Participant of the 2017 Musical Theatre Dance Program of The School at Jacob’s Pillow Martin Mena Mauger (seen on the right) shares his exciting experiences at the Pillow.
I never thought I would be able to attend Jacob’s Pillow, but it was life changing.
What are your thoughts about open observation for the public?
I don’t think many people actually understand what we do in class. My family back home wonders why I rehearse so much and they don’t understand what we do during that time. When they see us on the outdoor stage, they see what we do, what we rehearse, how we rehearse, what we’re learning and observations play a strong part in that.
Have you acquired any advice or moments of insight that will stick with you after this program?
I have a journal The School gave us and I’ve been writing phrases that Chet and other teachers have told us—how to present an annotation, which songs to choose, how to dance, how to walk, and much more. I’m sure this will influence me when I return to Argentina.
This program changed the way I dance, move, see business, and see life.
Has Jacob’s Pillow better prepared you for your future goals?
I’d love to stay in America and move to New York someday, but for now I will go back to Argentina to work and to finish my final year in school. I plan to keep auditioning and perform in musicals because this is what I really love. I have met people from different parts of the world here ,who are all so kind and offer to give me a hand. I know that I can ask any one of my peers for help to find more resources. It’s very cool to have this network. This has been the best 3 weeks of my life and I hope to come back as a performer to experience Jacob’s Pillow from a different perspective.