Michael Longoria’s life has always been about music.
Initially, he was immersed in the world of mariachi music. However, a chance to perform in West Side Story instilled a love of musical theater in Longoria that led to appearing on Broadway in Hairspray and his most famous role: part of the original cast of Jersey Boys. (He subsequently joined his Jersey Boys co-stars as The Midtown Men.)
On Feb. 21, Longoria will be one of six Broadway stars taking part in the Illinois Conservatory for the Arts’s 4th annual A Night of Broadway benefit gala and concert at The Matrix Club in Naperville. Tickets are available here.
Note: This conversation was edited for clarity and length.
Windy City Times: Life has been a journey for you in many ways.
Michael Longoria: Yes, and I love my [queer] community. I’ve been out since I was 15 and, when I came to New York City in the ‘90s, I feel like being gay was still pretty unpopular. I feel like I’ve gone from zero acceptance to full acceptance to back to hatred [with the current climate]; we’ve gone on this emotional roller-coaster. I feel like we all have to support each other.
WCT: I’m not a fan of even speaking in public. What is it about performing that brings you joy?
ML: I also find public speaking very difficult because when you’re speaking to an audience, you’re exposing your true self to the people. But when you’re in a song, you’re in a sonic world that’s been created for you—and you’re either a character or [another] version of yourself. So when I sing a song, it’s like I’m flying; it’s like I’m speaking a language that I’ve known for lifetimes. Something about singing is the truest way for me to express my inner soul. It’s like I’m a vessel for art and this message of peace.
For example, regarding the song “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” I’ve sung it for over 10 years. But there are times when I can’t remember what comes next—but your soul remembers. My senses take over and it’s like I’m a passenger on this artistic ride.
WCT: That was beautiful.
ML: I just read it off ChatGPT—kidding! [Laughs]
WCT: But speaking of which, what do you think about the phenomenon of AI singers and music?
ML: For the acts who would love to free their voices, it’s good for them. But to do it at a big performance hall, I don’t know. We had the Whitney Houston hologram tour already, right? I think it’s inevitable but there’s something special about seeing a real human go through the emotions and use the natural breath of life.
WCT: I agree. I went to see George Michael and that was one of the best concerts I ever attended. I don’t know if I would go see a George Michael hologram, though.
ML: To be honest, I probably would still go see him because I love him. [Laughs] He knew how to put on a show, dancing in those tight jeans.
WCT: I understand from my research that you didn’t actively pursue musical theater; it was more like you fell into it, thanks toWest Side Story.
ML: Yes. I went to the High School for the Performing Arts in Los Angeles; it was like Fame. I was a mariachi singer at the time, and one of the musical-theater teachers knew me because my best friend was her daughter. I was in the hallway and she said, “Longoria, we need men for West Side Story. You’re coming!” You really couldn’t say no to her.
And all she had to say was “five-six-seven-eight”—and something happened to my body; I was a dancer, right then and there. According to Ms. Hunter, the dance teacher, I was a natural and she put me in West Side Story; later, she put me in a dance conservatory. It was all unsolicited; she didn’t need to do this—but she saw something in me. She started my musical-theater journey. In fact, West Side Story was the first professional job I got in New York—and it was because of the production with Ms. Hunter. But if she hadn’t asked me, I wouldn’t be here in Hell’s Kitchen talking with a fabulous guy in Chicago about my career.
WCT: That was sweet. You mentioned mariachi, which makes me think of Mexico—and your ritual of finding Mexican restaurants wherever you perform.
ML: Oh, wow—I don’t know how you found that out. [Laughs] I’ve left my fingerprints on every Mexican restaurant around the nation. [Interviewer laughs.] I think it’s because I’m from California, and I miss my home and familiarity. I was raised by a very Catholic family in a very macho environment but I realized, because of musical theater, that there are other communities—there was a whole city where I could frolic and be my authentic self. My family evolved, including my father, who (before he passed) would tell people “I’m gay, too”—although he meant that he was an ally.
WCT: Complete this sentence: “It was really surreal meeting _______________.”
ML: It was really surreal meeting Bette Midler. I was playing Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys and they never tell you who’s there. Who do I see? Little, magical Bette Midler—who looked serene and beautiful and freshly coiffed. And she said, “Oh my God—that crowd loved you!” But for years I kept saying, “She said that they loved you.” [Laughs] But she was very complimentary. She also talked about her time knowing Frankie Valli.
WCT: You should write a song like that.
ML: [Sings] “And just like Bette Midler said, ‘They loved you.’” [Both laugh.]
WCT: So regardingA Night of Broadway, what specifically can the audience expect from you?
ML: I’m doing “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You,” which is my Jennifer Holliday song because she always has to sing “And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going.” And there’s a queer story behind “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You.” It was written by Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio, and Bob Crewe is one of those eccentric West Hollywood guys. The story goes that Bob [Crewe] wrote this story about a young lover who he watched sleeping; he wrote, “You’re just too good to be true.” That song was played at every straight wedding so to find out that there’s a queer history behind it makes it all the more beautiful to sing it.
WCT: Asking you something I’ve asked several other people, what does queer representation mean to you?
ML: That’s an interesting question because there are two sides to it. There’s the political side, seeing people fight for our rights and speak about our rights, like on The View. Even though a lot of those people are straight, it’s queer representation in a sense. Then there’s the artistic side, and I’ve been seeing a lot of queer representation in theater—and some of it is right where we need to be. But sometimes, it seems like there’s a false activism, when people say, “We happen to have a lesbian and a gay guy in [this production].” It’s not about them being gay; it’s about the story.
But when there are real queer stories that are in theater, that’s really what queer representation is about. In Hell’s Kitchen, everyone has their own sense of being. For me, “queer” is about literally creating what and who you are.
Some people feel like they have to put on that extra shine to be an ally. All you have to do is stand by us. We’re all in this together. It’s not just a lifestyle.