Rafael (also known as Rafi) was born and raised a proud Puerto Rican in the Boogie Down Bronx where he rooted for the New York Yankees, attended the Immaculate Conception School and Professional Performing Arts School, and established a passion for performing and entertainment. His inspirations? Perhaps credit is due to the great number of animated films he watched as well as his exposure to theatre. Thanks Mom!

He is an alumnus of Shenandoah University in which he obtained his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre. Some of his favorite performances at SU include Assassins, Summer and Smoke, The Secret Garden, the collegiate premiere of Green Day’s American Idiot, and Marat/Sade. Even though his initial dreams were to become an animator, he enjoys the opportunities to perform and work behind-the-scenes, directing, producing, and writing. He is currently in the process of creating a new musical titled The Boy and the Pen.

Aside from theatre, Rafael enjoys spending time with friends, playing video games, cracking jokes, impersonating, pizza, Siberian Huskies, and Disney (especially that last one). He also has a passion for horror movies and loves to jam out to Bruno Mars, Maroon 5, Beyoncé, MoTown, Panic! at the Disco, or anything Disney (see, I told you).