Hometown: I was born in Bogota, Colombia, but I’ve been living in NYC for the past 8 years.
Education: I majored in creative writing and film studies at The New School.
Favorite Credits: This play and my short film “Searching for Taylor Swift.”
Why theater?: Theatre is magic. Theatre has that uncanny ability of telling the same story over and over again, but in different ways. It’s also encouraging as a performer to make the audience laugh or gasp while you’re on stage.
Tell us about You Belong with me because you’re so vain: It’s a romantic comedy about a Colombian songwriter who falls in love with his best friend’s ex-boyfriend, and he gets help regarding this dilemma from the imaginary versions of Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga. I wanted to write a play about falling in love with the wrong person and having to decide whether to listen to your head or your heart. Forbidden love is a feeling everyone has experienced at least once in their lives.
What inspired you to write You belong with me because you’re so vain?: I was very depressed because I was going through a break-up, and I wanted to write something that will make people laugh. I’ve always been a fan of romantic comedies, and I wanted to tell a love story that could be relatable to anyone.
What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: I love comedy. I’ve always loved the concept of comedy from pain, and there’s nothing more painful as an artist than having a broken heart. I’m mostly inspired by writers such as Billy Wilder, Taylor Swift, and Yasmina Reza. Those 3 writers have an outstanding way of telling love stories from very personal perspectives.
If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: I would love to work with Stephen Karam, and with Martha Plimpton.
What show have you recommended to your friends?: I love The Book of Mormon. If there’s a show that makes you laugh from beginning to end, it’s that one.
Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: I would play myself since no one can imitate my accent, and the movie would be called “working down the ladder.”
If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?: I would love to go back in time and see Glenn Close as Gloria Swanson in Sunset Boulevard. Never had the chance of seeing Ms. Close on stage.
What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: I always find an excuse to eat ice cream.
If you weren’t working in theater, you would be_____?: I would be an attorney.
What’s up next?: I’m working on developing a web series right now.