Get to Know a GODSPELLer: Jake Mahler

Full given name: Jacob Parker Mahler

Role: John/Judas
Instrument: Guitar, Banjo, Mandolin

Where you were born/where you were raised: Minnetonka, MN

Special skills: I play various instruments-piano, guitar, ukulele, banjo, mandolin. I can solve a rubik's cube.

Something you're REALLY bad at: Cooking salmon

Did you have any particular mentors or inspirations as a young actor?  My older brother Mike has always been a hero of mine. I so wanted to be him growing up and still am inspired by him.

Current local show you have been recommending to friends:  Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind

Favorite Chicago neighborhood: Andersonville

Favorite show tunes of all time:  "Rainbow Connection," the scores to Into the Woods and The Last 5 Years

Favorite musical: The Last 5 Years

Favorite play: The Pillowman

You personal acting idols: Michael Mahler, Tom Hanks, Kevin Spacey, and Kevin Klein

MAC or PC?  PC

Most played song on your iPod:  "I Can't Help Falling in Love With You" as performed by Ingrid Michaelson

Must-see TV show(s):  Breaking Bad, How I Met Your Mother, Castle, Perception, White Collar, Big Bang Theory, Dirty Jobs, New Girl

Last good movie you saw: The Dark Knight Rises

Some films you consider classics:  Usual Suspects, Back to the Future trilogy, Indiana Jones trilogy (the fourth one doesn't count)

Performer you would drop everything to go see:  Ingrid Michaelson

Three favorite cities:  Minneapolis, Chicago, Santa Rosa

First stage kiss:  Working on the gentleman caller scene in Glass Menagerie with Mikala Bierma.

Moment you knew you wanted to perform for a living:  Watching my older brother and sister performing onstage with my mom in A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Worst costume ever: I had a pretty awful wig when I played Roger DeBris in The Producers.

Most challenging role you have played onstage:  Konstantine in The Seagull

Leading man role you've been dying to play:  Iago or any of the guys in The Pillowman

Leading lady role you wish you could play: There's few enough roles for women out there without me taking one.

Three things you can't live without:  My wife, chocolate, the puppies

"I'll never understand why…":  They made food that is so bad for you so damn delicious an food that is good for you taste like poo.

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See Jake in The Brown Paper Box Co.'s production of GODSPELL September 20 - October 7, 2012 at Collaboraction Studio 300 in the Flat Iron Arts Building, 1579 North Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago. For tickets and additional information, visit brownpaperbox.org.

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