Two-time Tony nominee Robin de Jesús returns to 54 Below on May 4 (his night off from playing lovelorn munchkin Boq in the hit musical Wicked) to debut his new show #TheStruggleIsReal. Watch as de Jesús figures out why growing up, turning 30 and “becoming a better person” sucks, all while singing a combo of showtunes, pop hits and ‘90s faves. Below, he takes on seven questions about struggles, hashtags and life in Oz.
1. What's a munchkin’s biggest struggle?
For Boq, the biggest struggle is he can’t get the girl he wants. She can’t even see him…physically. And emotionally he can’t get her attention. I do have a Boq alter ego I like to play around with backstage; I call him Boq-lava and he’s Boq’s Sasha Fierce. He usually rips off his snap shirt and he’s bringing sexy boq.
2. What’s your signature move to dance through life?
The Dougie.
3. Which Elphaba who gives you all kinds of life on the YouTube?
You know I do this. This is horrible. I always love my Mandy Gonzalez—given. Willemijn Verkaik is sick. And then there’s always an old-school Shoshana Bean/Eden Espinosa option up for days. For days.
4. What song are we going to be most surprised by in # TheStruggleIsReal?
I’m doing a Bjork number, “Joga.” This is a pattern that I’ve noticed, and it’s something I work on, but one of the worst behaviors I had in my 20s was the moment I felt not happy with life, I would disconnect and stop feeling; and this is a weird song but it’s that sometimes you feel like shit and sometimes you feel really, really great but it’s better to have feelings. There’s a beauty in having feelings as opposed to feeling nothing.
5. Hashtag to describe Wicked?
#Blossed.
6. What is something you’re dying to do in your 30th year?
I don’t know. It’s all good. I love working on Broadway and being with my family. I guess I want to go to Six Flags (I always want to go to Six Flags), I want to go to Cedar Point and I want to go skydiving, but I don't want to fall into the .5% where the parachute doesn't go off.
7. You've known many a struggling character; let's rank ‘em from most struggling to least struggling: Camp’s Michael Flores, Sonny, Jacob, Angel Dumott Schunard, Boq, bar patron in Domesticated
The one that believes they have the biggest struggle (even though they don't) is Jacob from La Cage aux Folles; she believes she has the biggest struggle. Then Michael from Camp, Sonny, Angel, Bar Patron (she’s up there but she can take care of herself) and Boq.
See Robin de Jesús deal with growing up and turning 30 in #TheStruggleIsReal at 54 Below on May 4, and check him out as Boq in ‘Wicked’ at B’way's Gershwin Theatre.
