Ricky Ubeda Explained

Ricky Ubeda
Birth Date:[1]
Birth Place:Miami, Florida, U.S.[2]
Years Active:2014–present
Known For:Winning Season 11 of So You Think You Can Dance

Ricky Ubeda (born December 4, 1995)[1] is an American dancer and actor known for winning season 11 of So You Think You Can Dance.

Early life and career

Ubeda was born in Miami, Florida, and graduated from Coral Reef Senior High School in May 2014.[2] [3] While in high school, Ubeda auditioned for Fox's dance-competition reality series So You Think You Can Dance and was chosen as one of 20 competitors for the show's eleventh season, which aired weekly from July through September 2014.[4] [5] Ubeda won the competition and, as part of his prize, received an ensemble role in the 2014 Broadway revival of On the Town.[6] He performed in the role from February 27 through April 26, 2015.[7]

Ubeda's next Broadway appearance was as Mr. Mistoffelees in the 2016 revival of Cats.[8] For this role, he was nominated for the 2017 Chita Rivera Award for Outstanding Male Dancer in a Broadway Show.[9] In 2018, Ubeda performed in the ensemble of Carousel on Broadway.[10]

Ubeda played Indio (a member of the Sharks gang) and understudied Bernardo in the 2020 Broadway revival of West Side Story, which opened in February and closed in March, due to the COVID-19 Broadway shutdown.[11] [12] He appears as Flaco, another Shark, in Steven Spielberg's 2021 film adaptation of the musical.[13]

He has also toured with Travis Wall's dance company, Shaping Sound.[14] He appeared as one of Jack Cole's dancers in an episode of the 2019 FX miniseries Fosse/Verdon.[15]

Theatre credits

YearTitleRoleNotes
2015On the TownEnsembleBroadway
2016CatsMr. MistoffeleesBroadway
2018CarouselEnsembleBroadway
2020West Side StoryIndio; u/s BernardoBroadway
2024IllinoiseHenryChicago
Off-Broadway
Broadway

Notes and References

  1. Perlman . Jake . 'So You Think You Can Dance' winner Ricky on being America's Favorite . Entertainment Weekly . June 25, 2022 . September 4, 2014 . 18-year-old Ricky Ubeda was named the winner.
  2. Web site: Hagwood . Rod Stafford . Miami dancer Ricky Ubeda wins 'SYTYCD' . Sun-Sentinel.com . June 25, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210702225545/https://www.sun-sentinel.com/entertainment/theater-and-arts/sf-miami-tv-so-you-think-you-can-dance-sytycd-story.html . July 2, 2021 . August 29, 2014 . live.
  3. Web site: Halterman . Jim . Interview: 'So You Think You Can Dance' Winner Ricky Ubeda . NewNowNext . June 25, 2022 . September 23, 2014.
  4. Web site: McPhee . Ryan . Hello, Sailor! So You Think You Can Dance Winner Ricky Ubeda Will Join On the Town . Broadway.com . June 22, 2022 . February 18, 2015.
  5. Web site: Ricky Ubeda's Reign . Dance Spirit . June 25, 2022 . December 1, 2014.
  6. Web site: 'So You Think You Can Dance' contest winner Ricky Ubeda joins Broadway show . Fox News . June 25, 2022 . December 31, 2016.
  7. Web site: Gans . Andrew . 'So You Think You Can Dance' Winner Ricky Ubeda Sets Starting Date in Broadway's On the Town . Playbill . June 25, 2022 . February 18, 2015.
  8. Web site: Fierberg . Ruthie . Why Everyone Should See This Revival of Cats . Playbill . June 25, 2022 . July 15, 2016.
  9. Web site: McPhee . Ryan . Bandstand, Sweet Charity, and More Earn Chita Rivera Award Nominations . Playbill . June 25, 2022 . May 1, 2017.
  10. Web site: McPhee . Ryan . Carousel, Starring Jessie Mueller, Joshua Henry, and Renée Fleming, Opens on Broadway April 12 . Playbill . June 25, 2022 . April 12, 2018.
  11. Web site: Rabinowitz . Chloe . Meet the Cast of WEST SIDE STORY - Now in Previews on Broadway! . BroadwayWorld . June 25, 2022 . December 10, 2019.
  12. Web site: Gans . Andrew . McPhee . Ryan . Ivo van Hove's Revival of West Side Story Will Not Reopen on Broadway . Playbill . June 25, 2022 . August 9, 2021.
  13. Web site: Stamberg . Susan . How choreographer Justin Peck helped reimagine 'West Side Story' for the 21st century . NPR . June 25, 2022 . January 10, 2022.
  14. Web site: Photo Flash: Stunning Shots of Ricky Ubeda and More in SHAPING SOUND at the Beacon . BroadwayWorld . June 25, 2022 . February 10, 2016.
  15. Web site: Fierberg . Ruthie . Fosse/Verdon Recap, Episode 3: 'Me and My Baby' . Playbill . June 25, 2022 . April 24, 2019.