We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jose Vargas. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jose below.

Jose, appreciate you joining us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

My journey to become independent and have a stable job has been long and is still under construction. I was born in Chile, a country where living from art is unthinkable, much less from musical theater. Artistic culture in Chile hardly exists and artists there have to be self-taught and create our own opportunities. In 2016 I had my first big break, when the great musical theater director Baayork Lee went to Chile to put together A Chorus Line. That opportunity opened my eyes to the fact that my art must have value and that if I continued accepting jobs where my work is not paid or valued, it would end up making me abandon my artistic career. There have been many obstacles emotionally and financially…being able to grow as an artist also meant a great investment for me and my family. Once I was able to go for my dreams, I moved to New York where I learned from different experiences that helped me open the possibility of being able to live from my art. The hardest of all was a family situation that made my father stop helping me pay for my life in the US. I got into a depression where I didn’t feel like continuing to fight for something that brought me nothing but instability. At the beginning of the year 2022 the light began to return, I went to an audition to be part of a Off Off Broadway theater and I began to discover a new passion there, the art of teaching. Today I teach and perform on different stages and I can live stably, what’s more my family is proud of me and I have managed to help them and repay them for the help they gave me for so many years.

Jose, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Describing my life is not the easiest. I would say that I am a musical theater artist today, but if I were ask my past self who I was, perhaps the answer would have been different. I was born in a small town in Chile, listening to music and dancing all day. Perhaps I did not meet social and family expectations because I suffered a lot of bullying for being different. But everything served to be who I am today. Musical Theater opened a channel that allowed for me to heal myself and heal others. The road has been long since I was 14 years old when I worked with the great Latina director Maiten Montenegro (Univision TV), then I was part of the acclaimed musical A Chorus Line, and in New York I have been part of different productions with great artists that have inspired me. . Some of my credits are Cinderella (Off-Broadway), Galli Theatre and Rising Sun (Puka Who). But beyond a credit, what defines who I am is my perseverance and my desire to make others happy with my art. Each opportunity has led me to grow internally and externally.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Having completed my dream of studying musical theater in New York, which was not an easy path either, I finally got my first work visa as an artist. Everything seemed to be going very well in my life, I was doing what I love but not as a student anymore, but professionally. In my fourth month as a professional, the Covid19 pandemic arrived. I saw how the whole world closed and suffered the consequences of an unexpected pandemic, what I did not know is that it would affect me too. The auditions began to close, there was no more work for me and I was forced to return to my country, especially because of the risk that staying in the United States represented. It was a hard blow, all my dreams and struggles of years were destroyed by a virus. I didn’t know what to do with my life, depression and anxiety took away all my inspiration. Finally I went to see a show in Chile that inspired me with local artists, that plus meditation and yoga helped me heal and regain strength with my life, the opportunity to return to New York opened up thanks to my perseverance and my family who supported this decision. All those months where I was frustrated I felt a strong disconnection and I couldn’t find what to inspire me. I found resilience internally, I realized that art was what gives me a connection with my life and today I live happily doing what I am passionate about.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

The objective that I see today is education. I believe that culture is made by educating. Today I see a world with a lack of access to knowledge and injustices. Having found my vocation as a teacher and seeing how I can change the life of a child or young person with my art and my knowledge inspires me. Art is a great mirror that helps to heal the soul of human beings and I believe that my goal is to be able to inspire the young generations to above all fight for their dreams and to love themselves and others.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Instagram.com/josemvargasu
• Facebook: https://wwwfacebook.com/youda.bleyd
• Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/youdableyd5074

Image Credits
Galli Theatre