On the Sunday right after his glittering Broadway debut, Antonio Díaz (Badia del Vallès, 1986) I had the feeling of having touched the sky. This morning, after the applause received and the praise that her talent has received from critics, she has had a thousand meetings. The big groups of Broadway theaters are after him. They don’t want him to leave but he admits that what he needs most now is to stop and consider his next career move. A new feat for the king of the impossible.
Yesterday he said he felt like he was in the movie ‘The Truman Show’. And today?
I’m in a cloud. I arrived in the US three months ago with the feeling that nobody knew me and the fear of not selling any tickets or only to the Hispanic public. I knew it would be very difficult. But in Branson the show was an unprecedented success. In New York we go to NBC’s ‘Today show’ and the game I put on in the street has had enormous significance. Almost 200 million people have seen it on social networks, an outrage!
If anything scared me, it was the possibility of getting stuck with the language. Three months ago my English was terrible.
Better promotion, impossible.
The day after that we sold more tickets than any Broadway musical. It seems surreal to me because we are in the best league competing with ‘Hamilton’ and ‘The Lion King’. Going down the street and having people from New York stop you to ask for photos or autographs is amazing. I just landed here! That’s why I think I’m on ‘The Truman Show.’
Opening night was emotional. What went through her mind?
I remembered my family, my father who passed away this year and my mother, who couldn’t come. To my brothers… And I remembered all the efforts I had to make to be here. Leaving everything aside to dedicate myself to this, especially these last few days, with a lot of effort and sacrifice. Not in my wildest dreams would I have imagined such an opening night on Broadway.
The level of nerves would be very high.
At the Institut del Teatre I learned that there is a maximum point of nerves. And it is the same if you act in the Mostra de Igualada, in the entrance exams to the Institute or in your Broadway debut. Yesterday I was nervous but more than because of the show, because of the English. Three months ago my English was terrible. It’s still not very good but enough to make the show. If anything scared me, it was the possibility of getting stuck with the language.
Now I need to rest. I want to go back to Barcelona and go to Masnou to eat rice. This year I have lost my father and I want to spend Christmas at home with the family.
Surprised with the reviews? On Broadway no one disputes his talent but they have noticed other things.
The producer of the Barrimore Theater asked me not to pay attention to them because the important thing, the one that rules, is the public and their reaction was spectacular. But these are things that worry me. But the reviews, including those from the New York Times, are very positive. Here everything has the best people in the world in their works, we have landed with our own production made in Barcelona. I did not expect our work to be recognized. I thought they would be more forceful because I am also aware that many things need to be improved.
Some find that there is too much hype and publicity. Do you share it?
Totally agree. It is something to improve. But when you come from far away you have to make noise, especially in the United States. At the brand level it has been a marketing strategy and hopefully we will not have to resort to it again when I return the next time.
I never thought I would succeed like this the first year. He thought it would be a lion’s tail and not a lion’s head.
How important is money in a magic show?
Helps you make great montages. But I have always gone it alone, starting from scratch, without the help of investors. Now being able to count on them is something that I am still not sure if I am interested in. If I can continue alone, as before, I would prefer it. Freedom is something that has no price. And I am not referring only to the creative one, also to the personal one, the one that allows me to choose, if I want, to go to Barcelona now when the functions that were planned have finished.
It has been a few days, less than two weeks, enough to make cash?
The costs and risk of coming here have been enormous. I came to Broadway willing to lose a lot of money, in the end I’ll even win. It has been outrageous! They tell us that a lot of people come who never come to Broadway. And many Catalans have come too. They are supporting me a lot.
What will happen to Branson now that he has succeeded in NY?
Don’t know. I thought it would take me longer. I never thought I would succeed like this the first year. I thought it would be a lion’s tail and not a lion’s head. I had a long-term plan, now everything is changing. We’ll see what we do. I had to tell my lawyer not to sign anything. There are many interested investment groups but I don’t want to rush. Besides, I need to rest. I want to go back to Barcelona and go to Masnou to eat rice. In October I want to be acting in my city. I am very excited. Also this year I have lost my father and I want to spend Christmas at home with the family.
Is the audience in New York different?
It’s louder, it’s rock & roll. The one from Barcelona never gives you anything and he is very knowledgeable in theater. He is perfect for training you.
The reaction was impressive: everyone ended up giving him a standing ovation.
I am very surprised by the public’s reaction because here are the best theater shows and the public is demanding. Seeing that they are delivered and that they laugh at your jokes is brutal. I would never have received the same reaction or as much interest from the theatrical investors here. Is incredible.
When will he return to Broadway?
In October for sure, because they give me the Hola Awards given by the Hispanic Organization of Latino Artists. Then I’ll look to fit in a performance on The Jimmy Fallon Show. I would like to do something special. They have also invited us to ‘Good Morning America’.
How did you react when you first saw your image in Times Square, with all the great Broadway shows?
What I liked the most is seeing myself in the theater marquee. It was July 26. Until then I did not believe that I would be here because the contracts have a lot of fine print.
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And from this dream. What is left to achieve?
A lot is happening in a short time, intense days are coming up and decisions will have to be made. My dream is to be one of the world’s leading magicians and hopefully, of history as Copperfield and Houdini achieved. And the United States is the country to achieve it. If you want to succeed in showbusiness you have to be here. In the future I would like to spend two months in Barcelona, the Teatre Victòria is a life project, and seven or eight in America.