From homework to the stage : how a class project launched a theater career

What does it take to transform a university assignment into a professional theater career? Mandy Thierry never imagined her required monologue for a Luxembourgish theater history course would launch her journey as a playwright. Yet that single assignment caught her professor's attention, leading to a professional reading and eventually her first commissioned play.

Mandy takes us through her remarkable balancing act as a student—working night shifts as a bartender, completing internships at major theaters, and beginning her freelance writing career, all while pursuing her Bachelor's in European Cultures and Master's in Theatre Studies at the University of Luxembourg. Her story defies conventional career paths, revealing how talent combined with extraordinary determination can forge unexpected opportunities.

The conversation explores the reality of Luxembourg's cultural landscape, where most artists maintain what Mandy calls a "semi-professional" existence. Currently splitting her time between the Escher Theater, where she assists the director, and her freelance writing projects, Mandy candidly discusses how she manages multiple deadlines and maintains creativity across projects in four different languages. Her organisational strategies offer valuable insights for anyone juggling creative pursuits with practical necessities.

Perhaps most compelling is Mandy's evolving relationship with ambition itself. "I never dared to dream," she admits, reflecting on her surprise at her own success. Now working on the final installment of a theatrical trilogy, with numerous other projects in development, her advice resonates powerfully: "You have to be brave to not have a secure job. If you really dare to dream, you need to dare yourself."

Interested in signing up for the Bachelor en Cultures Européennes?

Visit the website : bce.uni.lu

If you have any specific questions regarding this Bachelor, please contact: bce.office@uni.lu

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