Meet Alysia Velez | Broadway Performer & Singer-Songwriter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Alysia Velez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alysia, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
Risk can be calculated. How much am I willing to lose? How much will I gain? How far am I willing to go? “In The Pattern” is a show I created to talk about my personal journey on confronting conformity and breaking out of patterns set by my past, society and mind. Personally, sharing my experiences through my music is a risk because opening up and allowing others into my thoughts makes me feel vulnerable. I was taught and reminded often to keep my thoughts and feelings to myself. It’s daunting to know I’m opening a door for others to pass through and potentially cause harm through judgement. Going back to the three questions, I feel as though I have very little to lose and much to gain from sharing my experiences as a woman of color in today society. We all have our battles and hardships, we all have our own stories, and for me, allowing myself to be heard and seen as an individual is an act of love and I encourage others to do the same. Each of us plays a role in the hierarchy set by society that determines a lot of how we experience life. In sharing my experience, I hope to reach out to those of us that struggle with theses constructs and to encourage them to find a balance in life where they allow themselves a space for happiness and freedom.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Born in Bronx, New York, but if you ask me.. I’m from Miami, Florida. I grew up in Miami-Dade County where I found my love for music, dance and story telling. I studied musical theatre and voice starting at the age of 10 and followed that love finding myself performing in dance teams, musicals, opera and even creating shows of my own. My mom always instilled in me that as long as I “worked my butt off” I could pursue my dream of being a performing artist. With her help we always found ways to get what was needed for me perform and keep the passion strong. I remember times where we stayed up hand making the costumes and bedazzling dresses saying “we could do that ourselves”.

“Working my butt off” was exactly what I did. After graduating high school I saved every penny and auditioned for performing arts colleges in New York and received full scholarship at the Manhattan School of Music in their Musical Theatre Program ( BM ‘22) Since moving to New York I’ve been a part of many projects in and out of state including my first opera debut with Magic City Opera in their production of Hansel and Gretel, I was a background salsa dancer in the Warner Brothers film of In the Heights, and was a part of TikTok‘s first commissioned musical “For You, Paige” which received over 40 million views and Emmy nominations.

My dreams came true with a blonde wig and a tower with Broadway’s Revival of Into the Woods. I am the first Afro-Latina to play Rapunzel on Broadway and that truly feels amazing. I am blessed to be able to live long enough to see my dreams become a reality and I am grateful for all the lessons I learned in my youth to help me navigate my career.

I am now 23 years old and ready to share my story in my show “ In The Pattern” debuting original songs. (Producer, Director, Choreographer)

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Some Yummy Spots: -Red Bamboo
-Spots Dessert
-Vestry
-Prince Street Pizza
-Little Cupcake Bakeshop

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Shout out!

1. My Family
2.Kevin Newton: my rock, continuously supports me in my art
3.Shout-out to the people in Miami-Dade County for raising me
4.My Mentors- Judith Clurman, Marshall Davis Jr. Rachel Tucker, Graham Fandrei, Enrique Brown: for never letting me give up.
5.All those that have followed my career, much love to you all

Website: https://alysiavelez.wixsite.com/alysia

Instagram: Alysiavelez

Facebook: Alysia velez

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@alysiavelez2794

Other: Link to show/ livestream tickets: https://thegreenroom42.venuetix.com/show/details/OewVua4Iy126TumodANd/1674268200000 Tiktok:Alyziavelez

Image Credits
Ikyo Bailey Genesis Cosme