Check Out Andrew Diego’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrew Diego.

Hi Andrew, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I was born in South America, adopted when I was a few months old, and raised outside of Boston in a Jewish family. My upbringing was simultaneously both one of privilege and one of great challenge. I had a very difficult time as a child and into my adolescence, and my home wasn’t always the safest place to be.

Music was what saved me. I started singing in middle school, though my mother tells me it began even earlier than that. But in terms of my recognizing the power and profundity of music in my own life, both as an artistic expression and as a coping mechanism, that began at Chenery Middle School in Belmont, MA and fully took off at Belmont High School, where I was active in every choir and performing arts program that was available: honors choir, jazz choir, Madrigals, a cappella… you name it. Yup… GAY! And that was another thing: understanding and embracing my sexuality in the early 2000s wasn’t easy, but I was lucky to have a robust circle of friends and fellow queers who were the fiercest allies, even though that word as we know it now hadn’t even been invented. They were that way before it was trendy, before it was expected. In those days, it was no small thing to publicly align yourself with “the gay kid” in high school and be their friend, proudly and openly. I’ve never forgotten those people.

Anyway. I went to one year of liberal arts college in Western Massachusetts, ignoring my instinct to pursue music. At Hampshire College, I sang in an cappella group with Lupita Nyong’o, as it was her last year before moving on to Yale Drama. Sometimes, I’ll email her old Hampshire address that I still have. It always bounces back, but it’s still fun. I quickly realized that Hampshire wasn’t for me. I got involved with someone I shouldn’t have, had a complete physical and emotional nervous breakdown, spent time at McLean Hospital (a mental institution in my hometown — what luck!), finished out the semester, and began planning my next move.

I discovered CalArts and it’s voice program. I became fixated on studying with a teacher there who taught Bulgarian vocal technique, which is unlike anything I’d ever heard before. It was alien, it was weird, it was beautiful. Oh, and I’d also just come back from a tour with Cirque du Soleil. I was ready to dive back into the arts head first. Luckily, I got into CalArts and made the move to Los Angeles, where I’ve been ever since.

I could write a novel on my time at CalArts, but I don’t think anyone would care that much. However, it’s at CalArts that my vocal training began, as well as my exposure to so many different styles of performance, music, visual art, dance, acting, and critical thinking. It was (and is) a vast beehive of creativity: overwhelming, chaotic, beautiful, inspiring. It’s because of CalArts that I love collaboration more than anything. Now, I actively seek out projects that blur lines and involve multiple creative disciplines. I am always looking for the thrill and spark of doing things differently. That’s a seed that was planted at 24700 McBean Parkway in Valencia.

Once I graduated, I found myself working at LA Models as an assistant in the commercial division. Mainly dealing with a lot of irritating actors or the parents of insufferable child models. That job was hell. I also had a boss who liked to drink on the job and use prescription drugs. I was smart: I recorded a lot of her tirades on my iPod so that I’d have proof of the way she’d treated me (and others). All these years later, I am proud that I had the instinct to collect that evidence. Nobody did anything to intervene back then, and I was pretty powerless and meek, but I knew it was wrong.

There are three things in life that I can’t tolerate: being ignored, being lied to, and the abuse of power.

I digress. As often happens in LA, you meet someone who knows someone and they introduce you to so and so and then this person appears, etc. That happened a lot, and I found myself doing a great deal of musical theatre, which I’d never really considered before. I won’t bore you or anyone with my resume… who cares?… but I will say this: the work that I’ve done, whether it be on the musical theatre stage, in the voiceover booth, at an industry convention, in the world of immersive theatre, as a teacher or a mentor… has all been made possible by an “Oh, f*ck it” attitude. And I mean that in the following way: once I stopped expecting life to look like what I thought it was going to look like, all of these amazing opportunities found their way to me. As they say, when one door closes, another one slams in your face. We have no choice but to forge alternative routes to wherever it is that we’re going. Truthfully, I still have no idea what I’m doing with my life, and yet, on paper, it would appear that I’m living a fulfilling and enriching life as a creative and an artist. Perhaps that’s a good place to leave things.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
That’s the thing about a life in the arts (or any life, for that matter) — it’s never a smooth road. But as I mentioned earlier, letting go of the expectation that it will somehow become a smooth road IF x, y or z happens… has been a crucial for me.

The amount of rejection in our industry is legendary. I keep a separate resume of all the jobs I didn’t book. It’s much longer and far more impressive than my real one. And it’s so valuable to look back on and realize how many rooms I’ve been in, how many conversations I’ve been a part of, how many sides I’ve learned. Sure, it would be nice to get the job, always. But it’s just as important if not more so, to recognize the incredible tenacity and courage it takes to keep going and keep growing.

