Bianca Marroquín

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Marroquín and the second or maternal family name is Pérez.
Bianca Marroquín
Born
Bianca Pamela Marroquín Pérez

Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico
Occupations
  • Singer
  • dancer
  • actress
Websitebiancamarroquin.com

Bianca Marroquín is a Mexican musical theatre and television actress known for being the first Mexican actress[1] to have a starring role on Broadway. She has performed in the musical Chicago for over twenty years and is one of the few actresses to play both female leads, Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly.[2]

Early life and education

Bianca Marroquín was born in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, [3] She grew up living in Matamoros, Tamaulipas Mexico and spent her childhood crossing between Matamoros and Brownsville, Texas.[3] She attended high school at St. Joseph Academy in Brownsville, Texas.[4] She returned to Monterrey to attend a technical college, where she majored in communications.[3]

Career

While still in college, Bianca Marroquín auditioned and got a role in the Mexico City production of Beauty and the Beast, so she decided to move to Mexico City and start her professional theatre career. She performed in Mexican productions of several Broadway musicals: Rent (1999–2001), The Phantom of the Opera, and Chicago, which landed her an invitation to perform as Roxie Hart, with George Hamilton as Billy Flynn, at the Ambassador Theatre on Broadway. Afterward, she returned to Mexico City to close the Chicago season and join The Vagina Monologues Mexican cast.

She left The Vagina Monologues when she received the invitation to perform as Roxie Hart in the US and Canada tour of Chicago. This tour made her the first Mexican ever in receiving the Helen Hayes Award in Washington, D.C., as outstanding Lead Actress. In December 2003, she went back to Broadway as Roxie Hart, now at the Ambassador Theatre,[5] to rejoin the tour after his Broadway season. Marroquin has played Roxie Hart in the Broadway production of Chicago three times since then, in 2006,[6] 2007[7] and 2008.[8] Her recent off-Broadway work has included And the World Goes 'Round in October 2007[9] and the North Shore Music Theatre production of Bye Bye Birdie in summer 2008.[10]

In the Mexican production of The Sound of Music, she starred as Maria, alongside Lisardo and Olivia Bucio. After 100 performances she returned to work in the USA national tour of the Chicago company. She announced on her Twitter and Facebook page that she was joining the Broadway cast of In the Heights from June 12 to September 5, 2010 to play the role of Daniela.

Starting in 2010, Marroquín made a return to television as a judge for Mira Quien Baila (the Spanish language version of Dancing with the Stars) for four years running. She also appeared in Pequenos Gigantes in 2011. From there, Televisa picked her up as the main protagonist of the new telenovela Esperanza del Corazón. It premiered on July 18, 2011 in Mexico. She also sings the theme song to the novela, titled "Esperanza del Corazón".

She was Mary Poppins in the first production of the Disney musical in Spanish in November 14, 2012 in Mexico City.

Bianca Marroquín is a judge for the current season of "Bailando por un Sueño", a reality competition show seen on Univision.[11] She returned once more to the starring role of Roxie Hart in the long-running Broadway hit Chicago on March 31, 2014.[12] That same month, Marroquín was named the first-ever National Ambassador for Viva Broadway. The Broadway League of producers created the new audience development initiative to help bridge the world of Broadway with Latino audiences around the country.

Marroquín's first solo album, El Mundo Era Mío (The World Was Mine) was released May 13, 2014. She co-wrote five of the songs on the 11-track album, which is described as a mix of contemporary pop with a healthy splash of Latin influence, with songs in both English and Spanish.[13] Three years later, she released a second album, Nuestros Tesoros, consisting of covers of classic songs in Spanish.[14]

Marroquín played Chita Rivera in Fosse/Verdon, a TV show about the lives of Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon, which was released in 2019.[15]

After playing Roxie Hart for 20 years, Marroquín reopened Chicago on Broadway as the other female lead Velma Kelly after the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown.[2] She performed as Velma Kelly during the musical's 25th anniversary celebration performance, which occurred at the Ambassador Theatre on November 16, 2021.[16] During the evening performance of February 4, 2022, she was presented with the Mr. Amigo 2022 award by the Mr. Amigo Association.[17]

