Martín Acuña: Joy is a North Star.
Skene Staff
Martín Acuña blends creative strategy and storytelling as a performing arts marketer and host of the Broadway podcast Backstage Talk.
Martín Acuña blends creative strategy and storytelling as a performing arts marketer and host of the Broadway podcast Backstage Talk.
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There is a full-circle quality to the way Martín Acuña has built his life in the arts, a sense that every step, however unexpected, was always leading back to the stage. His earliest memory of theatre is a Christmas choir at four years old, transfixed by the lights, the curtain, and the vast possibility of performance. That feeling never left him. It carried him through a double degree in filmmaking and acting, across continents, and eventually into New York City, where his work as a performing arts marketer and podcast host has become its own form of storytelling.
Through Backstage Talk, the interview series he launched in 2020, Martín has created a space to amplify the voices of Broadway artists and theatre-makers whose craft and conviction deserve to be heard. He understands that stories do not only live on stage, and that the work of inviting audiences into a world is as creative as the world itself.
His journey unfolds with clarity, purpose, and a deep love for the art in this edition of NEW TALENTS.
I was fortunate to grow up in a family where art was constantly present. One of my earliest memories of a theatre is singing with my family’s Christmas choir at four years old. I was transfixed: the lights, the curtain, the vastness of the stage. Even then, I knew where I belonged. Years later, I saw my first Broadway show, The Lion King, and everything crystallized. Fascination became clarity: I wanted to do Musical Theatre.
That conviction led me to complete a double bachelor’s degree in filmmaking and acting. Though distinct disciplines, both were anchored in the same through-line: the expansive, immersive universes that musicals create. After college, and after briefly exploring several “muggle jobs,” I found my way into marketing and content management. What initially felt like a pivot revealed itself to be an expansion. I understood that storytelling does not only live on stage; it thrives in the strategies, narratives, and spaces that invite audiences into the work.
Today, working in marketing for the arts feels like a full-circle moment. I have the privilege of merging my creative training with strategic storytelling — shaping how audiences discover, experience, and connect with the stories we love.
I launched Backstage Talk just before the pandemic brought our industry to an unprecedented halt in 2020. At the time, I had returned to Colombia from New York, carrying with me an urgency to process and share my reflections on Broadway and the productions I had just experienced. What began as a space for personal commentary quickly evolved into an interview-based podcast dedicated to exploring the intricacies of Broadway artists’ and theatre-makers’ journeys — the persistence, craft, and conviction that carried them to the world’s most celebrated stages.
Since 2020, I have had the profound privilege of hosting guests I deeply admire. Each conversation has not only illuminated their path, but has also shaped my own. The opportunity to amplify their stories, learn from their experiences, and contribute to the broader theatrical dialogue has become one of the most meaningful and rewarding aspects of my professional life.
Moving to New York has been the most exhilarating and daunting decision of my life. There is truth to what people say about this city: it will either shook you to your core or compel you to discover who you truly are. In the nearly three years I’ve lived here, the highs have far outweighed the lows. There is an unmistakable energy in this city that fuels me, creatively, professionally, personally. It demands resilience and it rewards with clarity.
What has been most meaningful is looking back and recognizing that, while my career and artistic perspective have evolved in profound ways, my spirit remains unchanged. The foundation is the same; only the scale, ambition, and vision have grown thanks to this city.
My primary source of inspiration is the art itself. I make it a priority to experience as much work as possible — allowing each production to expand my creative perspective. Every show opens a new universe, and that immersion inevitably shapes how I think, create, and approach my work.
I am equally inspired by how theatre is positioned in the marketplace. I closely follow agencies that are redefining the landscape — such as AKA, Relay Influence, And That’s Strategy, and Situation. Their activations and campaigns consistently push boundaries and demonstrate how strategic storytelling can elevate cultural impact.
Beyond the craft, New York City fuels me daily. The streets, the people, the lights, the constant movement of it all, have an undeniable effect on my energy and imagination. I spent years aspiring to build a life here, and now that I do, I recognize it for what it is: a dream realized, and a city that continuously challenges me to rise with it.
I think about legacy often. If I’m honest, what I hope to leave behind is joy. The pursuit of happiness has long been my north star, guiding how I approach both work and life. If someone engages with something I’ve created and feels emotionally moved, even for a moment, then I consider that work meaningful.
Whether through the stories shared on Backstage Talk or the productions and performances I’ve helped bring to audiences, I want my work to create a sense of connection — something relatable, human, and uplifting. I also hope to inspire in the way artists like Chita Rivera, Rita Moreno, and Lin-Manuel Miranda have inspired me. Their artistry did more than entertain; it expanded the possibilities a Colombian kid had towards theatre.
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