The biggest obstacle I face is my own self-doubt and self-loathing. Nothing that the outside world has thrown at me, as f*ck*d up or as difficult as it might have been, has ever been something I couldn’t handle. I always manage to come out on the other side, stronger and more assured. But the sinister shit that my own mind is able to concoct is impressive. It’s an ongoing battle, me vs. me.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m an actor, singer, visual artist, and mime. I am a classically trained baritone and I specialize in the lieder of Schubert, Strauss, and Schumann. I also sing traditional Balkan music, which is highly ornamental and an entirely unique style of vocal production. I’ve also appeared on musical theatre stages across Los Angeles; a few of my favorite credits include St. Jimmy (American Idiot), Caiaphas (Jesus Christ Superstar), Carmen Ghia (The Producers), Hanschen (Spring Awakening) and Jetsam (The Little Mermaid).

What I am most proud of is my work within the immersive theatre and location-based entertainment (LBE) realms. For a decade now, I’ve been a part of some truly extraordinary productions, often in collaboration with Mycotoo, which is a global entertainment development company specializing in theme park design, immersive experiences, and best-in-class events worldwide.

Most recently, I completed a three-year involvement with Netflix and their “Stranger Things” live experiences, the first iteration of which began in 2020 at the height of the pandemic in Downtown Los Angeles. It was designed specifically for guests to drive through in the safety of their own cars and thus was known as “Stranger Things: The Drive-Into Experience.” I performed over 1,000 shows as a Russian Military General who pursued those troublemakers Robin and Steve while we all tried to survive those naughty demogorgons. My Russian-accented voice was also used in the audio track that each of the cars would tune in to. Occasionally, I’d also don a white wig to play Dr. Brenner and snap at Eleven.

It was then my pleasure to be a part of the early stages of development on the next in-person iteration of “Stranger Things: The Experience,” which ultimately I joined as an actor on the West Coast Tour, visiting San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Seattle. I was part of a team that trained new actors in each city and maintained creative integrity during the show’s run while also performing myself five days a week, up to 20 shows per day. It was grueling work but enormously gratifying. I mostly played Dr. Alex Mathers in the Rainbow Room, who makes some rather extraordinary discoveries about our test subjects… I mean… our friends. Find it on YouTube!

Each city had its own unique energy, and the show completely evolved with each new cast. I reached a point where my greatest joys on the project weren’t my own performances but rather witnessing my fellow cast members soar. I felt so proud when they’d make bold choices or figure out a creative solution to a problem they were having during a scene; to have been a small part of helping them achieve these things was always a thrill. That said, I performed over 1,200 shows, and so there was a great sense of completion when my contract came to an end in May 2023. The world of “Stranger Things” has been a part of my professional life in some form or another since 2020, which is extraordinary to think about.

What sets me apart from others? That’s a good question. You should probably ask them, actually, since I don’t pay that much attention to other people (I mean that in the best way possible). But I can tell you that I work really hard. I make sure I am prepared. I do my homework. I take things very seriously, which probably means I’m not the most fun to work with at times, but I don’t care. I have a chameleonic ability to morph into a multitude of different characters, while still infusing them with a distinct flavor that’s all my own. The older I get, the more I recognize what my brand is, and I enjoy the process of both expanding and refining it.

A few other immersive projects I’m most proud to have been a part of:
– Impact Winter x Audible at San Diego Comic-Con 2023
– Westworld at CES 2020 and Wired25
– Fallout 76 at Electronic Entertainment Expo 2018
– Blade Runner 2049 at San Diego Comic-Con 2017

And the role that first brought me into the world of immersive theatre and LBE:
The Ringmaster at Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor, an unforgettable Halloween event that took place on and next to The Queen Mary in Long Beach. I played The Ringmaster from 2014-2019 along with my dearest friend Peggy Magee, who originated the role so brilliantly in 2013. Nothing prepares you for a part like that other than doing it. You quickly realize what will be required to make it through the season. Every night, I discovered what I thought my limits were, and then I figured out how to push them even further. The entire experience was a master class in improvisation, and I am so fortunate I got to inhabit and return to that character over so many years. I credit The Ringmaster with giving me the tools necessary for every project I’ve worked on since.

Who else deserves credit in your story?
Too many to name. They know who they are, and I tell them often.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: instagram.com/itsandrewdiego
• Facebook: facebook.com/hisroyalheiness
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@itsandrewdiego