Welcome to a beautifully insightful episode of Entre Acts with host Linedy Genao! This week, Linedy is joined by the brilliant, award-winning director and designer David Mendizábal. The two kick off their conversation with a game of dominoes, debating who delivers the harsher critique—a Broadway reviewer or his Tía —and crowning New York City actors as the ultimate source of theater drama over their more laid-back Bay Area counterparts. David keeps it hilariously real, admitting they would immediately blow $96,000 in cash rather than waiting a decade for a lottery chance, and challenges the traditional nonsense of theater etiquette by advocating for a more vocal, interactive audience experience.

In the heart of the sándwichito format, David shares the profound beauty of navigating a director's "in-between" spaces, viewing the initial chaos of a production lull as an eventual path toward structured clarity and new cosmic collaborations. They open up about the "superpower" of embracing vulnerability and collective intelligence in a rehearsal room when you don't have all the answers. David details the intentional, meticulous craftsmanship behind directing the award-winning live-audio production Mexodus, tracing its genesis from raw pandemic video exchanges to transforming an entire stage into a live looping machine. Finally, David shares the sheer disbelief and imposter syndrome of getting the offer to helm the highly anticipated City Center gala production of In the Heights, reflecting on how the musical serves as a profound baseline of cultural resilience and a deep tribute to their ancestors. The episode wraps up with an intense round of No Me Diga hot takes, including a recurring Entre Acts public safety warning against wearing chancletas near New York City trash piles.

David Mendizábal is a Lucille Lortel and Helen Hayes Award-winning director, designer, and visionary leader shaping the landscape of contemporary American theater. They currently serve as the Associate Artistic Director and Director of In Dialog at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, a Founding Collective Member of The Sol Project, and a Producing Artistic Leader of the Obie Award-winning Movement Theatre Company. David's acclaimed directorial vision spans major works including the award-winning Mexodus at Audible Theater, The Bandit’s Place at Roundabout Theatre Company, and the upcoming City Center Fall gala production of In the Heights. An alumnus of NYU Tisch , David continues to champion authentic representation, collective storytelling, and community empowerment across the country.

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Connect with Linedy and David:

• IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@linedygenao⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• IG & TT: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@entreacts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• IG: @its_daveed