years ago to do that and ended up in L.A. I got a job in Los Angeles five months later, and I've been in L.A. since then. But this is my main thing. I wanted to come here to do this, and I finally got here!

Question: How does the actuality of Broadway live up to what your dream of it was?
Machado: It's exactly what I thought it was gonna be. It's so rewarding, it's so amazing — and, also, to be part of a show that really means something. It truly has lived up to everything that I expected it would be.

Question: It seems like there's a real sense of family among the cast — everyone's really personally invested in the show as well.
Machado: Everyone! The stage manager said that the other day. He said, "This is just one of the most amazing groups of people I've ever worked with — they are so invested." And maybe that's why this project is so amazing, because they are. They give you everything every single night, and they're so happy to do it. There's no complaints, there's no, "I'm so tired!" It's all happiness and love over there. Continued...

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