Meet the Cast of The Hombres: Brandon Billings

Introduce yourself! Where have audiences seen your work before and where can they
see you next?

With great luck and profound blessing, I have performed all around the Denver area since moving here in 2021. At Vintage Theatre, audiences may have seen me in Fireflies, The One-Act Play That Goes Wrong, and the two-part epic The Inheritance. I have also performed at Miners Alley Performing Arts Center in The Cherry Orchard, at Benchmark Theatre in Jermiah, and at the Arvada Center in The River Bride, and Understudied for the recent production of Noises Off. In terms of where audiences can see me next…well
The Hombres will be my last show in Colorado for a few years as I am making the move to Sarasota, Florida. In the beginning of 2024, I went on the search and applied to various MFA (Master of Fine Arts) programs all around the United States and after a grueling 2-month long audition process, I was accepted to Florida State University/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training. As of this year, FSU/Asolo celebrates its 50th year as well as being one of the top 10 training programs in the United States and top 25 in the world for actor training. I am beyond ecstatic for this opportunity and can’t wait for Act 2
of my career as a multi-ethnic artist.

How would you describe this show to someone who is experiencing it for the first time?

The best way to describe the show to someone who has no idea what it is about would be to simply say it’s about men, machismo, friendships, acceptance, fear, and of course yoga. Without getting too deep about it, The Hombres is a great show that examines Latino men and how machismo culture gets a lesson in love amongst men. And of course…its pretty funny. I mean…you have 3 Latino men as construction workers doing yoga.

Masculinity and the exploration of relationships between men are central themes of The Hombres--what has this show taught you about how culture perceives masculinity?

Currently with social media and pop culture, it’s no surprise that men are viewed in a certain light. From past behaviors and decisions in history, masculinity can be viewed as toxic, aggressive, angry etc. I hear people say all the time, “men are trash”, “men are absolute garbage.” Which are totally fair statements…but…the truth about culture and masculinity is that masculinity in general isn’t always a negative thing. Masculinity is on its own spectrum I believe. There are various types of men in this world. Some of which are the loveliest humans I have ever met. Some who love deeply and care strongly about those around them but also aren’t afraid to take care of themselves when needed. Men have the capability to change like anyone else can but it’s up to them as individuals to make that change.

Yoga and mindfulness also play a large role thematically in the show--do you have any personal practices that ground you?

Absolutely. I firmly believe that having daily practice helps me function mentally, and energetically throughout the day. For me, I thoroughly enjoy doing therapy once a week. Having those conversations with someone who at times can be an unbiased ear, or a clear voice for guidance has truly aided me into becoming the type of loving man I want to be. Also, I need exercise. I’ve always been a physical person. I’m not a “gym bro” but I have become addicted to either weightlifting or calisthenics. I go to the gym about 3-4 times a week and either run or go for very long walks 3-4 times a week as well. One last thing that helps me with peace of mind and relaxation is going to the movies. As strange as that may sound, I LOVE going to the movies.

Do you have a favorite line or moment from the show? What is it and why does it resonate with you?

Ok… I’m going to cheat and say that I have two favorite lines. The first is “Maybe hombres like me should know when other hombres see us like that. So we just get used to it.” The other line is one I say, and I promise I’m not choosing this line because it’s my line in the show and SPOILER ALERT if you read this before you see The Hombres.

That was your chance… Ok. My second favorite line in the show is “Guey. They dispose of us because to them we are disposable. Him, me, even you, amigo.” I chose these two because I think they show the two sides of humanity. One speaks of love and acceptance, the other hate and discrimination. When you see the show, maybe it will make more sense.