Priya Mahendra

From Kat and Peter: Priya Mahendra is someone that we’ve been hearing about for over a year now. If you’re familiar with the Jen Waldman Studio, you’ve likely seen Priya, taken a class from her, or heard the saying, “The proof is in the Priya.”

She’s already had an interesting path: studying business at Syracuse, beginning her career assisting a music agent, and now, pursuing performing in the equal and diverse theatrical world we all dream of. And, as JWSers are prone to do, she’s creating that world with a project of her own. The Princess Possibility Project is a video series of Disney princess “I want” songs created to “raise awareness of the way universally known and loved characters are usually portrayed in Entertainment, and the need to expand it in a consciously inclusive direction.”

We enjoyed getting to know Priya, her work, and her vision through this interview. As we all use “I want” songs to convey our ‘hopes, constraints, dreams, and desires’, we hope Priya adds a swell of inspiration to your “I want” song.

Priya! Thank you for taking the time to chat with us! Would you introduce yourself to our readers with some “human facts”?

Thank you so much for having me, Kat and Peter! I am thrilled to be a part of one of my favorite blogs. 

Hi, everyone! I’m Priya. I’m a heart follower, theater artist, taurus, and jersey girl. 

You studied Entertainment Business at Syracuse University and started your career as an assistant in the Music division of ICM. What made you want to transition to the performing side of the industry? 

I grew up learning and performing Indian dance and singing intensively, so I had a strong connection to the arts through the lens of my culture and heritage. I also did a few musicals in middle and high school. My need to stay close to the arts led me to the business side for college. Working at ICM (which is something I am super proud of) helped me realize which side of the industry I was yearning to be on. I left to develop my artistic skills and start the path to being a performer. 

What is your take on what's in store for the future of the industry coming out of this movement and pandemic? What do you think the industry has the chance to change?

When I was little, I saw no one who looked like me on the Broadway stage in the shows I knew and loved. I’m sad to say that many years later, it’s almost the same story. South Asians are not represented almost at all on the Broadway or National Tour stage. Being made to feel that you are not right for a show based on just what you look like and who you are is extraordinarily painful. It often happens before, or in many cases instead of having the chance to audition and have a fair shot. I want to be the person that I needed to see on stage so many years ago, for people now. As Eliza says in HAMILTON, “oh, let me be a part of the narrative” - everyone needs to know that their humanity, identity, and dream can also be a part of the story. Theater is something that is vital for us to express through, grieve through, celebrate through, and connect through. 

I think during this time of pause, the industry has the chance to prioritize equality, artistry, and empathy in the decisions that are made at every level and on every stage. I hope to see the conscious inclusion of more marginalized voices, and a more level playing field for everyone in commercial theater. Our Broadway stages do not currently reflect the diversity of people and identities in New York City or our country. 

When it is safe for it to return, I hope Theater will be much stronger at heart and lead with an ethos of equality.

We became familiar with your name from folks involved with the Jen Waldman Studio. You are getting started with the JWS Fellowship program. Can you tell us more about this? What is the best thing about the JWS community?

Jen Waldman Studio is the place I am proudest to call my artistic home, and the place I’ve met some of my closest friends. It is one of a kind. The best thing about the community would be the way people prioritize their development as humans just as much as their development as artists. I see how much they go hand in hand, and who we are off stage matters just as much as who we are on stage. 

By doing the Coaching fellowship and facilitating Color Conscious Character Creation (a class for BIPOC artists taught by the incredible Billy Bustamante), I’ve recognized that while everyone’s journey is unique, we all share the desire to be represented and understood. 

The fellowship has also given me a chance to merge my interests in mindset coaching and artistic coaching. Mindset work, goal setting, and process oriented growth are things I’m obsessed with, and have spent years reading about and putting into practice. What I’ve found is that the way we talk about our work and how we approach it makes a big difference for the work itself. 

You recently created The Princess Possibility Project which is a seven part video series where you explore “I Want” songs from different Princesses. What are you hoping viewers gain from watching? What gave you this idea? 

The reason that I chose the Princesses is because I resonate so strongly with what they believe in and stand for, and how they navigate through hardship. They have played a huge part in my life and in shaping who I am. Most importantly, they fight to belong while being themselves. I believe that their hope, determination, and compassion in the face of struggle is paralleled strongly in those who need to fight to belong in our industry and world.  Their desire for more than they are expected to be or allowed to do, and the need to be seen, heard, and known for who they are is something I resonate with on an innate level. 

I would love the viewers (whether they are actors, casting directors, creative team members, or audience members) to first acknowledge the reality of the systems in our industry, and the barriers and walls that exist for marginalized voices. And then, to look at the possibilities that exist for us as an industry to explore, embody, and implement. 

We’ve used the metaphor of a mountain to be analogous to our career accomplishments, dreams, and changes. We feel a lot of our reader’s “climb” is on pause. Has your mountain ever changed? Is it changing now? What’s keeping you moving?

The way I look at it, everything is connected. A mountain you climb to the top of can bring you to a different or bigger mountain next. Sometimes on a climb, you need to pause and rest. And sometimes you just need to keep going even though you can’t see the path clearly or the top in sight.  

What is important is the pursuit. It’s all a process, with potential for progress, in pursuit of a dream. That’s what keeps me putting one foot in front of the other. And this Brené Brown quote: “Either you own the story or the story defines you. When you own the story, you create a brave, new ending.” 

RAPID FIRE:

Favorite Quaran-TV: Glow Up on Netflix

Quaran reads: The Sun and Her Flowers (Rupi Kaur’s poetry is my favorite in the world), The Autobiography of Martin Luther King Jr.,

Exercise routine (if you are into that): I’ve recently really gotten into hiking! The healing power of fresh air and nature is SO REAL. 

Favorite food: Ice Cream. 

Thing you have missed most since March: Wine nights with my friends. 

Network growing tip:  Be kind, be helpful, be yourself. 

People aren’t talking enough about _________: The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. 

Religious, Spiritual, or Nah:  Spiritual 

Social Media Feelings: We need to use it much more responsibly and consider our impact on others and the world. 

Advice to your younger self: You’re not different, you’re unique; have the courage to be unique. 

Favorite princess you are portraying: Jasmine in ALADDIN (the words “I’m like a shooting star, I’ve come so far, I can’t go back to where I used to be” give me the chills every time). 

Social Media Handles: @priyamahendra 

Anything you’d like to promote?: The Princess Possibility Project (www.priyamahendra.com/tppp)