Awards and honors

  • 2004: Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Lead Actress
  • Five Mexican Critics Association trophies, including Best Actress[18]
  • 2014 National Ambassador for Viva Broadway
  • 2022: Mr. Amigo[17]

Television

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2010–2013 Mira Quien Baila Herself Season 1–4; Judge
2011–2012 Pequeños Gigantes Herself Season 1–2; Judge
2011–12 Esperanza del corazón Ángela Landa. / Ángela Landa de Dupris. / Ángela Landa de Duarte. Main Role
2017 Pequeños Gigantes USA Herself Judge [19]
2019 Fosse/Verdon Chita Rivera Miniseries

References

  1. ^ "Dancer with Brownsville ties now starring in musicals". The Brownsville Herald. July 31, 2003. Archived from the original on July 13, 2012. Retrieved March 24, 2012.
  2. ^ a b "After 20 years, Broadway star switches roles in 'Chicago'". www.ny1.com. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c Development, PodBean. "Hispanic Heritage Month - Bianca Marroquín, CHICAGO's Roxie Hart | Why I'll Never Make It - An Actor's Journey". whyillnevermakeit.podbean.com. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
  4. ^ Rentería, Melissa (January 26, 2015). "Mexican-born actress back in 'Chicago'". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
  5. ^ Gans, Andrew (December 1, 2003). "Marroquin Replaces d'Amboise in Broadway's Chicago". Playbill.
  6. ^ Gans, Andrew (August 22, 2006). "Broadway's Chicago Welcomes Grammy Winner Usher Aug. 22". Playbill. Archived from the original on January 31, 2013.
  7. ^ Gans, Andrew (April 18, 2007). "Lawrence to Join Broadway's Chicago; Marroquin to Return". Playbill. Archived from the original on June 3, 2007.
  8. ^ Gans, Andrew (January 2, 2008). "Marroquin, Bartlett and Ryan to Return to Broadway's Chicago". Playbill. Archived from the original on July 9, 2008.
  9. ^ Gans, Andrew (October 3, 2007). "Barrington's World Goes Round, with Marroquin, Rivette and Robbins, Begins Oct. 3". Playbill. Archived from the original on September 7, 2012.
  10. ^ Gans, Andrew (July 15, 2008). "North Shore's Bye Bye Birdie, with Marroquin, Patterson, Ulloa, Butler, Begins July 15". Playbill. Archived from the original on August 3, 2008.
  11. ^ "Bianca Marroquín en "Bailando por un sueño" - Univision Entretenimiento". Archived from the original on September 28, 2014. Retrieved June 15, 2014.
  12. ^ "Isn't It Grand? Bianca Marroquin Will Return to Broadway's Chicago". Broadway.com. Retrieved December 3, 2017.
  13. ^ "Bianca Marroquin Releases Debut Album EL MUNDO ERA MIO Today". Broadwayworld.com. Retrieved December 3, 2017.
  14. ^ "Bianca Marroquín, vocalist". San Diego Symphony. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  15. ^ Foussianes, Chloe (April 9, 2019). "The 'Fosse/Verdon' Cast Members Are the Spitting Image of Their Real-Life Counterparts". Town & Country. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  16. ^ "'Chicago' Revival Celebrates 25th Anniversary On Broadway". November 16, 2021. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
  17. ^ a b Rabinowitz, Chloe. "CHICAGO's Bianca Marroquín Named Mr. Amigo 2022". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  18. ^ five Mexican Critics Association trophies, including Best Actress
  19. ^ "Big Names for Little Giants: Prince Royce, Bianca Marroquín and Luis Coronel to Judge Univision's "Pequeños Gigantes USA" Kids Talent Competition – Univision". Univision. January 23, 2017. Archived from the original on February 27, 2017. Retrieved February 27, 2017.