Sara Ramirez: Mexicali star: cover your eyes: Sara Ramirez is about to supernova. For the voluptuous "mexamericana" with a palpable stage presence and booming voice, being Latina has helped her star on its meteoric rise

Latino Leaders: The National Magazine of the Successful American Latino, June-July, 2005 by Kerri Allen

The 29-year-old actress is currently starring in Monty Python's Spamalot, a Broadway show directed by six-time Tony Award-winner mike Nichols. Partly based on Arthurian legend and--as the show's creators note--"lovingly ripped off" from the absurd British film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, this flashy farce is raking in box office bucks in a frenzy not seen since the early days of The Producers. (Spamalot brought in $2 million in ticket sales on a single day, and audiences have to reserve seats more than six months in advance.)

Sharing the boards as the only female lead aside popular performers like Tim Curry (The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Clue), Hank Azaria (The Simpsons) and David Hyde Pierce (Frasier), Ramirez not only holds her own; some might argue that she leads the pack.

As The Lady of the Lake--often portrayed in art history as an ethereal, blonde waif--Ramirez breaks the mold with her natural curves and big, brown eyes. "Being Latina has worked in my favor more often than not. I've never had to change my name. More and more, on Broadway, people are thinking outside of the box. Unless you're Denzel Washington in Julius Caesar, though, it can still be very difficult." The singular performer was born and raised in Mazatlan, Mexico until age eight, when she and her mother moved to San Diego. She was brought up bilingually by her Spanish-speaking father and Anglophone mom, and attended the San Diego School for Creative and Performing Arts for high school. She was accepted into the prestigious Juilliard School's drama program and moved to New York City in 1993.

The lights of Times Square first hit Ramirez during her senior year of college, when the legendary Paul Simon tapped her for his musical, The Capeman. In the predominantly Latino cast, she performed with music icons Marc Anthony and Ruben Blades. Despite some great songs by eminent singers, The Capeman was ultimately branded a flop and closed after only 68 performances.

Ramirez' career on the Great White Way teetered along for a few years in other unnoticed shows like The Gershwins' Fascinating Rhythm and A Class Act. Still, little could have prepared Ramirez for the sold-out sensation of Spamalot. "It's been nine years out of college and it's great to have this job. It finally feels like all of the hard work, the unemployment, was worth it. I'm having the time of my life!"

And it shows, Ramirez' enthusiasm is pervasive and her performance is utterly arresting. While her comedic timing is impeccable, the most remarkable aspect of her performance is the fact that this powerful, nuanced voice is virtually untrained. "I was in musicals in high school and in college, I took a class called Singing for Actors," she casually recalls. "Now that I am in this show, I take a voice lesson once a week with a private coach. The voice is an instrument and I have to take care of it."

In Spamalot's humorous tunes like "The Song That Goes Like This" and "The Diva's Lament," she sends up prima donnas from Sarah Brightman and Liza Minelli to Marlena Dietrich and Whitney Houston. The facility of her voice and the varying styles of parody are second only to the rock-solid power and control behind it.

This single New Yorker won't have to worry about lamenting for a while--her Spamalot contract continues through next spring, and she could surely renew it if she chooses. While her previous life as a starving artist life may have afforded less work but more play, she has to be the responsible leading lady now. "Life is all about the show right now. I drink lots of water and get plenty of sleep. No parties!"

As for the dawning light of stardom, Sara Ramirez is handling it like a seasoned pro. "Being a household name--does that equal success? I don't think so. I think success is working. A lot of people talk about working hard and being rejected for shows, but you have to pay your dues and work on your craft and prove to yourself--and maybe to others as well--that you can do this."