Alanna Chavez

Let’s start from the top. I was born on a US Naval base in San Diego, California and after going through the horrible pain of birth (ugh, so rude of my mom), I was understandably screaming. The doctor gave me a pugnacious pat on the posterior and my mother swears in that moment I let out the most beautiful, sultry riff she had ever heard. Time stopped. We locked eyes. My ducts welled with tears of disbelief; hers with tears of pride, knowing her daughter would one day become a singer. And she, as is standard with Latinas, was absolutely correct.

As I forged my way through childhood in the suburbs of Phoenix, Arizona, I discovered the joys of being indoors when it’s 118 degrees outdoors. Did you know one of the things you can do when it’s super hot outside is sit in a cool theater? “Well, now you know.” - Stephen Sondheim

I filled my time by watching local celebrities shine on the stages of Tempe Center for the Arts, Hale Center Theatre, and The Phoenix Theatre Company. And eventually one day I would join them, and also snatch a coveted AriZoni Award of my own.

When I finally worked up the gumption, I moved to Chicago in February of 2019 during a polar vortex. As I ate Jet’s pizza next to the radiator on the floor of my brand new apartment (built in 1902 —which is older than the state of Arizona!!!), I knew I’d made the best decision of my life.

I made my way through the Chicago storefront scene, which I grew to dearly love. And five years, four apartments, three cats, two broken toes, and one global pandemic later, I’ve now cried (and riffed) in principal roles at The Goodman, Marriott Theatre, Porchlight Music Theatre, and Paramount Aurora. What a ride, indeed.