Today we’d like to introduce you to Quinn Colon
Hi Quinn, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I always say I’ve been acting for 20 years. Being the ripe old age of 22, I’m sometimes met with skepticism when I make this statement. But to me, it couldn’t be more true. I was born to musician parents (my mother is now a professor of music at Miami Dade College and my dad still gigs around) and because of that, I began getting familiar with the performing arts from a very young age. As time continued, it seemed that I would be a musician, too. I was put into violin lessons with my brother, but that didn’t end up sticking. My journey as an actor truly started in elementary, when I began going to an acting summer camp at Miami Theater Center (previously known as The Playground Theater). The first show that I was in, I played a princess who’s kitten was stolen by the big bad villain (my brother!). And from then on, it was history. I continued to play music on the side, taking piano lessons for about 10 years, but that was never what I truly wanted to do. In middle school, I got into Miami Arts Charter for the acting department, and stayed there until I graduated high school. MAC is where I truly started learning about discipline and what it actually takes to be a successful actor/artist (thank you Ms. Perkins and Mr. Arteche). After high school, I got into New World School of the Arts, also in the acting department, and that program is truly what shaped my artistry the most. That program pushed me to my limits, and has allowed me to become the actor I am today. During my time at New World, I was able to perform in plays such as Martin Crimp’s Cyrano de Bergerac (and go to competition in Georgia with it), Erica Schmidt’s Mac Beth, and Jim Leonard’s Anatomy of Gray. Since graduating in May, I have worked tirelessly, doing about 10 auditions in the last four months and booking my first ever professional show as the lead in Kate Hamill’s Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson – Apt. 2b directed by Sara Jarell. Additionally, since graduating, I have begun to reach into the world of visual art again, mostly in the form of collage and photography. I am extremely grateful to be where I am today, and I couldn’t have done it without the amazing teachers and mentors I’ve had, as well as my very supportive and artistic friends and family.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I would say the biggest struggles along the way have definitely been with myself. Growing up, I always knew I was “different”, but I never truly knew why. I was homeschooled in elementary so it didn’t matter much then, but when I got into middle school, those differences really started to show. I had trouble making friends, and I definitely did not know how to fit in with my peers. Boys or girls. I was very awkward, and felt like no matter who I talked to or how I did it, no one ever truly saw me. It lead to a lot of anxiety, self destructive behavior, depression, and self doubt. Eventually, all this ended up culminating into me discovering what “nonbinary” was. It was shocking to me, that there were people out there who weren’t boys or girls, or who were both, or who were something entirely different! When I did some more research into the queer sphere, I realized that’s who I was. I felt different all the time because I was trying to force myself to be a girl. I wasn’t honoring who I actually was. I ended up coming out publicly in 9th grade as using they/them pronouns, and luckily was met with a lot of support from my peers (thank you artistic spaces!). However, the cycle of anxiety, self destruction, and self doubt is still one I struggle with today. Not to get into specifics, but when I was figuring out my gender, I was told by someone very close to me that I was “being selfish” for not taking other people’s feelings into account (about my own gender!). And then when I changed my name to Quinn, I was told I was being dramatic and shouldn’t do that because of other people. And we’re not even going to get into how someone wanted me to go to conversion therapy. Now obviously, I am still who I am today. Nothing is ever going to change that. But the feelings of doubt, of “maybe I don’t know what I’m doing” are still with me. And because acting, art, and performance are so intertwined with your mental and emotional state (anyone who tells you they aren’t is lying), it bleeds into my work quite often. The imposter syndrome is very very strong. There have been many times I thought I couldn’t do a character justice in a show simply because they weren’t my “typecast” (an antiquated notion in my opinion). Even times where they were my typecast, I’ve felt like I am so far from the playwright’s intentions that anything I do with the character is just blasphemous. And yet, almost every time, those are the performances that have touched the most hearts.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Currently, I’m doing a little bit of… everything? Obviously at this moment my main focus is Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson, but I also stage manage Laughs on Mainstreet, which is a monthly comedy event that happens at Main Street Players, I’m currently working as an usher for Miami New Drama (check out The Play That Goes Wrong!), and have many other things in the works. I’ve also been working on my visual art again, and have been doing a lot of that in digital and physical format. As a person, I’ve always noticed the beauty in the little things. The kind of beauty that can be easy to overlook if you aren’t actively trying to notice it, which is precisely what my photography is meant to capture. Sure, you’ve seen these things before, but have you ever actually stopped to look at them? To appreciate the sun coming through the trees? The bird sitting on a telephone wire? The warm glow of a window? All of these things are so fleeting, and yet insanely profound if recognized. Through my collage, however, I tend to lean more towards existentialism (the appreciation of the profundity of life and the understanding of its transience are inherently connected). In my digital collage, I tend to utilize poetry as well as visual metaphor. I find too often that words or images themselves sometimes struggle to convey the true message of a piece. My favorite piece of work I’ve done, however, has got to be my one person show, “What? No Heaven?”. I wrote, directed, and performed this piece all in my senior year at New World School of the Arts and I am planning on revamping it and taking it out into the world. Currently, it’s a 15 minute long immersive theater piece that begs the question “What makes a person good?” It’s a piece that, I would hope, forces the audience to get involved and think about their intentions. Because the end of the show is completely based upon what the audience chooses (there are two endings!), it forces them to justify their own choices and consider why they chose what they did.
What matters most to you?
Truth. It’s something that I think a lot of people struggle with. In life and in performance. For me, one of the biggest things I’m worried about when I walk on that stage is if I’m going to offend anyone. Now, I don’t mean in the sense of staying out of “politically incorrect” topics (many plays and shows are offensive in this way), but rather that I’m not performing a stereotype of a person. No matter the decision a character makes, it’s important to remember, as the actor, that they are still a real person with history, traumas, dreams, and hopes. When I played Rabbi Isidor Chemelwitz from Tony Kushner’s Angels in America, I doubted that I would be able to accurately portray an elderly Rabbi from the steppes of Eastern Europe. And, in many ways, being a sophomore in college, there are definitely things I missed. Many, I’m sure. But nevertheless, I wanted to take the challenge head on. It was a very confusing time for me, as I unsurprisingly did have a lot of trouble figuring him out. However, I believe just having that earnest intention took me very far in that journey. There was one evening the playwright Juan C. Sanchez (known for Miami Motel Stories, Wynwood Stories, and many more) had come to see my class’ production. Him and I ended up accidentally getting caught in the elevator together, and although there was a brief awkward silence, he complimented my work. I replied as most actors do, “Oh thank you, I’m still working on getting there,” (“there” as in to a point where I was comfortable and proud of my performance). He stopped me, looked into my eyes, and said “Listen to me. You’re there.” And I was too stunned to even reply. I think I let out a squeaky “Thank you” while screaming internally. I’m sure he doesn’t even remember this moment, but to me, it taught me that truth in a performance isn’t about how confident you feel when saying your lines. It’s about touching the audience’s hearts and souls, and unabashedly sharing what discoveries you have made while accepting and embracing the uncertainty. Almost no one in life is certain, anyway. As long as you’re coming from a genuine, curious place (and doing your research!), the audience will appreciate that.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.quinncolon.com/media-1/other-artforms
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinncolofficial/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quinn.colon.39
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@QuinnColon/featured
Image Credits
Photo credits by Emily Perdomo (on some) and Morgan Sophia (I can tell you who’s is who’s).
