CARLOS ESPINAL A STAGE ARTIST BY HEART. TV HOST OF TELEMUNDO 62 “EN PORTADA” At an early age, Carlos completed his studies at the Fine Arts Palace’s School of Performing Arts in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
Unsatisfied with this academic achievement, he continued to enroll in different arts-related workshops. At that early stage, while he was still working for some of the most important directors of the time, back in the Dominican Republic, he decided to establish a new theater group with his colleagues and friends “ Teatro de Tres” (Theater For Three). Full of enthusiasm at the beginning of his career, Carlos decided to accept any and all roles that would offer him the opportunity to reach his main goal – to learn and gain experience in the various aspects of the art, such as: scenic direction, singing, production, and make-up.
This provided the experience, professionalism, and talent that personifies his essence, and, while still a teenager in 1983 made his debut as Director of the play “El Baul de los Disfraces” ( A trunk full of custums) at the National Theater in the capital city.
Carlos was sensational in this play as he was also the co-producer and performed the role of actor for 5 different characters. During that same period, Carlos received a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in Madrid, Spain. However, due to circumstances beyond his control at the time, Carlos and his family opted to immigrate to the City of New York. As so many immigrants do, he faced the big problem posed by the language barriers.
Upon approaching the Puerto Rican Traveling Theater, he started his bilingual training in dance, singing, and acting. His teachers, recognizing his special talents, recommended him for work in other Hispanic theater companies. His “Letter of Introduction” was the play titled “En La Ardiente Obscuridad” (In the Burning Darkness) by the Spanish author, Bueno Vallejo, performed at the old Casa de Espana (House of Spain). In this play, Carlos portrayed a character by the same name, and gained immediate recognition as one of the most talented Latino actors in the city.
Later, he became a member of the Children’s Troupe “The Bubles Players”, performing the lead role in the bilingual play “A Bird Named Cu”. In this play, Carlos learned his first role in the English language with the assistance of Rodney Reading in theater and phonetics. He then performed the lead role in The Three Wise Men.
While this is going on, Carlos was studying English and liberal arts at the LaGuardia Community College, and also modern dance, voice and Speech and acting at he H.B. Studios. Rosa Angelica Sepulveda, his first singing teacher, introduced him at the First Hispanic Singing Festival where he received great acceptance by the arts loving public. From that moment Carlos continued to perform at various caf?-theaters and special events showing his qualities as a singer. A few years later he was accepted at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy of New York where he graduated in 1989. He later formed the “Taller de Actores” (Actors Workshop) where he directed plays such as “La Cantante Calva” (The Bald Soprano) and “Los Angeles Se Han Fatigado” (The Angels Are Exhausted), “El Ultimo Instante” ( Last Instant), “The Yes Men” and “Never Again”. This work drew very positive criticism from publications like El Diario La Prensa, which categorized Carlos’ work as one of the most important in the year 1990. Carlos has worked for Teatro La Tea of New York as Artistic Director, actor and director for an extensive period of time. His credits include work at Repertorio Espanol, Teatro Circulo, Teatro IATI, Sociedad Educativa de Las Artes, Prometeo, Teatro Arte Unido, among others. In 1984 he participated in the famous Festival Latino de Joseph Papp.
He directed the ..ary “15th Anniversary of La Tea Theater that was presented as special in PBS. As an actor he has been seen in the TV show Law and Order (as Chuy Badillo) among some of the great American television stars. Carlos has also a long and active career in the Dominican television where he has performed various dramatic roles since 1993, when he was invited to perform the controversial play “Caligula” at the National Theater. This role was nominated for the prize “El Casandra” as Best Actor. Among other works we find: “Dr?cula”, “Mas Que Ayer”, “Las Mariposa Son Libres”(Butterflies Are Free) (nominated for Best Actor, Best Production, Best actress, Secondary Actress) “La Ultima Diva, “Pantallas”, “Amadeus” (nominated for Best Production, Best Actor, and Best Direction), and most recently “A $2.50 El Cuba Libre”.
After a career spanning 26 years and a vast curriculum of over 50 shows, and the most positive reviews any actor can wish, Carlos has formed his own production company named Produciones Primera Memoria, S.A. where he now performs the majority of his work in Latinamerica. Carlos also was the voice of Caf? A La Media Noche, the most relevant late night radio show of the Dominican Republic, In the last few years, Carlos has directed “ La Gala Dominicana” at the Atrium of the City Hall in the city of Atlanta. He also directed the Festival Latino Peachtree 2002 that featured some of the biggest stars of the Mexican and Caribbean music scene with over 15 thousand spectators. This festival was televised by Televisa for the rest of the world. For all his accomplishments, Carlos Espinal is one of the Latino values that make us proud.
BY : RAMON VAZQUEZ /TRANSLATED BY LUIS CAMACHO.
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