RAMON DEL BARRIO: The Man Who Makes BABALU Dance!

Ramon Del Barrio has been in show business for some forty years. At the age of seven he became a Billy The Kid clothing model, officially entering this business we call show. Joining us as we travel through Ramon's life will be such names as JERSEY BOYS, GUYS & DOLLS, Chita Rivera, Donna McKechnie, Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Desi Arnaz, Jose Ferrer, Judith Jamison, Des McAnuff, Bob Fosse, Michael Bennett, Lucie Arnaz, and a few others.

Ramon spoke with me from his Las Vegas hotel room, where he just finished a run as Billy Dixon in JERSEY BOYS. He was going to the dentist, shortly after our interview, and the following day he would be flying from Vegas to Miami, which many people would consider similar experiences. The dentist and the airport, that is. However, Ramon was flying his favorite airline, American Airlines to South Florida to take the helm of BABALU as its choreographer and stage director. BABALU plays at the Arsht Center July 8 through the 11th.

Ramon is a sweetheart and you had best pay careful attention to him, because Ramon is very, very, Very smart.

Beau: Did JERSEY BOYS end its run in Las Vegas?

Ramon: Oh no, it'll probably run for at least four more years. My contract was at its end and I had the opportunity to do BABALU in Miami so I chose BABALU. If there was a way, I would have loved to have continued JERSEY BOYS and do BABALU.

Beau: What was the best part of doing JERSEY BOYS in Las Vegas, the salary?

Ramon: The salary, the salary was good, any salary is good. But, Broadway is still the great white way. It was a great run. While I was here I also worked on other projects. There are always other projects, so I got other work done.

Beau: Are Las Vegas audiences different from others?

Ramon: Sometimes they are more vocal. Cheering, bravos, yelling. There is a feeling they are at a rock concert sometimes. But then, Broadway is really rockin' and rollin' right now, isn't it? You have the soft rock from Burt Bacharach in the PROMISES, PROMISES revival, and SPRING AWAKENING, AMERICAN IDIOT, ROCK OF AGES, JERSEY BOYS.

Beau: Ramon I must tell you, I expected you to have an accent, why is that?

Ramon: Because of the name, Ramon. It serves me well, being closer to American/Latin. Where I wanna be. However, it says Raymond on my Equity card.

Beau: If you could sign a contract to work with anybody as a performer or choreographer, with whom would it be and why?

Ramon: I'm excited to be working with Lucie Arnaz now. And all the other people in BABALU.  Hopefully some day I will be a supreme, extraordinary triple threat like Lucie Arnaz or the amazing leads of BABALU.  Jose Ferrer, one of my mentors told me I had to be a true triple threat; dancing, singing, and acting. Jose Ferrer introduced me to Bob Fosse! I spoke with Bob Fosse for 2 and half hours. Bob Fosse said to me "show me your choreography." I turned down Madonna's MATERIAL GIRL video to meet with Fosse.

Beau: How did the world of musicals come into your life?

Ramon: From the movies. I saw the musical movies long before I ever saw a Broadway show.

Beau: What is your favorite film version of an older Broadway show?

Ramon: OKLAHOMA! I also love the film SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS, although, that was an original movie musical, wasn't it? Glorious movies. Unlike the film version of A CHORUS LINE. Which, to put it into one word, was offensive.

Beau: You told me in a previous conversation that you did not gamble in Vegas. What did you do in your free time?

Ramon: (singing from A CHORUS LINE) "I used to dance around the living room."
My father, George Gutierrez del Barrio, played piano for Cugat when Abbe Lane was the singer. After leaving Cugat, he became Abbe Lane's Musical Director. He instilled in me that you must always be doing your craft. He is an artist. My father was certainly the greatest influence in my life. My father knew Desi Arnaz. That is what makes BABALU so perfect. The Latin influence is unique. This project is perfect for me. BABALU will bring me a lot closer to where I belong, to where I should be in my work, in my world.

Beau: Any people in the business you have dreamed of working with?

Ramon: Spielberg would be amazing. Hal Prince again. It is always amazing to work with Des McAnuff.

Beau: Tell us about the Oscar you are seen holding on your website (www.ramondelbarrio.com).

Ramon: That was a wonderful experience, WEST BANK STORY. I was sought after by a student director. I was playing Chino in the 30th Anniversary tour of WEST SIDE STORY. I still have the gun. Anyone who plays Chino gets to keep the gun. Anyway, I did this student film for bupkis (free) and it wins the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film. I loved that project. I was the only pro there, they were all kids. I helped cast the dancers, helped with the shots, helped produce, helped the director film the dance scenes. I will always be very proud of that. Dancing as opposed to bombings or killings. It is a bold story told by an Israeli, Ari Sandel. It shows the absurdities on both sides. At its heart, it is a love story.

Beau: Raul Esparza is the male lead in BABALU. You are his understudy. Do you hope to go on during the Miami engagement?

Ramon: In my living room daydreams. It is a wonderful vehicle. I would love to do that. I hold Raul in such high regard, it would be thrilling. Raul is American/ Cuban. From Desi to Raul. Raul's story is fascinating. You couldn't fill all of Raul's layers. It would be a pretty humbling experience. Raul is the Latin Brian Stokes Mitchell. Raul broke stereotypes, he helped others break through.

Beau: Who is your greatest dancer in BABALU?

Ramon: Valarie Pettiford is amazing. We've worked together on other occasions and it is wonderful to give moments to singers who are dancers. Then there is Jeanette Delgado and Richard Amaro. All my favorite dancers. It is most thrilling to have two American Cubans of their caliber. I'm completely thrilled.

