Carlo Alban Explained

Carlo Albán (born October 3, 1979) is an Ecuadorian actor, best known as "Carlo" from Sesame Street (1993–98). He played the role of Luis "McGrady" Gallego on Prison Break (2007–08). He has since gone on to perform in a variety of mediums, including plays and television shows.

Early life

Albán arrived in the U.S. at the age of 7 with his family on a travel visa.[1] However, his family intended to stay in the United States despite the potential consequences, living on an expired visa with the risk of deportation always prevalent.[2] When he was 12 he got his first role in Oliver! as the title character. He then went on to other roles in New York until he was cast on Sesame Street.[3]

Raised in Sayreville, New Jersey, Albán graduated from Sayreville War Memorial High School in 1996; he was inducted into the school's hall of fame in 2019.[4] He attended Rutgers University, majoring in visual arts.

Sesame Street

Albán was on Sesame Street from 1993 to 1998 and during that time his being in the U.S. was against the law. In response to the reasoning for him being on Sesame Street while lacking proper documentation, he said, "what better place to hide than in the spotlight where no one would suspect you?"[5] During these teenage years Albán had several formative experiences that he later talked about in his play Intringulus, including an instance involving the situation of his immigration.

Career

Film & Television

He has had recurring roles in Strangers with Candy, Thicker Than Blood, and The Tavern. He has guest starred on Law & Order, The Jury, Touched by an Angel, the HBO prison-themed series Oz, Deadline, and in Prison Break as Luis "McGrady" Gallego. He played "Birdman" in the film Whip It.

ProductionDateRole
Black Bird2022Chris Drysdale
Mile 222018William Douglas
The Night Of (TV Mini-Series)2016
H.O.M.E.2016Manny
Sleeping with Other People2015Microcenter Employee
Palladium (Short)2014Stefon Alexander
The Bravest, the Boldest (Short)2014Chaplain Lieutenant Torres
Girls (TV Series)2014
The Sonnet Project (TV Series)2013
Cannonball Beautiful (Short)2011Bear
Margaret2011Rodrigo
The Big Deal (Short)2011Auggie
Hector is Gonna Kill Nate (Short)2010Hector
Whip It2009Birdman
Fringe (TV Series)2008FBI Tech Agent
Glow Ropes: The Rise and Fall of a Bar Mitzvah Emcee2008Barry
Prison Break (TV Series)2007-2008McGrady
The Tape Recorder (Short)2007Man
Life Support (TV Movie)2007Andre
Dentist Visit (Short)2007Juan
Live Free or Die2006Todd Thomas
Law & Order: Criminal Intent (TV Series)2005James Raphael
Strangers with Candy2005Megawatti
The Jury (TV Series)2004Douglas Santago
21 Grams2003Lucio
Snipes2001Bugsy
Deadline (TV Series)2000Manny
Center Stage2000Eva's Friend
Law & Order (TV Series)1996-2000Ramon Soriano / Damien
Touched by an Angel (TV Series)1999Tino Morante
The Tavern1999Tommy
Oz (TV Series)1999Luis Ricardo
Hi-Life1998Ricky
Thicker Than Blood (TV Movie)1998Lee Cortez
Sesame Street (TV Series)1993-1998Carlo
Hurricane Streets1997Benny
Imagine That! (Video short)1996Carlo
Sesame Street: Cookie Monster's Best Bites (Video)1995

Stage

Albán has made appearances on the stage, including multiple Off-Broadway shows and on Broadway in Sweat.[6] [7] He originated the role of Oscar in the world premiere production of Sweat at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in 2015.

Regional Theatre Productions:[8]

ProductionTheatre
SweatOSF, Public Theater, Broadway
A ParallelogramCenter Theatre Group
LydiaDenver, Yale, Center Theatre Group
HurricaneAsolo Repertory Theatre
All About UsWestport
DreamlandiaDallas Theatre Center
Night of the IguanaGuthrie Theater
New York Productions:
ProductionTheatre
Tamburlaine Parts I & IITheatre for a New Audience
IntríngulisSolo show - writer/performer
A Small Melodramatic StoryLabyrinth Theater Company
References to Salvador Dali Make Me HotThe Public Theater, NYSF
A Summer DayRattlestick Playwrights Theater
Alice in Slasherland, Living Dead in DenmarkVampire Cowboys
FlipzoidsMa-Yi

Awards

For television, Alban has been nominated for two Young Artist Awards for his work in Touched by an Angel and Thicker Than Blood. He also received a nomination for an ALMA award for his work in Thicker Than Blood, and Thicker Than Blood received an ALMA award for Outstanding Made-For-Television Movie or Mini-Series.[9] He has also received the New Dramatists' Charles Bowden Award,[10] and a 2017 Theatre World Award for an outstanding Broadway debut for Sweat.

Sweat

Alban starred in Sweat, the Pulitzer Prize Winner for Drama 2017.[11] [12] Sweat ran on Broadway through June 2017 and tackles the issues that a group of friends and coworkers must deal with as their jobs are threatened.[13]

Notes and References

  1. Horwitz. Simi. March 2017. From 'Sesame Street' to solo star: Carlo Alban. Back Stage West. 9.
  2. News: I is for Illegal: Acting on Sesame Street without a visa. Dailey. Kate. 2011-11-25. BBC News. 2017-05-01. en-GB.
  3. News: Carlo of 'Sesame Street,' on Being an Illegal Immigrant in Real Life. Saltz. Rachel. October 19, 2011. The New York Times.
  4. Sockol, Matthew. "Sayreville Hall of Fame ceremony is April 27", CentralJersey.com, March 19, 2019. Accessed April 8, 2021. "Alban is from the Class of 1996 and has had a career in the arts for over 25 years. As a teenager, he portrayed the character Carlo on Sesame Street and has appeared on several other television series, including as a member of the cast of Prison Break."
  5. Web site: Undocumented and Unafraid: Carlo Alban. 2012-01-20. Latino USA. 2017-05-01.
  6. News: 'Sweat': Theater Review. The Hollywood Reporter. 2017-05-01. en.
  7. Web site: Carlo Albán Theatre Credits. www.broadwayworld.com. en. 2017-05-01.
  8. Web site: Carlo Alban. Oregon Shakespeare Festival. 2017-04-28.
  9. Web site: 1999 NCLR ALMA AWARDS. Alma Awards.
  10. Web site: Carlo Alban. 2017-04-28. Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
  11. Web site: Sweat Broadway - Official Site. SpotCo. Sweat Broadway - Official Site. en. 2017-05-01.
  12. Web site: 2017 Pulitzer Prizes . www.pulitzer.org. en. 2017-05-01.
  13. Web site: Broadway's Sweat Announces Closing . Olivia . Clement . June 13, 2017 . Playbill . March 10, 2023 .