Daniel Esquivel is from Arlington Heights, Illinois, and is pursuing a double major in acting and theatre education with a minor in Latin American and Latino/a Studies (LALS). He’s also currently in the process of trying to add another major in directing and another minor in Spanish.
Daniel Esquivel
Esquivel is on the executive board of three RSOs. He serves as the secretary of FreeStage, a pre-professional production company; the vice-president of Illinois State Theatre Outreach Program, an organization aimed at creating theatre for social justice and therefore change; and the founder and president of Latinx American Theatre Association (LATA), an RSO that is dedicated to the representation and appreciation of Latino Theatre Artists and culture. Additionally, he is on the executive committee of the Illinois High School Theatre Festival, which is an all-state festival for high school students to appreciate and experience theatre.
Esquivel chose to attend ISU because of the quality of the School of Theatre. His experience has been able to provide a comprehensive understanding of the theatre career path. Daniel elaborated, “[Studying at ISU] also allows me to study theatre education at one of the best theatre education schools in the state.” He also connected with the faculty, campus, and program upon auditioning for the acting program.
“I chose LALS because I have always been proud of my Latinx heritage even as a little kid. I would tell the other kids in my class stories about La Llorona because I just thought being Mexican was the coolest thing about me. And now, I’m given the opportunity to explore my culture and to educate myself on the successes and complexities of my heritage,” said Esquivel.
Esquivel also wanted to share, “If you think Latinx Theatre is something you would be interested in, please join us at LATA! We are interested in all creeds: artists, business majors, Spanish majors, education majors; you don’t have to be an actor or a theatre major to be involved. If you are interested in exploring Latinx performances, we are interested in you. We meet every Friday at 3 p.m. in Centennial West 302. Please contact me at dbesqui@ilstu.edu with any questions, comments, or directions to Centennial West! We’re excited to see you.”
