Episode 58, ACT 1: Alex Santiago-Jirau - Processing the Collective Scars

Teaching Artistry with Courtney J. Boddie

Hello, PODience! We’ve got a great new two-act episode arc for you! Episode 58: “Processing the Collective Scars” features New York Theater Workshop Director of Education, Alex Santiago-Jirau. Their conversation begins with connecting around the missions and multi-faceted approaches of both New York Theatre Workshop and New Victory Theater. The real inquiry begins with the question: What does it mean to define oneself as an artist? The focus then turns to Alex Santiago-Jirau—born and raised in mountainous, small-town Puerto Rico, known for its arts-rich culture—who grew up singing, dancing and acting. As Alex puts it, he very much connected with the "play" aspect of theater, which “allowed me to explore and try things that me as Alex would not typically explore.” In other words, through the arts, he discovered a world in which he could be expressive and tell stories. Their conversation deepens further when Alex begins to discuss his work with Augusto Boal and the Theater of the Oppressed, which Alex characterizes as theater as activism driving toward liberation—a space in which one must be comfortable with being uncomfortable in confronting things that are messy in the world. What else do Courtney and Alex discuss? You’ll have to catch this delightful conversation, which takes place right at the intersection of art and activism, to find out!