At the recent Ivey Awards hosted by Minneapolis' historic State Theatre, U of M alum Ricardo Vazquez ('07) earned the title of "Emerging Artist of the Year". The actor-writer claims that it could have been anyone, but most would agree that his outstanding work ethic and performance energy have something to do
with it.
After his portrayal of Gabriel Goodman in Next To Normal at the Mixed Blood Theatre last year, critics called him "a heartthrob-in-the-making... a vivacious spirit [with] affecting emotionality" (Star Tribune). In The Seven at Ten Thousand Things, he brought "palpable sensuality" to the stage as Tydeus the poet (Pioneer Press).
Vazquez recalls his time at the University of Minnesota Theatre Arts and Dance Department as a time of growing. "Everything is about practice and discipline," he says, "I owe this mentality to the program." Performing as Algernon in The Importance of Being Earnest on the University of Minnesota Centennial Showboat proved a turning point for him. "I remember wanting to make each of those shows different, exciting, and alive," he says of what then seemed like a "marathon" of 89 shows.
"Work. Work. Work. And after that, find more work." This mantra has taken Vazquez far since graduation, resulting in numerous roles on stages across the Twin Cities including a fellowship at The Playwrights' Center. "[I] want to always be doing something."
Coming up, he stars as Rene in the film Death To Prom, premiering next month at The Minneapolis Sound Unseen Festival. Look for him on stage next at Park Square Theatre in Of Mice and Men, also this November.
