If there’s one thing I’ve learned as a performer, it’s that some opportunities come full circle. My journey with R.Evolución Latina (RL) began in 2013 when I was just six or seven years old, attending the Dare to Go Beyond (D2GB) Children’s Performing Arts Camp in New York City. Every summer, I returned, fueled by the passion, community, and inspiration RL provided. R.Evolución Latina was where my love for the fine arts started. But I had to take a break for three years when I started middle school. Then COVID hit, and I could not return to New York City.
During that time, I was accepted into a Fine Arts Academy in Austin, Texas, where I majored in Performance Theatre and Choral Studies, earning a Musical Theatre Certificate. Though I had stepped away from R.Evolución Latina physically, my heart never really left.
But last year, I found myself missing and longing for that energy, that fire that R.Evolución Latina ignites in my heart. So when I saw the audition announcement for the Beyond Workshop Series (BWS), I knew I had to go for it. No hesitation. I submitted my application and my résumé, and then waited, hoping I’d get the chance to return.
A month later, the email I had been praying for arrived and I was invited to audition in person. Just like that, I was heading back to NYC, ready to step into my artistic home once again.
The moment I landed in the city, I felt it, I was exactly where I was meant to be. Walking into the audition, I expected the usual nerves, the pressure to be perfect, and the lingering thought: Will I be enough? But instead, I felt empowered.
The RL team wasn’t just looking for perfection; they wanted to see who we were beyond the notes we sang together or the steps we danced. It wasn’t about competition, it was about storytelling, heart, and connection.
Before stepping into the audition room, I was nervous. I knew how big of an opportunity this was. But as soon as I entered, I was welcomed with open arms.
There was a loving sense of support, a shared understanding that we were all there for something bigger than just an audition. Everyone in that room, whether auditioning or on the panel, was fully present and fully invested. Instead of feeling like a test, the audition felt like a collaboration. The RL team challenged us to take risks, to push past our insecurities, and to trust that our voices mattered. They didn’t just see us as performers, they saw us as artists, as individuals with stories to tell.
I’ve auditioned for many things before, but this felt different. It wasn’t just about technique, hitting the perfect note, or doing the choreography flawlessly. It was about the WHY behind our art.
The team made sure we felt seen. In most auditions, you perform, you leave, and you go home wondering if anyone even noticed you. Here, it was different. The casting team was engaged, rooting for us, and actively wanting us to succeed. They weren’t just looking for talent, they were looking for authenticity, for artists willing to be vulnerable, to share something real.
That realization made me fall even more in love with the arts. Not just because of the performance aspect, but because of the representation, the community, and the opportunities that exist for artists like me.
One of the most powerful parts of this experience was seeing the diversity in the room. RL isn’t just about putting diverse faces on stage, it’s about creating spaces where our cultures, histories, and experiences are embraced. It’s about breaking barriers, lifting each other up, and proving that we belong in every space, every story, every artistic conversation.
Seeing so many talented individuals from different backgrounds share the stage reminded me why I do this. Art isn’t just about performing, it’s about inspiring, about making people feel seen, about telling stories that matter.
By the end of the audition, I wasn’t just walking away with an experience, I was walking away with a renewed sense of confidence and purpose. Whether or not I got in, I had already won something invaluable: the reminder that my artistry has power, and that my story deserves to be told.
This audition was life-changing in a way that left me speechless. It reinforced that our voices, our cultures, and our stories are worth sharing.
R.Evolución Latina IS ABOUT DARING TO GO BEYOND.
America Grace Franken Martinez
Auditionee at BWS 2025