Beau: Does Lucie Arnaz dance in BABALU?

Ramon: Oh yes! Lucie knows how to shake her money maker! And Raul is just a natural dancer.

Beau: If you had total creative control with BABALU, what would you change?

Ramon: I wouldn't change anything. It is my job to bring to life Lucie's vision. I make sure that they are certainly fabulous and all her ideas come out perfect and make sense. I wouldn't change a thing.

Beau: Did you watch I LOVE LUCY?

Ramon: Oh absolutely, I grew up watching I LOVE LUCY. And the movies that Lucy did before she married Desi. Her career as a model and becoming Queen of the B movies, just wonderful. Desi was practically part of my lineage. I grew up around that era of music.

Beau: Did Ricky Ricardo or Desi Arnaz in any way affect your work on BABALU?

Ramon: Desi Arnaz was so smooth, comfortable, and natural. He was as natural and smooth as possible. It wasn't easy to fit the mold. Then Raul's name came up.

Beau: Who brought Raul's name up first?

Ramon: I said it first, and then Ron Abel, and Lucie said his name almost before I finished saying it. It was, of course! Raul was the obvious choice, wasn't he? Of course he was.

Beau: Tell us about your mentors.

Ramon: My father. My father is first and foremost an artist. However, he tried to detour me from show business. He wanted to be sure I would be happy. Show business was risky.

Beau: Any mentors other than your father?

Ramon: Harold Prince, Jose Ferrer, Bob Fosse, Scott Salmon, Michael Peters. Joe Tremaine was my first "jazz Daddy." Dean Barlow. Finis Jhung, my first ballet teacher. Judith Jamison, Keith McDaniel, who passed; so many people I looked up to and learned from.

Beau: You co-starred with Chita Rivera in THE DANCER'S LIFE. Any special Chita memory you can share with us?

Ramon: I have a story from years before that. I was about 18 or 19 working with Scott Salmon on The Miss America Pageant. Chita was in town doing the tour of the original production of CHICAGO. Scott introduced me to Chita. Chita saw that I was standing there mouth open and in awe. (Chita talked about that in Dancer's Life.) She grabbed my face, and kissed me with her eyes wide open. I was glowing in her dressing room. Seeing Chita and meeting her was a defining moment for me. I knew I was going to be a good, honest, hardworking gypsy.

Beau: Did you ever have any jobs outside of show business?

Ramon: I started in the business at six. Perhaps I have been fortunate unlike friends such as Dana Plato or Todd Bridges.

Beau: We spoke of mentors. Have you had any monsters in your career?

Ramon: I burned them all in effigy and have forgiven them all. I will not be getting there at any cost. Those experiences made me stronger. I will fight for honor and truth in show business!

Beau: Your mother, actress, and dancer Anita Krisel, was the lead dancer at the Hawaiin Room in the Lexington Hotel. Give us 3 words to describe her.

Ramon: Positive. Talented. Loving. She is still very beautiful and all of those things. Never negative. So talented as a singer, dancer, and a mother. She lives in Hawaii now and she is the backbone of much of what I do. She instilled in me the way I live my life.

Beau: Are your folks still together?

Ramon: They separated about 20 years ago. They are both in relationships now.

Beau: How did you get to know Donna McKechnie?

Ramon: In a gig that I got via Jose Ferrer. It was called NosOstros. I worked with her in a tribute to Susan Hayward in the early 80s.

Beau: You played Damon Runyon in the recent revival of GUYS & DOLLS. I wasn't aware of Runyon being a character in the show.

Ramon: That was the concept of this revival. Damon Runyon appeared with his characters. He also sang and danced with his characters. It was a wonderful revival.

Beau: Have you felt the effects of decades as a dancer?

Ramon: No jumps, no lifts, etc. they are removed from my resume. Jumps and lifts are for the children, not for someone of my age. Yet, I still need to dance. The strenuous stuff is not for me. Remember, there are other dancers too. I'm responsible for someone else's safety.

Beau: Is it easy for someone Latin American to find parts in the theater nowadays?

Ramon: You can get into one or two of the Puerto Rican Shows, WEST SIDE STORY or IN THE HEIGHTS. JERSEY BOYS if you're of Italian stock. That show was perfect for Des McAnuff. That would be a dream. To continue working with Des McAnuff. His intellectual, creative process is exhilarating. I was performing for Des McAnuff one day and he was like: "I didn't know you could do that." He's liked it enough to hire me.

Beau: How was it working with Chita?

Ramon: Working with Chita is the real deal. You can do pretty much anything on film, but working with Chita on a stage is the real deal. She was sensational. Chita insisted that I take the time off from THE DANCER'S LIFE to attend the Oscars when WEST BANK STORY was nominated. After I got back to the show, she was saying, "alright, back to work." I'm thankful I grew up in show business. Marilyn Monroe, they didn't harp on infidelities in those days. She was a great movie star. Now you have to do something awful or a rehab show, it seems, to get noticed.

Beau: Ramon, what would you be doing if you weren't in show business?

Ramon: I perform because I have to. I sing and dance because it is Oxygen to me, I have no choice. People paying and clapping is not why I do it. I don't need to hear applause. I'm moving through the show, surrendering to the craft. It is my Oxygen. Right now, BABALU is where I belong.

Our interview was at an end, but Ramon had a request.

Ramon: The picture that I sent to you of my father with Desi? Please don't use it. Desi is dressed very casually in the picture and I don't want in any way to be offensive to Lucie or to Desi's memory.

I shall not use the picture and Mr. Del Barrio is indeed, a class act.

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