Woman of the Month: Julia Estrada

Hi, Hola, Jambooooo! I'm back with another woman of the month highlight! *insert cheers and screams* this gal is a gem of a person and is a talented beast. (she's not an actual beast, she's a very pretty gal). And her name is Julia Estrada! Julia and I met through a mutual friend a while back and she is currently living in NYC and taking on this business like a champ. I was excited for this interview in particular because she and I share the same passion for activism as well as empowerment for women of color. And as of last night, she just closed her production of Evita at ACT Connecticut where she starred as the title role: Eva Perón. Woohooo!

Q: You’re currently playing the title role of Eva Perón in the musical Evita. Why do you think a show like this is important for women in 2018?

A: Firstly, to have a woman at the center of a story is important. The success of Evita should influence other storytellers to focus on women throughout history. At its inception, Evita was the passion project of a group of white, middle-aged, English men who tried to understand the mystery of Eva Maria Perón’s life. What they created is a masterpiece, and deserves acclaim, however it should not be beyond criticism. The piece can’t help but bare the scars of the male gaze. For example, Eva’s climb to fame, shown through the song “Good Night and Thank You” resembles prostitution, a historical claim that has been refuted time and time again. Did they focus on sex for the dramatics? Or did they believe, as many do, that a woman’s greatest and possibly only tool is her body? I’ve now been a part of two productions of Evita, both productions have involved majority male creative teams. These are talented, progressive, and informed men, who approached the story with love and care. What could be missing is a variation of perspective. The actors involved can add perspective, but perhaps something can be gained if the director, the driver of the production’s vision, understood what is was like to walk through the world as a woman.

Q: What are some ways that you feel that you can challenge yourself as well as other young women in our business to do when it comes to supporting other women?

A: It’s the year of the woman. With the prominence of the MeToo movement in Hollywood, our industry is already moving towards more inclusive and supportive environments, but so much can still be done to make sure all are set up to succeed in this industry. Something that I strive towards every day is creating a healthy and professional environment with very clear lines of consent. Our industry is a bit of an enigma when it comes to professional work environments. We’re dealing with themes of sex, abuse, power struggles, etc., everyday with the material we tackle. We’re asked to touch each other, kiss, grope, for the sake of the story. It’s our job. But it is also our job to make sure we’re having those conversations with the people we share contact with. I remember an actress once asking me in rehearsal if she could give me a pat on the butt during a scene. In the scene she played my mother, and she had an instinct to do so, but wanted to check in with me before she incorporated it. I’ve experienced the opposite of this, where actors have “lost themselves” in a scene and it resulted in inappropriate or unplanned contact. I’m guilty of this, but I’m coming to understand that similar to memorizing lines, memorizing and sticking to rehearsed movements is crucial for the success and comfort of all on stage. These are truly ways in which I can challenge myself to support everyone in the industry, however based on the societal construct of gender, I believe women have, more often than men, felt the burden of an unprofessional or inappropriate work environment.

Q:Being an actress of color, what is something you feel that we as a community can do to make more of an effort for color conscious?

A: Never underestimate the power of your story and never discount someone else’s story. In this industry, its easy to get wrapped up in the idea that all performers have a similar experience within this industry. It is not until you share your story and hear the stories of others that you can truly comprehend each person’s unique experience, and how it might relate or differ from your own. Everyone will have different hurdles, different advantages, different insecurities, etc. Understanding this will help develop empathy within our industry and help avoid the development of assumptions about actors and their experiences. These conversations are especially important for those on your “team,” for instance your agents. I had an experience where I was involved in a highly controversial production. The controversy surrounded the casting of caucasian actors in Latinx roles. I was grateful to be a part of the production, but my discomfort was palpable before we even began rehearsals. I called my agent in a bit of a frenzy, worried that I had unintentionally placed myself in an environment that was not only unsupportive of actors of color, but one that actively silenced that voices of people of color. I thankfully had very supportive agents who listened to my story. I described how my work thus far has been in support of actors of color and their inclusion in this industry, and my chief concern potentially being on the ‘wrong side of history’ by taking part in this production. The agent who I talked to shared his own story and history with the topic of color conscious theatre. Our conversation shaped how I saw the entire experience and vice versa, I think its shapes how my agents have sought out appointments for me.

Happy Closing to the Julia and cast and crew of Evita at ACT Connecticut! Stay tuned for more posts and Happy (early) Thanksgiving!