Courtesy of Purdue University Archival Photos

Jake Mahler uses his experience as an actor to inform his directing.

Jake Mahler’s journey with theater has come full circle. From being a student actor at Benilde-St. Margaret’s to working professionally and now directing at his alma mater, he has experienced theater from every angle. As the Artistic Director of BSM Drama, his goal is to create a welcoming space where students can express themselves and grow. He uses his own experiences on stage to direct students.

Mahler started acting at BSM when he was in junior high in 1997, starring in shows like How to Eat Like a Child and Schoolhouse Rock Live! The Musical. Believe it or not, he still has one of his old costumes stored in the costume room. His first experience in the BSM drama community showed him that acting is for anyone no matter where you come from. “I finally found my crew that would then stay kind of a big clump of friends,” Mahler said.

As a child, Mahler grew up in the theater. His two older brothers were in productions at Stages Theatre (formerly known as Child’s Play) and his mom taught classes there. He ran the lightboard for productions at Stages Theatre Company. All he wanted to do was be part of a show, so even when they weren’t performing on the stage they would perform in their basement. “I was a really shy person, so getting to be somebody that wasn’t me was a lot easier…we are all doing this thing together to try and put something on stage,” Mahler said.

After graduating high school, Mahler attended graduate school for acting. He worked in the professional acting field, which included a tour with a Shakespeare company. While on tour he would perform plays by Shakespeare all around the country. Through these experiences, he learned from both inspiring and frustrating directors. “I try to be like the directors that I enjoy, and I try not to emulate the directors that made me want to bang my head against a wall,” Mahler said.

In the 2019-2020 school year, Mahler became the Artistic Director of the BSM Drama program, something he never considered possible as a student. When he took on the role of director with Peter and the Statcatcher, his goal was to create an environment where his actors could experience the same sense of belonging he once felt. “I want everyone to be able to feel like they are valued and that and that they belong somewhere. If they haven’t found that somewhere else, then the drama department welcomes them,” Mahler said.

Over the years, Mahler has seen the drama department grow and shrink. During his early productions as a student, the cast could be as large as 100 students, while some shows had as few as 40. Recently, the number of cast members has significantly dropped. This is because students are now focusing on one specific activity, rather than splitting time between activities and theatre. “From the football team who were in the play… they would go to football practice, and then after…they would come to the choreography rehearsal,” Mahler said.

Regardless if Mahler is acting or directing, he knows what actors need to hear and how the community should feel, and his goal remains the same: create a space where students can find their place, just as he did. Senior Al Brown, who is involved in the theater, even agrees that his directing resonates with her and many other actors. “I think that his directing style is respectful and welcoming and easy to follow, especially if you’re new to theater,” Brown said.