Latin History For Morons (promo) – for Stageworks Theatre

I recently photographed character portraits for Stageworks Theatre’s production of Latin History for Morons, a sharp, funny, and deeply engaging one-man show originally written and performed by John Leguizamo. This production starred Néstor Meléndez, and from the top of the session it was clear he had an incredible command of the material and the camera. The goal of the shoot was to create bold, expressive character portraits that could carry the weight of a solo performance and immediately communicate the energy of the show.

Néstor was an absolute joy to work with; charismatic, focused, and totally in character. He has that ability to give just enough to the camera without breaking the integrity of the performance, which makes portrait sessions like this feel more like collaborative storytelling than promotional photography. He instinctively understood how small shifts in posture, expression, and eye line could completely change the read of an image, giving us a wide range of usable looks in a very short time.

The resulting images were used extensively across press and marketing platforms, including features on BroadwayWorld (and here), Patch, Creative Loafing Tampa, St. Pete Catalyst, and the Tampa Bay Times, as well as ticketing and promotional listings. Seeing these photographs live out in the world, supporting a powerful piece of theatre and helping draw audiences in, is always the most rewarding part of this kind of work.