Director, performer, and visual mastermind Roxana Baldovin is no stranger to bold ideas. From crafting unforgettable music videos for Doja Cat to launching viral campaigns and now stepping into the spotlight herself, her latest project, MANIC, is a kaleidoscopic solo show that blurs the lines between cabaret, comedy, and raw confessional. In this conversation, Roxana opens up about transforming personal experience into performance, embracing the fear of center stage, and why she hopes audiences walk away ready to celebrate their own unapologetic dreams.
You’ve described MANIC as “part cabaret, part comedy special, part nervous breakdown.” What inspired you to fuse these elements into a single performance?
To be honest, MANIC started as a TV show. It has since transformed into its own stage beast. That is why the Instagram of the show is @themanicuniverse because they are different angles of the same colourful kaleidoscope of my brain. I was inspired by the success of Fleabag and having a TV show deal from her one-woman show, and I reverse engineered the process.
The show dives into topics like ambition, addiction, and the hunger to be seen. How much of MANIC is rooted in your personal experiences versus fictional storytelling?
This is pretty much all true to life. Life is imitating art and art is imitating life. For example, I have always wanted to be a burlesque dancer, and this is actually my burlesque debut.
You perform over 14 characters in the show, from a psychic to a Ukrainian grandmother. What is your process for developing and embodying these personas?
This process truly has felt like a portal opened from the universe to the deepest level of my soul because when you are in alignment, the doors around you begin to open up. I have been taking classes at The Groundlings for the past two years, which really helped me develop as a character actress.
It is not just an accent. It is the way you move, your point of view, everything. The Groundlings has birthed some of the biggest characters of all time. Jennifer Coolidge, Pee Wee Herman, Elvira. I knew I was on the right track when I went to Wig Outfitters looking for a wig for my character Insecurita, who is loosely inspired by Elvira, and found out they custom made her wig many years ago.
There is a strong musical thread throughout MANIC, including original show tunes and parodies. What drew you to blend comedy with musical theatre in this way?
The first seed of this show was actually the closing number, “My Dreams, My Way,” sung to the tune of “New York, New York.” I was super stoned on an edible, and it just poured out of me. I think I have had that Weird Al-type tendency of changing lyrics my whole life. I am such a musically inclined person, and comedy is my favorite coping mechanism, so it just made sense that this would be the gateway into me really owning my voice. There are more than a few songs that did not even make the cut.
You are constantly creating, whether it is music videos, commercials, or now a solo show. What does downtime look like for you, if you have any?
The best downtime is being on the open water on a boat or a jet ski or free diving and swimming with the fish.
When you are not directing or performing, what are some of your favourite ways to recharge or switch off creatively?
I did not make my first burlesque character a mermaid out of thin air. I am truly a mermaid when I am not doing these human activities. I love exploring the ocean. It is where I feel most present. It is a whole other world down there.
What is the last thing you saw, heard, or read that truly inspired you or made you think, “I wish I had made that”?
I do not know about the last thing, but the Dua Lipa video for her song “We’re Good” is something I think of often. It is a lobster love story set on the Titanic. Genius, beautiful, subtle.
You mention the “desperate but hilarious art of being seen.” How has your relationship with visibility and validation evolved throughout your career, and how do you explore that in the show?
I think I made myself small and shrunk myself as a director, while also half expecting someone to discover me from behind the lens because I was always showing up in great outfits and being that girl. While it actually did happen in small ways a few times, like photographers wanting to photograph me or being put in other videos, as a director, it will never be about you in that way. I got sort of sick of that and had to reevaluate what my Leo rising self really wanted for herself.
From directing music videos for Doja Cat to making viral campaigns for major brands, your visual style is instantly recognisable. How did you translate that bold, maximalist vision to the stage?
Through my costume choices for sure. Also, our backdrops for the sets. Even the way I have such a high production value on screen, and we are able to time it perfectly for me to talk back from the stage.
What was it like shifting from behind the camera to center stage? Was that transition liberating, terrifying, or both?
Super terrifying. But you have to follow the fear. If you are scared, that probably means you are in the right place. At the same time it feels liberating and healing, and I have never been more proud of myself in my life.
You were a standout on HBO’s Project Greenlight, pitching a million-dollar film to Issa Rae. How did that experience shape your approach to storytelling and performance today?
It definitely made me realise how much I needed to be more front-facing and to explore that part of myself more. It also made me realise the importance of mentioning comparison films when pitching.
Your work is known for being both emotionally raw and visually extravagant. How do you strike the balance between sincerity and satire in MANIC?
In a way, even the satire is sincere here because I am telling my story in a way I never have before.You trained at The Groundlings, which has launched some of the most iconic comedians of our time. How has that background influenced MANIC and your overall approach to character-driven comedy?
Oh my god, The Groundlings changed my life. We had to create five characters for my last class. One from a friend, one from a family member, one from a stranger, one from a magazine you would never read, and one from a random phrase. It teaches you so much. It expanded my brain and revitalised my spirit in a way I was not expecting.
What was the most surprising or challenging part of creating a solo show from the ground up?
When I started this process two and a half years ago, I had no idea where the story would go. I kept writing the satirical songs but did not have a through line for them. It came little by little. I did not even know about the solo show community until I heard about Fleabag’s origin story. As I was writing these songs, I began looking up solo show classes, which is how I found Jessica Johnson, and through her classes, I became part of the solo show community. It can be super challenging to write a show based on your own life and journey because how do you sum up 33 years into 45 minutes? What part of the kaleidoscope is worth examining? I am surprised by how the story unfolded. The ending did not even happen until we were on set shooting, but it was channelled out of me and actually makes so much sense.
Los Angeles is just the first stop. How are you envisioning MANIC evolving on tour, especially for international audiences?
I have applied for a few awards that would take me to Italy and Australia internationally, as well as a few domestic things that would bring me to Denver, New York, and some other places. I definitely plan to do some runs in New York, London, Miami, and Puerto Rico at the very least. I think it just gets better with every show.
Which character in MANIC would you most want to grab a drink with? Which one would you most avoid?
I would love to get a drink with Connie Fi Danza, my inner confidence and burlesque mermaid. I would avoid Corny Collins, the game show host. He seems like a creep.
If MANIC had a theme song besides the ones in the show, what would it be?
I think the theme songs are already “Lucky” by Britney Spears and “It’s Gonna Be Me” by NSYNC. But if I needed a new one, “This Is What Dreams Are Made Of” by Hilary Duff.
What is one thing you hope audiences walk away feeling after seeing MANIC?
To be themselves unapologetically. To nurture their inner child. To fulfil their own long-lost childhood dream. To be fearless in the pursuit of their own greatness and childlike wonder. To let their confidence be their guiding light.
