Javier Galvez dives into heart and humor in The Young Dolphins

Born and raised in Tijuana, Mexico, actor Javier Galvez grew up surrounded by a vibrant, alternative artistic community, one that quietly but powerfully shaped his creative instincts from an early age. His first taste of performance came in elementary school, where he took on the lead role in a stage adaptation of Rango, an experience that ignited a passion for theatre that would only deepen with time.

Through middle school and high school, Galvez immersed himself in the stage, tackling a wide range of roles that showcased both versatility and fearlessness, from King Herod in Jesus Christ Superstar to Rudolpho in Matilda, Roger in Grease, and Brian in Avenue Q. Alongside these productions, he explored experimental theatre workshops, further sharpening his instincts for character work and physical storytelling.

Following graduation, Galvez moved to the United States to pursue formal training in the arts, studying at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco and later at AMDA in Los Angeles. It was there that his focus expanded beyond stage performance into on-camera acting, as well as writing and directing his own original works for both theatre and film.

Since earning his degree, he has collaborated with notable Los Angeles companies including Hero Theatre, Zombie Joe’s Underground, and CHW Productions at the Hollywood Fringe Festival, steadily building a body of work rooted in transformation, cultural storytelling, and bold theatricality. With aspirations of redefining the modern movie star, Galvez continues to seek roles that merge spectacle with emotional truth.

His latest performance in The Young Dolphins exemplifies exactly that balance.

A Story Rooted in Culture, Community, and Environmental Hope
Written and directed by Elisa Bocanegra, The Young Dolphins is a co-production between Hero Theatre and Inner City Arts, performed at The Rosenthal Theater. Inspired by the real-life youth environmentalist group “Los Jolene’s Delfines” from Sonora, Mexico, the play blends cultural authenticity with comic-book imagination.

The story follows Jorge, Miguel, Alison, and Deira, a group of environmentally conscious teens living in Bahía de Kino, a coastal town in Mexico. Guided by their teacher, Professor Angel, the teens work tirelessly to protect local ecosystems and endangered species, all while navigating the universal trials of adolescence, identity, crushes, and academic pressure.

“What moved me most about The Young Dolphins is that it isn’t fiction for fiction’s sake. These kids exist, their fight is real, and we get to honor their voices while inspiring the next generation to care about the planet.”

Infused with Mexican cultural elements, environmental education, and stylized action, the production creates a theatrical world that is both entertaining and purpose-driven, designed to inspire younger audiences while honoring the real activists who sparked its creation.

Stepping Into Professor Edgar Magdaleno
In the production, Galvez portrays Professor Edgar Magdaleno, a young academic who travels to Bahía de Kino to complete his post-doctoral research. What begins as a scholarly visit quickly transforms into something far more personal and adventurous.

While in town, Professor Edgar develops a playful, flirtatious “will they, won’t they” dynamic with Mama Moni, Deira’s mother, adding warmth and humor to the narrative. As the story unfolds, he steps in to help teach and guide The Young Dolphins, ultimately becoming an ally in their environmental mission. For Galvez, the role offered far more than a traditional character arc.

“Edgar starts as an outsider, a researcher passing through, but he ends up learning just as much from the kids as they learn from him. That evolution, from observer to ally, was really beautiful to explore.”

In true theatrical fashion, he also embodied a colorful lineup of additional personas throughout the show, including a janitor, a lucha libre can of soda, a talking crab, and a Sonoran singer, even performing a solo musical moment at the top of the production. The multi-role experience allowed him to flex his comedic timing, physical theatre training, and musicality within a single performance.



Puppetry, Playfulness, and Larger-Than-Life Staging
One of the production’s most visually memorable elements was its extensive use of puppetry to bring the wildlife of Bahía de Kino to life.

“One minute I’m a professor, the next I’m a talking crab or a lucha libre soda can. That’s the magic of theatre, it asks you to be fearless, playful, and completely committed, no matter how big or surreal the moment is.”

Audiences encountered dolphins, egrets, turtles, and even a whale puppet, reportedly built true to size, transforming the stage into a living ecosystem. The puppets not only heightened the show’s spectacle but reinforced its environmental message, particularly for younger viewers experiencing the story.

An Unexpected Casting Journey
Interestingly, Galvez’s path into the production took an unexpected turn.

He originally auditioned for the roles of Jorge and Miguel, receiving a callback for Miguel. Due to scheduling conflicts, he ultimately could not accept either role. However, director Elisa Bocanegra recognized something distinctive in his presence and performance.
She offered him the role of Professor Edgar, a character with a smaller footprint in the original script and expanded the role to further showcase his abilities.

For Galvez, the gesture remains deeply meaningful, a testament to Bocanegra’s collaborative spirit and belief in her performers.

Art Imitating Life, and Life Coming Full Circle
The heart of The Young Dolphins lies in its real-world origins. The story is based on actual youth activists from Bahía de Kino, individuals Bocanegra knows personally. Moved by their dedication, she created the play not only to tell their story but to educate young audiences about environmental stewardship in an engaging, culturally resonant way.

In a moment of serendipity that felt almost scripted, Galvez discovered that his castmate who played Deira shared his exact hometown in Mexico. The two had never met before the production, despite having mutual friends and being close in age.

“Meeting my castmate from the same hometown, in Los Angeles, while doing a play set in Mexico… it felt surreal. Like the universe reminding me that our roots travel with us, no matter where we go.”

They met for the first time in Los Angeles; while performing in a play set in Mexico, portraying characters rooted in a culture they both lived and understood.

For Galvez, the coincidence was nothing short of mind-blowing, a reminder of how art connects people across time, geography, and shared identity.

Continuing the Mission
Through The Young Dolphins, Javier Galvez once again demonstrates his commitment to storytelling that blends entertainment with purpose. Whether playing an academic, a crustacean, or a singing Sonoran persona, his work reflects a performer unafraid of transformation, humor, and cultural pride.

As he continues pursuing film and television roles, productions like this serve as a foundation for the kind of career he envisions, one that resurrects and redefines the essence of the movie star while staying deeply rooted in community, culture, and craft.