In this episode of Podcast@SDA, Associate Dean Oliver Mayer welcomes Edgar Landa, Adjunct Lecturer and director/choreographer, whose work spans stage combat, Shakespeare, and endurance—both theatrical and physical.
Landa’s journey from a Huntington Park childhood to becoming a dedicated mentor at the USC School of Dramatic Arts reveals an artist driven by discomfort and discovery. He is a 1992 graduate of the School who returned to teach two decades later. Landa credits mentors like Dennis Krausnick and Tony Simotes at Shakespeare & Company with teaching him a foundational lesson: “teach what you know, and don’t try to do more than that.”
Whether choreographing stage combat or encouraging students to put down their phones and engage with each other, Landa models a commitment to overcoming challenge—and an unwavering belief that discomfort is where real growth begins.
Listen to the entire episode.