Diego M. Villanueva is a musical theatre artist based in New York City. He is currently performing with Disney Cruise line on board the Disney Wonder as part of its 47th cast, having previously been part of its 43rd and 45th casts. He has performed regionally with Red Mountain Theatre Company in Birmingham, AL , The Alley Theatre in Houston, TX, and Clear Space Theatre Company in Rehoboth Beach, DE. 

 

Born and raised in Houston, TX, Diego is a first-generation Mexican- American who grew up singing and dancing as part of his education curriculum. He later trained with the Humphreys School of Musical Theatre, a conservatory under Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS), as well as HITS Theatre in the greater Houston area. Diego went on to earn his BFA in Musical Theatre with a minor in Sports and Entertainment Marketing from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. 

 

Diego has been exposed to teaching from a young age as both his parents are career-based educators. He always said teaching has been in his blood from the start, from playing school with his Webkins collection to serving as a theatre counselor during his summers growing up. He has worked as a teaching artist with Artplay, a community theatre attached to the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where he shared his love for musical theatre teaching basics in MT to elementary aged kids. Currently, onboard the Disney Wonder he has served as the Staging Captain for the past two contracts, where he leads understudy rehearsals and put ins while maintaining the directors' vision through the contract. 

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You can find Diego exploring the beautiful states and countries he has the opportunity to visit with Disney Cruise Line, feeding his shopping addiction, drinking a lot of Nesquick strawberry milk, learning new card games with his friends, or teaching Spanish to his closest people.