MCCC Alumnus to Return to Campus 10/13 to Speak about Acting Career

No professional actor's journey is exactly the same, but there are many common challenges and pitfalls for those starting out in this fiercely competitive field. Jersey City-based actor Alejandro Hernandez, a 2008 alumnus of Mercer County Community College (MCCC), will return to the college on Friday evening, Oct. 13, to share some of what he's learned in the past decade as his acting career has taken off.

The discussion, "Breaking into the Business and the Life of an Actor," will start at 7:30 p.m. in the Studio Theatre, located next to Kelsey Theatre on MCCC's West Windsor Campus, 1200 Old Trenton Road. The event is free and open to the public.

Aspiring actors are encouraged to attend. "I wish I knew then what I know now," Hernandez says. "I'm happy to share my journey."

Originally from Trenton, and then from Hamilton, where he graduated from Steinert High School, Hernandez got his first real taste for the stage as a student at MCCC in the late-2000s. He appeared in three major productions: "Angels in America," "Rent," and "Hedda Gabler." Then he transferred to Montclair State University, where he earned his B.F.A. in Theatre and was the 2013 winner of the Marc Mattaliano Theatre Award and a two-time Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Irene Ryan Regional Finalist.

Hernandez' resume began to grow. A big break came when he landed a highly coveted internship at the Actors Theater of Louisville, one of the most famous regional theaters in the world. As part of that program, he appeared in The Wedding Guest, Goodnight, and Peter and the Starcatcher. He also performed at the Humana Festival of New Plays, where he met his current agent and manager.

A member of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and Actors Equity, Hernandez may be a familiar face to TV watchers, especially those with a taste for crime dramas. He has appeared on Blue Bloods and Elementary on CBS, and on Gotham on Fox, as well as in two episodes of the Amazon Prime series Sneaky Pete. He just completed shooting on Instinct in a featured role. The CBS crime drama stars Alan Cumming and Bojana Novakovic and will premiere in January, 2018.

Based on his experience, Hernandez emphasizes that theater students need to grab the opportunities that are offered to them - even on the relatively small stage of a community college. "Mercer gave me my first creative outlet. Theatre Program Coordinator Jody Gazenbeek-Person was very inspiring. He really took an interest in me. We have stayed in touch over the years. I told him when shooting for Instinct was over, I would come out to the college to speak. I'm looking forward to it," he said.

Following the talk by Hernandez, MCCC's Late Night Series (LNS) will kick off its new season, starting at 9 p.m. This showcase for student and community performers will feature a belly dance performance and several other performers who can sign up at the door. This event is free and open to all Mercer County residents. Performance slots are assigned on a first come, first served basis.

The LNS is a two-hour, open-mic event hosted twice monthly by the MCCC Theatre Program, with a one featured artist/group and others who are encouraged to sign up. For more information on LNS, search "Late Night Series at MCCC" on Facebook.