Breaking Boundaries Through Performance

For Luke Avalos-Gonzales, the stage has always been more than just a place to perform, it has been a space of self-discovery and transformation. Growing up in Pflugerville, Texas, a small town just outside Austin, Luke’s journey into theatre began in middle school when a choir teacher first noticed their natural flair for acting. 

This recognition led them to a theatre elective where they performed a shortened version of Les Misérables, a play about the French Revolution. From that moment, Luke was hooked on theatre, drawn not only to the art form but to how it allowed them to explore and express their identity.

"You’re doing all these shows, inhabiting different characters and finding new ways to view the world," Avalos-Gonzales explained. "Your mind gets a little more open with every character you try on. You find something that maybe fits a little bit better, and yeah, it’s a little strange and different, but you know it fits a little better."

For Luke, theatre became more than a passion, it became a powerful tool for self-discovery. As a non-binary individual, stepping into various roles offered them a unique opportunity to explore the fluidity of their own identity. The more characters they played, the more they began to understand the complexities of who they were as a person. 

The stage offered more than just a way to perform, it provided a mirror for them to reflect on their journey and discover new versions of who they could be. The evolution of their identity, along with their developing passion for theatre, led Luke to pursue their craft on a larger stage. Now a junior in musical theatre, Luke has continued their artistic journey, supported every step of the way by their family. 

They credited their mom’s ambition and their dad’s work ethic as key influences that shaped Avalos-Gonsales' drive and determination.

“Since entering college, I’ve been the type of person to push myself,” Avalos-Gonzales said. “I structure myself after my mother, and when it comes to my ambition, I always want to be going from project to project.”

This drive and ambition came to life on the stage at Norton Theatre. With every step they took onto the stage, Luke brought a unique energy and authenticity to their roles, capturing the audience’s attention from the moment they appeared. 

In “Working: A Musical”, Avalos-Gonzales played two very different roles: Frank Decker, a weary truck driver and Utkarsh Trujillo, an empathetic elder-care worker. Both characters come from vastly different walks of life, yet Luke brought a deep humanity to each, offering nuanced performances that allowed the audience to empathize with people they might otherwise overlook. 

Their stage presence wasn’t just a performance, it was a statement; a reflection of their own journey to understand and express their non-binary identity through the art of storytelling. From their first day of rehearsal, they embraced the opportunity to bring depth and authenticity to their characters.

“I think we as people tend to dehumanize those around us,” Avalos-Gonzales said. “But this show reminds you that the truck driver has a family, that the elder-care worker has a family that is suffering. It’s stuff like that, people are living their own individual lives.”

"Working: A Musical" weaves together the stories of various professions, from waitstaff to factory workers, highlighting the struggles and dreams that come with these everyday jobs. The characters in the musical are not heroes or villains—they are just people, working to make ends meet while navigating the complexities of their lives. Luke’s performances brought these realities to life, reminding the audience that behind every job is a person with hopes, challenges and a story worth telling.

Avalos-Gonzales’ portrayal of both Frank and Utkarsh was brought to life with the careful guidance of Shelly Gaza, a professor and director at UNC. Gaza helped Avalos-Gonzales dig into the layers of their characters. The direction allowed Avalos-Gonzales to fully embrace the emotional and psychological complexities of the roles, giving the audience a deeper connection to the struggles and joys of these everyday workers.

“This show is beautifully perfect to allow actors to play these roles with their own identities,” Gaza said. “Whatever their personal identity is only makes that character richer and more nuanced.”

The show’s emotional depth was especially clear as the cast brought their characters’ stories to life. The production ran through Oct. 3-5 and Oct. 10-12, where Avalos-Gonzales continued to break down barriers at every performance. 

Their portrayal of characters from different walks of life allowed them to push the boundaries of what it means to be an actor in today’s world. For Avalos-Gonzales, this journey was not only about the characters they played, but it was also a personal testament to the power of the arts to transform lives and challenge perceptions.

Avalos-Gonzales' journey on and off the stage is a reminder that every voice deserves to be heard, and every story has value. Whether performing as a truck driver or an elder-care worker, Avalos-Gonzales continues to break boundaries and redefine what it means to be a performer, reminding us that true expression knows no limits.