BWW Blog: Luis Salgado: The Process to Art with a Purpose is Only Beginning!

My name is Luis Salgado and at the moment I'm very excited to be a nominee for Best Director at the Venus/Adonis Festival for Zuccotti Park, the musical. To me, the nomination only means that I must work harder to continue moving forward. It also confirms that the process of Art with a Purpose is effective to me, and my company. It's really a process of growth and it's paying off.

Last year I received the Best Director award at the Thespis Theater festival for my work on Song of Solomon, the musical. This award has opened a lot of doors, including the opportunity to do Zuccotti Park. I have learned most by helping achieve an adapted 90 minute version of these shows due to festival rules. I love working with the writers and collaborating with my producer/director vision finding the main ingredients to the music and book to maintain storytelling and the writers work.

In college one of my professors commented, "The path of Art is like a marathon" I think he was right. Always learning, growing and, we must persevere in order to reach the "goal". Each day is a training day, getting ready for our dreams to be realized.

At the moment I am working with a man I adore, he is an example to me. Not only is he THE ONE latino Choreographer representing us on the big white way but he is only choreographer to have four shows running simultaneously on Broadway. I am talking about my mentor and friend Sergio Trujillo (Memphis, Adams Family, Next to Normal, Jersey Boys and Memphis).

Tectonic Theater is developing dance and music excerpts from Carmen: An Afro-Cuban Musical. The music is being adapted by 2015 Grammy winner Arturo O'Farrill with direction by Moisés Kaufman. I am thrilled to be the associate choreographer and be training in a room full of ART while on the other hand having my own show to guide. It's this balance that makes it all so fascinating, being a student and a leader at once. I love learning from passionate people like Sergio and Moises. In my NYC experience thus far people like Diane Paulus, Bartlett Sher, Alex Timbers and Andy Blankenbuehler have been perfect examples and inspiration for me as I run this Marathon of making Art and continue on finding my path. As I learn from them I confirm and re-confirm that the journey to the goal is better when we don't aim for the result but rather the process. Making each step of that marathon the goal itself.

The best part is I also get to share it. Later this month I will return to Colombia for a 3rd time to teach Musical theater and the dreams of many of my students there will continue to evolve.. With my non-Profit R.Evolucion Latina we currently providing training to over 70 students, 20 of them international students that come from Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico, Argentina, Puerto Rico and more. It inspires me deeply to be able to contribute to the growth of my latino people.

I am looking forward to new challenges and would love to direct and choreograph for the NYMF and Fringe festivals and then allow Salgado Productions to create and produce original work that reaches new levels. But Beyond all of this I am really looking forward to getting Back On Broadway and to continue to learn and tell STORIES. This time I will have the privilege of working with Gloria and Emilio Estefan who are both a great example for my wife and me. They have not been afraid to dream and they have indeed gone beyond and inspired many. So they are people we look up to and it means the world to be able to be a part of history as they get to tell their story through the platform of a Broadway Musical. ON YOUR FEET, is about two people who believed in their talent, their music and each other and became an international sensation. Could I ask for anything more?

All of this is forming me in such a way that more and more I am convinced of my dream; FOREVER having a life in the theater!

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