From Celina Carvajal to Lena Hall: The Kinky Boots Rocker Explains Her Recent Name Change

Actress Celina Carvajal was living a double life with two different names for while, but now she’s bringing her two halves together and adopting a single name: Lena Hall. The actress, who currently balances a role in the Tony-winning musical Kinky Boots with her rock band The Deafening, was using Carvajal for her acting credits and Hall for her singing career, but now it’s all Hall all the time. Broadway.com caught up with Hall to get the inside scoop on the big change.

“I came up with the name Lena Hall a couple years ago,” the actress said. “It was an idea for my rock persona, but the response for that name was so good. Multiple people in the industry suggested I have one name for everything.[Lena Hall] is just two shortenings of my first name and my last name. So Lena Hall is Celina Carvajal. It seemed like an easier way of people getting to know me. Lena Hall is a nice symmetrical name, and it reminds people of Lena Horne, who was a singer. And when people hear my name, I want them to think of a singer."

Hall is keeping busy professionally: Not only does she co-star as Stark Sands’ success-hungry fiancée Nicola in Kinky Boots, she’s also working on a new album, releasing a music video and appearing live with her band The Deafening throughout New York City.

“We are getting ready to release our next video at the end of this month,” she said. [Kinky Boots castmate] Joey Taranto guest-starred in the video as my boyfriend. It was fun to get him out of drag and onscreen as my hot boyfriend.”

To see Hall on stage, head to the Al Hirschfeld Theatre where Kinky Boots continues to play to sold-out crowds, or make a date with The Deafening at the Lit Lounge (July 16), Trash Bar (August 10) or Arlene’s Grocery (August 14).