A Note from DO40 Member Natalie Guevara

John Sefakis
May 15
2 min read

Thank you, Natalie Guevara, for the MirrorMAN baseball cap!

If you’ve spoken with Natalie over the past several years, you likely already know how deeply passionate she is about the life, work, and legacy of Michael Bennett — Broadway visionary, creative force, and one of the most influential artists in American musical theatre history.

That passion has evolved into Mirror Man, a growing tribute project dedicated not only to Michael Bennett, but also to the collaborators, performers, and creatives who helped shape his work and legacy.

Previously known as Showstopper, the project is now officially titled Mirror Man: A Portrait of Michael Bennett.

About Mirror Man

Michael Bennett famously loved mirrors. He filled his homes and rehearsal studios with them, used them constantly in choreography and staging, and relied on them as both a creative tool and source of inspiration. Natalie notes that his work itself felt mirror-like, reflecting audiences back to themselves in unexpected and revealing ways.

Mirror Man combines oral histories, archival research, interviews, reflections, and contemporary artistic perspectives into an evolving digital archive celebrating Bennett’s work and influence. The project includes contributions and insights from collaborators, historians, and artists influenced by both Michael Bennett and Bob Avian, who also served on the Dancers Over 40 Advisory Board.

Natalie recently received the blessing of John Breglio and is continuing to develop the project as an ongoing digital initiative.

Calling on the DO40 Community

Natalie is especially interested in connecting with Dancers Over 40 members and former Bennett collaborators to help preserve these stories for future generations.

She is currently hoping to connect with:

Joy Serio Dunbar (A Joyful Noise)
Carolyn Kirsch (Promises, Promises; Coco; A Chorus Line)
Jean Preece (Coco)
Karin Baker (Coco)

Natalie welcomes connections with anyone affiliated with DO40 who may be interested in contributing stories, memories, interviews, archival material, or firsthand experiences from working with Michael Bennett and his collaborators.

As Natalie beautifully reminds us: DO40 members are a primary source for our history, our legacy, and our lives.

Explore the Project

The project currently lives across several platforms:

MirrorMan.Studio serves as the primary online archive documenting Michael Bennett’s work and creative journey from Buffalo to Manhattan to East Hampton.
The accompanying Substack newsletter features interviews, essays, and deeper explorations of Bennett’s work and influence.
You can also follow the project on Instagram and Facebook at @mirrorman.studio.