Manny Vallarino

Journal

Start Here: Manny Vallarino’s Journal

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Welcome to my digital journal!

In its pages you’ll find useful lessons, private musings, cool recommendations and reviews, original essays, and more.

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Enjoy, and I hope my journal keeps you good company!

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P.S.: Please know that every single word in my journal is written by me! I don’t use artificial intelligence or any other similar tools.

Main journal categories:

Life

Creativity

Commerce

The Theatre Guild of Ancon’s Christmas Mashup, Volume 7

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I loved, loved, loved being a part of this year’s Christmas Mashup at the Theatre Guild of Ancon in Panama.

For all six dates we played, I sang and played guitar on “Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer”, I accompanied on the guitar a married couple of two amazing singers (88 and 92 years old!) as they performed the classic song “I’ll Be Seeing You”, I accompanied on the guitar another great singer as she performed a song from the legendary Latin American series 31 minutos, and I acted in a Christmas-themed play based on The Golden Girls.

It was two weeks full of art, music, love, and laughter. I’m so grateful to have been a part of the experience.

Here’s to more experiences at the Theatre Guild of Ancon, my favorite place in Panama.

I’ll share videos of my performances once I have them!

2024 Holiday Choral Concert with Cantus Panamá

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My second choral concert!

Grateful to Cantus Panamá for welcoming me into their choir.

We sang beautiful music at a church. I’m not particularly religious, but singing that music, I went, “Yes, I get it.”

This has been the greatest ear training of my life. I remember barely being able to match pitch when singing a melody, and now I’m able to stay on my harmony line while other singers around me sing the melody and other harmony parts. Too cool!

Looking forward to more choral singing. I think I’ll sing in choirs for the rest of my life, or so I hope.

¡Bebé azul es estudiado por primera vez en un curso universitario de literatura!

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Por primera vez en su historia, mi libro Bebé azul fue estudiado en un curso universitario de literatura.

¡Gugu gaga!

Muchas gracias al curso LIT3024 (Perspectivas sobre el cuento corto) de Florida State University—República de Panamá por el honor y la invitación.

Fue una experiencia emotiva el haber visitado un curso de literatura en función de autor invitado.

Las estudiantes habían leído y analizado mis cuentos «Feliz cumpleaños» y «Algo como un gato», y me hicieron preguntas inteligentes y muy bien pensadas sobre los recursos literarios que usé para escribir ambos cuentos, al igual que sobre lo que me inspiró y motivó a crearlos.

Qué gran experiencia.

Las estudiantes, más allá de hacerme reflexionar y de ayudarme a conectar aún más con mi obra literaria, me llenaron de esperanza en cuanto al futuro de las artes y la literatura, sabiendo ahora que en el mundo hay personas tan brillantes y tan sensibles al poder de la palabra escrita.

¡Gracias! Gugu.

Standing Up in Denmark!

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7 shows.

1 city.

1 country.

1 fool.

This one-week stand-up comedy minitour in Copenhagen will forever be one of the best weeks of my life.

I landed in Copenhagen a bit unsure about my future and my place in it. I left Copenhagen completely certain of what I want and where I’m headed. Also left with a bunch of new friends. And, of course, I grew as a stand-up, came up with new material polished existing material, and, overall, improved my stand-up act.

Also… What a city! So beautiful. Polite people. Unique architecture. Great food. Clean streets. Healthy atmosphere. The Danes are already living in the future; it’s remarkable.

I’m always two impulsive decisions away from moving to Europe. After this experience, I’m only one impulsive decision away…

Thank you! Tak!

Special thanks to all the comedians I met in Copenhagen, in particular those who helped me get these opportunities to perform. You’re awesome.

There’s a perception that the best stand-up comics live in LA and NY specifically or in the US more generally, but I think those are just the comedians we’re most exposed to via the media. I saw some of the funniest stand-up I’ve ever seen… in small comedy clubs in Copenhagen! Amazing, amazing talent.

Very soon, I hope to be, once again…

Standing up in Denmark!

My most recent project