Broadway Actor Javier Ignacio Promises a Great Show

By: Ashmar Mandou

Hailing from Caracas, Venezuela, Broadway actor Javier Ignacio is the embodiment of the American Dream. Ignacio fostered his passion for the arts from a very early age with the help of his grandfather, a singer-songwriter who performed regularly on the radio, and inspired by his mother, an opera student and speech therapist. “It’s in the DNA,” laughed Ignacio. “I developed a love for music and the arts from a very young age and it grew when we moved to the U.S.” During Ignacio’s formative years, his family moved from Caracas to Wichita, Kansas where he immersed himself into the vibrant arts scene at Music Theatre Wichita. “It was during those years that I made the official decision to actually pursue theater as a career. It’s what I wanted to do and funnily enough the first theater production I ever saw when I moved to Kansas was Beauty and The Beast and I remember being in awe of the whole production.”

It is a full circle moment for Ignacio as he currently stars as Cogsworth in the Disney Broadway hit Beauty and The Beast, based on the 1991 Academy Award –winning animated feature film at the Cadillac Palace Theatre. “All the actors and I are having the best time portraying these beloved characters and it’s amazing to see audiences across the country, from all generations enjoy the show,” said Ignacio. “We truly are having the best time.” Based in New York, Ignacio has been dazzling audiences across America for nearly 20 years. He is best known for originating the roles of Harry Houdini/Dog Boy in Side Show on Broadway (2014) and Peter in the First National Tour of Company (2023). Do not miss the opportunity to catch Ignacio as Cogsworth in Disney’s Beauty and The Beast as it runs through August 2nd. “We hope everyone can come to see Beauty and The Beast, we promise an exciting show.” For more information, visit www.beautyandthebeastthemusical.com.

Photo Credit: Broadway in Chicago