CHEMA VERDUZCO

Born in 1991 and raised in Guadalajara, Jalisco, MEXICO, Chema Verduzco has shown a dedicated passion for the performing arts since he was a little kid.

 

Chema starts his artistic career performing in numerous talent shows, first as a performer and later, as part of the production team. At the age of 16 he produces his first show at his High School, Liceo Del Valle. These first productions, which he writes, produces and directs, are based on a multidisciplinary production that shows the different performing arts such as dance, music and circus acts.

 

After two years, he decides to pursue his passion for Musical Theatre, producing, directing and starring in numerous homages of different well-known musicals; these ones produced in two of the most important theatres of the city, Teatro Diana and Teatro Galerías. At the same time, he starts his Bachelor’s Degree in Communications at the Tecnológico de Monterrey Campus Guadalajara, where he also joins the Dance and Musical Theater Companies, participating in numerous concerts and musicals as member of the ensemble, dancer, choir and soloist. In Mexico, he has worked with recognized Directors and Choreographers such as Beto Castillo, Rafael Perrín, Paty Geyer, amongst others.

 

In August of 2010, the young producer decides to bring Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “CATS” to Guadalajara, show that opens March of 2011 under his production and direction. From there, he works with the Department of Culture of Guadalajara to produce Elton John & Tim Rice’s AIDA, which opens as part of the cultural offerings during the 2011 Panamerican Games. With a great response from the audience, a second season is scheduled for early 2012.

 

In order to expand his knowledge in the Performing Arts, Chema decides to study the Bachelor of Arts in Theatre offered by the School of Dramatic Arts at the University of Southern California (USC), with an emphasis in Producing and Directing. After the summer of 2012, he finally moves to Los Angeles, California, to pursue this degree. At USC, he also joins the Repertory Dance Company as dancer and choreographer, where he stays for one year. During this year, with his desire to continue producing in Mexico, Chema brings West Side Story to Guadalajara in October of 2013, traveling back and forth between the two cities.

 

It is in June of 2013 when Chema starts his career at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. He performs in various parades and shows, such as Mickey’s Soundsational Parade, A Christmas Fantasy Parade, FANTASMIC!, Magic Happens Parade and other Special Events.

 

In May 2015, Chema graduates from USC’s School of Dramatic Arts with a BA in Theatre. After graduation, Chema directs several opening shows for community galas and fundraisers. Chema workshops a new musical telling the story of a disabled woman who was born with no arms, pushing his idea of a world with no labels, inclusivity and equality. Chema also choreographs two films for the New York Film Academy and one of them, FILM SCHOOL MUSICAL, is an official selection for the Indienight Film Festival 2016, which has 9 nominations and wins 5 awards.

 

In 2018, Conjunto Santander de Artes Escénicas opens in Guadalajara when Chema produces and directs PIPPIN, part of the complex’s Opening Season. Chema wanted to incorporate the circus aspect into the show and collaborated with circus artists in developing their characters for their specific roles in addition to the acts each and one of them had. During this year, Chema also establishes "CRêA (Casa Productora Crea)" his own Production Company.

 

After PIPPIN’s success, Chema produces and is the artistic director for ONCE ON THIS ISLAND – Mexico, premiering in Guadalajara October of 2019. Chema conceived the creative idea to represent the god’s characters with different gender identities. That way, Chema could keep pushing towards opening up a channel of communication with the Mexican community and government about inclusion, acceptance and equality.

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Chema is dedicated to shed a light and show how the world could one day be. It is because of this that Chema moves to Mexico City in 2020 and starts working on THE PROM - Mexico, being the producer and director of the show. THE PROM is scheduled to start its run in October of 2021.