Meet Raymond Abel Tomas

Today we’d like to introduce you to Raymond Abel Tomas.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Raymond. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My journey began in middle school. A friend convinced me to audition for a local youth theatre organization First Stage Players. I had not done any theatre prior to that. After the audition and getting in, I saw my first musical – A Chorus Line- and the rest was history.

Theatre and performance were in my veins, I didn’t know it until I got onstage for the first time. The stage felt like home- more so that my actual home. Weird, I know.

I performed and competited in theatre events (theatre competition is a thing! And it’s cutthroat and serious!) in high school. I was not the typical theatre nerd in high school- but I was known for performing.

I studied acting, directing, and performance in undergrad – then my life took a weird turn. I was not a healthy person, I’ll just say that much, but I found my way again.

I have currently turned my journey from high school to the present into comedic storytelling- so you can come see one of my performances and see how that turned out. Shameless plug! (Laughs)

I recently moved to Los Angeles in 2018 and I was given a fast track pass to the industry. I was cast in the all-Latinx version of “The Diary of Anne Frank” and the news went worldwide that the story of Anne Frank was being done by an all Latinx cast (minus Keith Coogan and Heather Olt). It was wild! I am very grateful for that opportunity, but I was definitely the most naive in the cast to how the industry worked- but I caught on! (laughs)

I think I have settled in nicely and am ready for Los Angeles and the world to hear my story.

Has it been a smooth road?
Most definitely not! The road to me being the person who I am today was and ugly and bumpy one. I was exposed to a lot as a kid and I grew up quickly. I think my growing up and “maturing” really fast led to the roads becoming even more foggy in my later years.

I was on the peak of total self-destruction in my 20s, and when my father passed away, I took a fast pass down the spiral. Once again, I can not give away too much, because I have turned my journey into a series of comedic storytelling episodes. Another plug! Okay, calm down. (Laughs)

We’d love to hear more about your work.
I feel like I specialize in comedy- my friends would tell you that I do not. (laughs) I feel like I am constantly creating work to make them laugh- they don’t. They are my gauge. (laughs)

In high school, I was known for my comedic acting and Latino-centric humor- I performed for my entire high school three different times- 2 of John Leguizamo’s plays (Freak and Spic-o-Rama) and Latins Anonymous.

In college, I didn’t really have much exposure to Latino-centric work. But I craved it. I needed it.

I guess you can say that I specialize in, is the content that is exciting to me: Latino-centric humor with broad, over-the-top characters in a farcial world. In Living Color meets John Leguizamo meets Will and Grace. (laughs)

In general, I just hope to bring more humorous Latinx content to light and to create work like my childhood idols: John Leguizamo, Carol Burnett, Martin Short, Whoopi Goldberg, Billy Crystal, and Robin Williams.

How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I have no idea! The game has changed for artists who are seen as “diverse” in the past few years.

You know, I can not predict or imagine where the industry is gonna go- but I will say this:

I hope to be a key player in the industry and get us to a point where “diversity and inclusion” become archaic terms in the entertainment ecosystem.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.raymondabeltomas.com
• Email: raymondabeltomas@gmail.com
• Instagram: @RayRayShonuff
• Twitter: @RaGuShonuff

Image Credit:
Michael Garcia and Krystle Lina

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