Diego Enrico, right, said his own experiences as an outsider gave him a new perspective on the problems his LGBTQ+ friends face
RICH LOPEZ | Staff writer
Rich@DallasVoice.com
Life is good for Diego Enrico right now — like, really good. After graduating college last year then auditioning for the role of Elder Cunningham in the national tour of The Book of Mormon, the 23-year-old was given that role. And since last September, the Texas native has made his professional debut in the dream role he’s had on his brain for a good while.
“It was one of my favorites growing up, and one of the first times I learned about starting musical theater,” he said. “And this is a dream role. The stuff I do onstage is some of the stuff I thought up years ago growing up in Katy, Texas.”
The Book of Mormon runs Aug. 8-10 at Bass Performance Hall, kicking off the new Broadway at the Bass season as a 2025/26 add-on.
Enrico was born in Houston, but his younger years were spent in Lima, Peru, after his family moved there from Texas. When his family came back to Katy, Enrico found himself a stranger in a strange land, even though it was his homeland.
“To move back, it was hard to switch cultures and find my own way in the States. I was the weird kid all of a sudden, which helped me relate to Cunningham in that way,” Enrico said.
As a middle school student, Enrico needed one more class to fill out his schedule. His older brother had taken a theater class and recommended it. Enrico decided to take his brother’s advice, and that decision changed his life.
He went on to star in all of his middle school shows and then his high school musicals. (He still fondly recalls his role as Scar in The Lion King back in high school.)
He then went on to earn his bachelor of fine arts degree in Musical Theater at Molloy University’s CAP21 Theatre Arts Conservatory in 2024. Upon graduation, he also got cast in the touring show.
And today, Diego Enrico is a professional actor.
“I know enough that this industry can be brutal, and this doesn’t happen all the time. So I’m riding the wave as long as I can,” he said. “There’s some impostor syndrome, sure. I would be lying if I said there wasn’t. But it gives me affirmation as well.”
His Peruvian parents are completely on board with his career path choice, as well, although Enrico says it took some time to convince them.
“Peruvians don’t know much about musical theater. But now, my mom has seen me in this like 15 times,” he said. “It took some convincing for both, but particularly dad.”
In his own way, Enrico had to come out of the closet — as a theater kid.
“He would take me and my brother to play soccer, and I would be trying to chase butterflies or tightrope the chalk line,” Enrico recalled with a laugh. “But the more he saw me do it and saw my hard work and passion, I think that spoke to him more. I get emotional talking about my dad because he came around to respect this work and he’s my biggest fan.”
His own experiences with his culture and with his parents opened Enrico’s eyes to a new perspective on inclusivity, something which he says makes him a staunch ally of the LGBTQ+ community. Plus, working with a bunch of theater gays probably helps.
Enrico expressed his commitment to his fellow artists and creatives who are queer as well as to the community as a whole: “Coming from Texas and growing up Catholic and conservative, all that didn’t quite ring true for me. But you meet all different kinds of people in theater, and, yes, the theater is chock full of the gays — which I love.
“Working so closely with the community has become really special for me,” he continued. “I have my own outsider-looking-in mentality, and theater was this welcoming space. I see that with my LGBTQ friends, and it’s incredible to see how they thrive and create and even protect themselves in the arts — especially in today’s world.”
For tickets, visit BassHall.com.