Today we’d like to introduce you to Sofía Maldonado Bojórquez.
Sofía, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I grew up in Monterrey, Mexico, in a family where music was more of a background hum than a main event. My mom’s an engineer, my dad a businessman, but I? I sang and danced before I could even walk or talk properly. My parents tell me they always knew I was musically gifted, and though this was uncharted territory for them, they fully supported me throughout it all.
At daycare and kindergarten, I was the first to volunteer for songs about the seasons, classroom rules, and the all-important art of handwashing. By six, I was belting out tunes in choir lessons, and by eight, the stage lights of my first singing performance had me hooked for life. Acting soon followed, especially when I realized my dramatic flair could sometimes get me out of trouble at home (sorry, Mom and Dad). However, everything changed for me at thirteen, when my vocal academy teamed up with a musical-theatre pianist for a summer course. That’s when I discovered musical theatre as my career path.
Theatre enchanted me so much that, at fifteen, I skipped the traditional quinceañera party and asked for tickets to see The Phantom of the Opera in the West End. My parents made my wishes come true, and it was while I sat in that audience that I promised myself I would one day be onstage in a musical like that. After that surreal experience, I went back home searching for theatre opportunities. I couldn’t find any until I arrived at my high school, Prepa Tec Monterrey. I call it enormous because it has campuses and over 6,000 students and staff. During my Freshman year, I auditioned for their production of Grease and landed the role of Sandy. I was ecstatic, savoring every rehearsal and finding my tribe among fellow theatre lovers. Then, on March 12, 2020, everything stopped. My dream was put on hold, and I was heartbroken.
But in 2021, my vocal academy hosted a winter program with Broadway performers and directors over Zoom. One of them, Dan Micciche, musical supervisor of Wicked on Broadway, changed my life with a single question: Have you thought about doing this for a career? YES! Yes, a thousand times yes. Dan generously guided me through the next step: college auditions. He handed me a list of top musical theatre programs, and I applied to every single one. Michigan was at the top. From the moment I auditioned for Michigan, I felt a really strong connection to the university, having visited once in 8th grade for a robotics competition. Thankfully, Michigan was my first acceptance. My gut knew from the very beginning that it was my first choice.
These past 4 years have been the most incredible journey of my life, doing musicals, plays, concerts, short films, modeling shoots, and more. But what I take away most from it is the people I met along the way. I made friendships and cherished memories with my amazing students and professors. All of them taught me valuable lessons that will stay with me for the rest of my life. Leaving my family and my home country for this wasn’t an easy decision or journey, but my people made it worthwhile. They and my family give me the strength to continue pursuing my dream of immigrating to this country to perform.
Now with a BFA in Musical Theatre and a minor in Business at the Ross School of Business, I am leaving Michigan and moving to New York City in search of my next adventure. So far in this one month of being here, I’ve made incredible connections, found amazing representation, and auditioned for shows I dreamed of doing when I was 13. Life for me right now is a vivid dream, and I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for me.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My biggest challenge so far has been leaving my country and starting over in the United States. Coming to Michigan in my first semester, I faced cultural clashes, such as the way people greet each other and the fact that people don’t smash their friend’s head in their birthday cake on their birthday (I learned this the hard way). I also felt like my communication and spirit were limited in the second language I had to speak daily. There were days when I was so tired of speaking English that I had to go to the Arb and isolate for a bit or call my Mexican friends and family to chat. It was also very hard to know that, because of the distance, I would miss many of my family’s big milestones. I don’t get to be there for my siblings’ birthdays and proms, or the day they move to a new house, or the day one of them starts dating and brings someone home. In Mexico, family is sacred, and it is customary for children not to leave home until after they get married. Even then, some families still live together after building new families. So, my leaving and being the only one in the family who has left can sometimes feel very lonely. Finally, one of my biggest challenges with moving to the US is the food. I never knew the impact of food until I came here. During my first year, Bursley Dining Hall broke me. I went from eating like kings, with the best food in the world accessible and affordable, to saving money by eating at Bursley dining hall. It was mad torture. I remember crying uncontrollably at my friend’s birthday party after having the 10th pizza of the week. I love pizza, don’t get me wrong, but my body was used to a different world. Now I understand how family disputes can be healed by a good meal. Good food is truly one of the wonders of the world.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a singer and actress based in New York City who also manages social media for Musical Theatre academies.
I became interested in doing both things when they offered me the job of Social Media Manager for the Department of Musical Theatre during my sophomore year. I had a strong business and graphic design background before college, which set me apart from my peers. I have a strong visual eye for design, and I am well-versed in programs like Adobe and Microsoft.
One of the things that I really specialize in is versatility. When I was young, I was amazing at imitating voice actors, characters, and singers, which came in handy when I wanted to pursue my career as an artist. To be the best, you have to learn from the best, and I am so grateful to have grown with the curiosity to explore every part of my voice. This talent later made me viral on TikTok, where I did a bunch of singing TikToks, doing impressions of artists and dubs in Spanish and English. My biggest inspirations for my videos back in the pandemic were Ariana Grande, Celine Dion, and Disney movies. Later on, when I was at college, this versatility landed me a lot of different opportunities that expanded my acting work. From playing a stinky, ugly Russian man who delivers gossip, to a middle-aged German librarian helping a woman with ALS, and a 13-year-old girl in a spelling bee competition, every character unlocked a new facet of myself that allowed me to realize that not only am I a versatile singer, but a versatile actress as well.
What’s next?
Now that I have moved to New York City, which is probably my biggest move yet, I hope to keep participating in projects that inspire me to keep developing my artistry. I just recently had the opportunity to do a cut-down version of A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, now playing the principal role of Anne alongside some wonderful Broadway stars (Alex Gemignani, Isabelle McCalla, Marina Kondo, Mason Reeves, Nikhil Saboo, Heidi Blinkenstaff, and Elizabeth Ward Land). This job was the perfect first professional NYC job, filled with so much fun, love for the art, and knowledge that I will carry with me forever. I am also currently the Social Media Intern at BroadwayVox Studios, which is a NYC musical theatre academy serving a long list of Broadway veterans and stars. This job has given me the chance to start building up my network of performers in the city and to observe some of the best classes here for free. Lastly, after my senior showcase in NYC, I had the immense privilege of signing with Authentic Management and Innovative Artists, two amazing representation companies that have countless successful clients working in Theatre, and TV/Film.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sofia-maldonado.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sofiamaldobo/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sofia-maldonado-boj%C3%B3rquez-3ab368287/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sofiamaldobo
