Visalia native returns home in Broadway-touring production of ‘Aladdin’ coming to Fresno
Edward Cuellar is excited to return to his early stomping grounds as part of the cast of the Broadway touring company of Disney’s “Aladdin” in Fresno, which runs at the Saroyan Theatre May 1-5.
A Redwood High School graduate, he has maybe one of the toughest roles in the show—although you may not be lucky enough to see him on stage. As a “swing,” he understudies the lead role of Kassim (one of Aladdin’s three friends), the featured ensemble role of Prince Abdullah, and most of the other male ensemble roles as well. If something happens to a regular cast member, he must be up on all the roles and ready to go on at a moment’s notice.
In addition, Cuellar is the company dance captain and fight captain.
“We use actual swords in the show. The tips are blunt, but they can still do damage,” Cuellar said. “We have a fight call to practice before most shows, especially if there is a cast change.”
As a swing, Cuellar uses a cheat sheet to remember the steps.
“We use a number system for the dances. Most shows do," he said. "When I worked at Radio City Music Hall, we worked on a grid of colored tapes. You memorize the patterns.”
Hopefully, muscle memory takes over, but if not, there’s always “shove in love,” which means if you’re in the wrong spot, someone will push you to your place—in a friendly way.
Triple threat
Cuellar’s first time on stage was with the Tulare County Office of Education (TCOE) summer production of “The Music Man” as young lisping Winthrop. That was the beginning.
“I met Edward in his eighth-grade year at Green Acres. He played the Baker in their production of ‘Into the Woods,’ and I was the choreographer,” said TCOE music director Charlotte Da Rosa Garcia.
“He definitely was a triple threat with star quality from such a young age. Beautiful developing tenor voice as a middle schooler, a caring and giving scene partner as an actor and a natural dancer.”
Redwood dance instructor Michele Lapp vividly remembers her first meeting with Edward.
“It was during one of my after-school dance sessions at Green Acres. Edward's vibrant energy, positive demeanor, and evident dance talent immediately caught my eye," Lapp said. "I suggested he audition for the dance program at Redwood High School, and he leaped.”
Cuellar embraced every facet of the dance program, from the dance team to hip-hop classes and musicals, and even assisted with choreography.
“His milestone achievement was becoming the first male dancer to earn a spot on the dance team, a remarkable feat,” Lapp said.
At age 15 (a late start for a dancer), Cuellar began training at Dancers Edge and The City Performing Arts Academy, run by Broadway veterans David Rosales and JP Christensen.
“At the academy, he devoted himself to training rigorously, attending classes and workshops led by renowned choreographers nationwide. His perseverance paid off, as he consistently excelled in competitions, earning many awards along the way,” Lapp said.
Just do the work
Stacy Galvan was not yet the drama teacher at Redwood, although she worked backstage.
“I remember watching Edward onstage during the dance shows and just being mesmerized by his talent,” she said.
Her real role was helping him get through English class.
“Edward struggled socially and academically in high school. He wasn't meant to write essays about Mad Cow disease; he was meant to be in the studio and perform,” Galvan said. “I remember distinctly having a conversation with him about just doing the work so you can graduate because we all knew he was meant to be a performer.”
Cuellar credits his teachers for keeping him safe during high school.
“Boys in dance and drama were not cool,” he recalled. “I was bullied, but I found my tribe in drama. My teachers were protective, nurturing, authoritative figures. I have such a soft spot for them. They were my guardian angels, always looking out for me.”
While working on the West Coast, he returns to Redwood to thank his teachers and speak to students about his career journey.
Working with Harrison Ford
Right out of high school, Cuellar headed for Hollywood and got his first professional job as a stunt extra in the fourth “Indiana Jones” film, “Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.”
“It was an untitled film when I was hired. I had to shave my head,” Cuellar said. “I was a mud warrior plastered in clay from head to toe. But it was so cool. There’s Harrison Ford and Steven Spielberg, and Leo DiCaprio comes to visit the set.”
Then, he got a call to audition for Disney Tokyo.
“I still had a mohawk and told them this is not the way I usually have my hair.”
But the mohawk ended up working for him. They cast him in a Tokyo sister park stunt show.
“It was amazing. It was very athletic," he said. "I learned to scuba dive and bungee jump.”
To New York
He worked at Universal Studios Japan, Royal Caribbean, and Walt Disney World, where he learned how to be a swing and dance captain.
In 2015, he moved to New York.
“I had no prospects; it was just time,” Cuellar said.
He slept on a friend's couch (who was in “Wicked”), bartended at night, and went to auditions during the day.
“That was humbling and a good skill set as well," he said.
Then he got cast as one of the salt & pepper dancers in “Beauty and the Beast.”
“It was my first professional musical, which happened to be the first professional musical I had ever seen growing up.”
He has performed in regional theater, danced in the movie "In the Heights," and had his first principal dancing role as Graffiti Pete, the character who opens "In the Heights" at the Sacramento Music Circus.
“Aladdin” has been touring since October 2022. After a year and a half, Fresno will be the next to the last stop. So what is next for Cuellar?
“I’ll start auditioning again,” he said. “I’m so ready to see what comes next.”
Maybe Broadway?
“I’d love it!”
How to attend
What: Fresno Broadway’s ‘Aladdin’
When: Runs May 1-5
Where: Saroyan Theatre, www.gotickets.com/aladdin
This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Visalia native returns to Valley to perform in touring show ‘Aladdin’
