Meet the Cast of The Hombres: Conrad Mata
Introduce yourself! Where have audiences seen your work before and where can they see you next?
I’m Conrad Mata. Audiences can most often see me on stages including Cervantes Ballroom, Hard Rock Cafe, Globe Hall, and other venues across Denver as a musician. You’ll next see me playing saxophone in Civic Center Park as part of the Endless Sunshine festival in June.
How would you describe this show to someone who is experiencing it for the first time?
The Hombres is the most heartwarming show in Denver. You’ll experience both hardy chuckles and heavy hearts and love every moment of it.
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?
From doing this show I’ve learned how culture uses masculinity as a mask. Héctor uses masculinity to mask the pain of his marital troubles, telling his peers to “just go back to work” and that “I’m fine.” Beto uses masculinity to mask the pain of embarrassment for times when he was young and naive; now using an enlarged mask of masculinity to compensate for his inability to find balance of the masculine and feminine within himself. Julián uses masculinity as a mask to protect himself from danger and perceived threats. Julian sometimes dawns that mask to protect himself by making it easier to connect to other males, and sometimes as a wall to make men less inclined to threaten him. It has made me consider how I have also used masculine as a mask to hide pain, connect with others, and stifle threats. It has made me reconsider the balance of the masculine and feminine nature within myself.
Yoga and mindfulness also play a large role thematically in the show--do you have any personal practices that ground you?
Running is my most used tools for grounding. It simultaneously clears my mind and lights a fire inside of me. Since beginning work on this show I have adopted a meditation regime that I have found extremely helpful to identify patterns of recurring thoughts and settle them.
Do you have a favorite line or moment from the show? What is it and why does it resonate with you?
My favorite moment in the show is when Julián shows Héctor his choreography. This was the part of the show I was most daunted by and least comfortable in at the beginning of this process. I’ve done plenty of musicals with complex group choreography, but this piece called for a solo. It was very fulfilling to face that challenge. I’m really proud of the work Adrianne Hampton and I did to create a dance piece that blends Latin dance and modern dance all while telling the story of The Hombres. It’s a really special moment in the play and I have fun doing it.
My favorite line in the play is “I’ve never seen you eat a pinche vegetable in my life.” This line is said by Beto and I adore Brandon Billings’ delivery it gets stuck in my head every time I hear it.