We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jack Oliver Kotanen a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Jack, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
I think every artistic venture involves a risk; a vote of confidence in yourself and your work. As the theatre director Anne Bogart wrote: “Every creative act involves a leap into the void.” My career—and life—so far has been made up of risks and leaps of varying sizes. Approximately 8 years ago I decided I wanted to move to New York to pursue a career in musical theatre. It wasn’t until 5 years ago that I was actually able to make it happen. Before moving, I had made the decision that I would start Testosterone before starting school, with the hope that the intensive program and weekly vocal lessons would help navigate my voice changing. I had avoided starting HRT (hormone replacement therapy) because I had been told by so many otherwise supportive people that I would lose my voice or never be able to sing or that I was single-handedly ruining my chance at a career. After a great deal of self-reflection, I knew it was something I needed to do in order to be myself authentically, but I would be lying if I said I wasn’t terrified, or that I haven’t considered what my career and voice might look like had I not gone through HRT. Seeing other transmasculine vocalists on testosterone has been encouraging in my journey, but when I came out 10 years ago, I found only two trans singers on testosterone, and almost no resources for training my new voice. Even now, 5 years later, I still struggle sometimes with my voice. But I know that I can speak (and sing) from a place of honesty, which is something I had never quite felt before. I feel like I am constantly taking risks by simply existing as a trans person, and making a place for myself in an industry I haven’t always seen many people like me in. Both by writing music and sharing my stories, and performing and sharing my voice.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I am a transgender male actor, musician, and writer. I have been playing music and performing since I was a kid, went to the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (New York Campus) for the Integrated Musical Theatre program, and have been performing and writing since graduating. I have performed at venues like Joe’s Pub and 54 Below in New York, as well as throughout Canada with various professional theatre companies. My debut musical (48 North) was performed at The Green Room 42 and the TK Fringe Festival in 2025, and I am currently working on a new musical, as well as a project to write 52 songs in 2026. My music and upcoming project updates can best be found on Instagram (@ jack.kotanen) and YouTube (@ jackoliverkotanen).
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
When I was younger, I, like many others, was looking to TV and movies to find people like me. When I came out 10 years ago however, I could find almost no examples of trans men in the media, aside from Hilary Swank’s portrayal of one in “Boys Don’t Cry,” which was not an overly encouraging example to my young self. A large part of what motivates my creative journey and being an openly trans artist is to be representation for other trans people—especially young trans people—as well as an example to my own younger self; to prove to myself that despite not having examples growing up of trans men doing the things I have wanted to do, it is possible.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
I have recently been learning more and more about the performance art of clown. In an oversimplified way, the essence of clown is dealing with feelings of discomfort and failure—something we all experience—and using it to create something. In challenging ourselves to sit in feelings of discomfort, we give ourselves the opportunity to grow. I find even as an audience member, allowing yourself to watch a performance that challenges you can bring a new sense of understanding and even impact your actions in day-to-day life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jackoliverkotanen.com
- Instagram: jack.kotanen
- Youtube: jackoliverkotanen
Image Credits
Calvin Thomas, Alexia Salgueiro, Matt Goertz