Caleb De La Torre

Caleb De La Torre is one of those performers who make the hard work of performing look smooth and easy. Caleb is not only an excellent actor, but also an accomplished song and dance man who is currently charming audience as Tulsa in Theatre Arlington’s Gypsy. I’m not sure what the “it” factor is that sets an actor apart, but I know that Caleb De La Torre has “it.” While Caleb is at home on the stage, he would like to have a film career as well and he is working toward that goal. If you don’t catch Caleb on stage, you’ll be seeing him lighting up the silver screen. Take a few moments to read about star to be Caleb De La Torre.

When was your first time on stage? 

 My first time on stage was in the 10th grade in my high school’s production of Rapunzel! Rapunzel! A Very Hairy Fairy Tale Musical (Try saying that five times fast). I played the role of ‘King’ and had about two lines at the end of the show. I had also just broken my right hand, so I proudly made my stage debut sporting a neon orange cast.

 I never intended on joining theatre, but a few of my buddies who were in the department asked me if I was willing to fill in for the role, it didn’t hurt that my crush was in the musical and I was told we got to skip class for the children shows. It didn’t take much convincing after that. 

When did you know you wanted to be an actor?

  I’m very thankful for my high school directors for encouraging me to pursue it as a career even when I was extremely apprehensive about it. They took me to audition for universities at a theatre convention and to my surprise I was called back for every school attending that day. I felt like I really sold myself short. In that moment I remember thinking, “Huh, I guess I’ve got a pretty good shot at this acting thing.” It was one of the happiest moments of my life, and that made me realize I had to do this forever.

Who is your greatest mentor? 

 I can’t just name one, they’ve each contributed significantly to my life and career. So why not name them all! 

To my high school directors, Gabriel (Ram) Ramirez and Julissa (Rod) Alaniz, for laying down the foundation in my passion for acting and creating a loving environment in my first impression of theatre. To Felicia Bertch for recruiting me to join UTA’s Maverick Theatre company and show me what a true artist looks like through her love for the craft and kindness towards everyone. To Detra Payne for being an amazing teacher and kindly humbling me in my work while unraveling my potential as an actor. And to Connor Torrealba for being an incredible guide in my spiritual walk with Christ. 

Of course, I wouldn’t be the man I am today if it weren’t for my parents. They came to this country seeking a new life and built a name for themselves out of nothing. They’re my inspiration. Los quiero muchisimo! 

What role have you enjoyed the most in your career so far?

 Ouuu, thankfully I’ve liked every role I’ve done, but my favorites would have to fall under Rene Flores in Lydia by Octavio Solis and Chief McClelland in the stage adaptation of Night of The Living Dead by Lori Allen Ohm. 

Man, playing Rene was such a heavy role to say the least, but I absolutely loved every minute of it. It was the first time I became completely immersed in a role and spent time living in their headspace even outside of rehearsal. I immediately knew I had to utilize this practice because Rene is such a broken and troubled character that there was no way I was going to achieve that honesty without completely stepping into his shoes. To say it was a privilege to have been able to portray this character is an understatement, the role of Rene taught me many things, but most of all to be loving towards everyone because you never know what they’re going through behind closed doors. I’m extremely proud to say I delivered my best performance as Rene Flores and I would like to thank, the playwright, Octavio Solis, for working closely with the cast of Lydia and giving us insight on our characters directly from the source! 

As for Chief McClellan, well… he may not have had as many lines or depth as Rene, but he did have a kickass handlebar mustache. Chief holds a special place in my heart because he reminded me that you don’t need a lot of stage time to have fun while acting! Chief brought back the joy (and often forgotten) playfulness of being an actor. I felt like a kid playing pretend again. Little Caleb was having the time of his life kicking zombie butt on stage. 

Do you have a dream role?

 Judas in The Last Days of Judas Iscariot by Stephen Adley Guirgis has been a dream role since my senior year of high school. I have full faith that I will play him someday, I don’t know, just a gut feeling! 

What person(s) would you like to be on stage with?

 Philip Seymour Hoffman. God rest his soul. 

What performances have you seen that impressed you?

 I’ve seen many wonderful performances across the years, especially here in the DFW, and I’m so blessed to be surrounded by such talent. However, I’m currently in a production of Gypsy at Theatre Arlington, and Brandy Raper as Rose is phenomenal. Listening to her perform the final number, “Rose’s Turn”, never gets old, it always sends chills across my face. Brandy’s performance has made me take a step back and appreciate my craft! 

What are your career goals?

 I seriously want to act in feature films someday, but I know that I could never let go of the stage, so if I can make a living doing both, I’ll be a very happy lad. For now, I would like to further my education in acting. I plan on auditioning for graduate programs soon. Ultimately I want to be the greatest actor I can be and continue telling stories that’ll hopefully leave a positive impact on people’s lives and encourage young Latino actors Que si se puede! 

What would people be surprised to learn about you?

 I’m a self-taught drummer! My church’s youth group needed a drummer one day and my brothers who are also musicians figured I could keep a steady beat, so they threw me into the mix. I’ve been playing for about 9 years now and aside from acting, it is one of my greatest passions. I also began customizing action figures during the pandemic. It’s a tedious process so I don’t do it as often anymore, but it’s certainly loads of fun, especially when you get commissions with wacky ideas!