SAN ANTONIO — One of San Antonio’s own is making a name for himself with a budding Broadway career that will soon bring him home to the Alamo City.
Preston Perez stars as the mysterious Prince Hans in Disney’s Frozen, the Broadway Musical, coming to the Majestic Theatre May 22- Jun 2. KENS 5 recently caught up with the actor during the tour’s stint in Philadelphia.
He grew up in San Antonio, attending Bulverde Creek Elementary and eventually enrolling as a musical theatre major at North East School of the Arts (NESA) in NEISD.
“In terms of my education, that was my most pivotal moment,” Perez said. “I had a blast at NESA and decided I wanted to become an actor.”
In addition to being back in his hometown, it’s particularly meaningful for him to perform on the Majestic stage. The historic theatre represents the support and encouragement he needed to take the leap into a professional career.
“I competed in the Joci Awards three separate times. The Majestic Empire Foundation basically funded my education,” he said.
Luckily, there is a nationally-ranked college theatre program right in San Antonio’s own backyard, just up I-35. Perez attended Texas State University’s theatre program, which he credits with helping launch his career to the next level.
It did not take him long to land a role on Broadway, booking the Neil Diamond jukebox musical, A Beautiful Noise, shortly after graduating.
From there, he booked a leading role in Frozen, the Broadway Musical.
Though he is still early in his career, he reflects on how growing up in San Antonio helped shape and prepare for him for the tight-knit theatre world.
“What’s really special about San Antonio and the experiences that I had there was that community was such a big aspect of my time living in San Antonio,” Perez said. “I have a huge family. My grandpa has seven brothers, and they all had kids, and they all had kids, so I have lots of cousins.”
His character in Frozen, Prince Hans, is an intriguing and complex one. If you are one of the billions of people familiar with the now-classic Disney tale, you know the direction his character ends up. But, Perez says the role allows him to explore two sides of the same coin.
“It’s really a fantastic, meaty role for an actor. You spend so much of the time convincing the audience to forget that he’s the villain, which is a really special arc for me as an actor and for the character,” Perez said. “In some ways, yes, I am the villain, but when I start the show, I am not thinking about that at all. I am thinking that I am a prince that is going to woo Anna and make her fall in love with me.”
For Perez personally, he is proud to be part of such a beloved and wide-reaching story.
“For so many people, it means so much to them. Whether you identify with Anna or Elsa, the story of these two sisters, whose love is stronger than any love they have for a prince or a man they might meet. It’s a really special and unique Disney story,” Perez said.
And finally, Perez answered the all-important question…what is the first thing he is going to do when he gets back in the Alamo City?
“I’m going to have a barbacoa taco and Big Red. I’m going to have a chamoy snow cone, I’m going to buy tons of Mexican candy. Those are like the special treats you truly cannot find anywhere else.”
Perez will be back on South Texas soil toward the end of May.
Frozen, a Broadway Musical, runs May 22-June 2. Click here for tickets.