'Full circle moment': Harrison School for the Arts grad to appear in West Side Story film

Yurel Echezarreta, 33,  will be in Steven Spielberg's adaption of West Side Story premiering December 10.
Yurel Echezarreta, 33, will be in Steven Spielberg's adaption of West Side Story premiering December 10.
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Yurel Echezarreta has reprised his role in West Side Story. Echezarreta, a 2007 Harrison School for the Arts graduate, will once again be a member of the Shark Gang.

Echezarreta, 33, was in the 2009 Broadway adaptation of West Side Story and now will be in the Steven Spielberg adaptation. He was excited when his agent brought the opportunity to audition to him.

“It was a very full circle moment and Steven Spielberg is directing," Echezarreta said. "I said I have to at least audition for this.”

Echezarreta studied musical theatre at the University of Michigan until he landed a role in the Broadway adaption of West Side Story.

“I was like I have to go do that," said Echezarreta. "It’s such an opportunity.”

He also landed a second role in La Cage aux Folles during the West Side Story production.

“That’s when I was like okay, I’m meant to stay, I'm meant to do this," Echezarreta said. "After doing the first one, it’s like, okay this is great and all but it would really boost my confidence if I got a second one to let myself know that I can do this and that the first one isn’t a fluke.”

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Yurel Echezarreta, 33, has been in both a Broadway production and film adaption of West Side Story,
Yurel Echezarreta, 33, has been in both a Broadway production and film adaption of West Side Story,

Getting his start

As a freshman Echezarreta attended Auburndale High School where he participated in band and was focusing on science to become either a marine biologist or an astronomer.

“I thought my career was going to be science based,” Echezarreta said.

The summer before his 10th-grade year changed his trajectory.

Echezarreta auditioned for a musical at Lakeland Community Theatre to stay productive during the summer and was accepted into both the dance and musical theatre department.

“I chose musical theatre because I love singing, dancing and acting,” Echezarreta said.

Echezarreta thanks Harrison for starting him on the path to realizing his dream.

“I was getting lead roles at Harrison for the big musicals," Echezarreta said. "I just loved the whole experience. I said 'this is what I’m going to do for my career. The stars aligned.'”

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Yurel Echezarreta in Aladdin on Broadway in 2014.
Yurel Echezarreta in Aladdin on Broadway in 2014.

A 'leap of faith'

Echezarreta said he dealt with some inner turmoil when making the decision to leave Auburndale for Harrison.

“I took a leap of faith," he said. "This career is about taking leaps of faith and betting on yourself.”

Echezarreta was born in Miami but moved to Polk County with his parents, brother and sister when he was eight years old and draws inspiration from them.

"My dad calls me and for the first five minutes of our phone conversation he’s like a one-man pep rally and it’s all for me," Echezarreta said. "And my mom is always on my tail being like ‘you know what to do, you got to hustle,’”

Yurel Echezarreta, 33, was in Head Over Heels in 2018.
Yurel Echezarreta, 33, was in Head Over Heels in 2018.

Though he started his career with musical theatre Echezarreta has grown to love film.

“I love the challenge and the differences of camera work where you have to be minimal and so realistic while shooting being a character and people watching - sniffing out anything that is false," he said. "I love the challenge of finding realism and truth acting for film.”

Currently Echezarreta has chosen to put more focus on advancing his film career.

“Where I am in my life. I want to have a freer schedule to be able to travel more than I was in Broadway, to be able to see my family, to be able to make it home for the holidays,” Echezarreta said. “I feel like my life has expanded going into film and TV.”

Echezarreta had lived in New York since his first Broadway production until the start of the pandemic. After nine months with his family in Florida, he made the move to Los Angeles in January.

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Yurel Echezarreta, 33, in Matilda. The show ran from 2013 to 2017.
Yurel Echezarreta, 33, in Matilda. The show ran from 2013 to 2017.

In the moment

“I had a dream to come to LA for the last few years in New York but I was so wrapped up in the Broadway machine that the schedule never really allowed me to make a cross-country move,” Echezarreta said. “It was a really big deal for me to make this transition and it took a pandemic for me to get it started.”

To keep from being overwhelmed with his busy schedule Echezarreta focuses on living in the moment.

“I strive to be happy," he said. "I strive to be happy in the moment and be happy where I am in the moment.”

West Side Story premieres Dec. 10. And as he prepares for the red-carpet event, Echezarreta is taking time to reflect on this present moment.

“It is a cool full circle moment. I can say I did my West Side experience," Echezarreta said. "That show helped my career in many ways and I’m grateful for it.”

Breanna Rittman writes news features for The Ledger. Send your feature ideas to BRittman@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Yurel Echezarreta reprises his role in Steven Spielberg's 'West Side Story' film