Hi! ...and welcome to Everyday, Extraordinary Women.
This is Jessica Lynn Johnson. Hello.
And I'm so excited to have her here today. [Music.]
Welcome back. We have our tea here. Cheers.
To a good show. [Laughing.]
So, I wanted to just know more about how you came across solo theatre
Like how did you get started in it? What were you thinking? Were you crazy?
When I got started with solo theatre, that was, it was right when I, uh,
moved to New York City. You know, essentially I was like,
I don't want to wait for the phone to ring.
I want to be generating material. But I had no idea what I was doing.
I just knew that I could play characters and I was a writer.
Ok, I'm going to use these talents and and put something up on stage.
So, I wrote my first show, "Oblivious To Everyone."
I toured that show for about a decade. and it grew and changed.
Like it started out as a 20 minute version.
And then it grew to like 70 minutes.
You...obviously did not give up on that project.
Yeah.
Like you kept going and tweaking it.
And I had to keep making it interesting for myself.
Like, I had to keep discovering new things about the characters,
or...um...that piece was all about ...um...racism, homophobia, uh...
uh...just predjudice of ...uh...materialism
all kinds of different things. So, that was always changing in society
and how the media was portraying it was changing too.
So, there's always new material to add to the show
and to adapt it. Honestly, I just kinda, you know
it became...it was like ok it's time to move into,
into something new. And that's when I created my second show,
"Z"
...so...yeah...
Alright. And was that here in Los Angeles?
That was here in LA. With...uh...Terrie Silverman.
Um...who was my director. I took her master class.
And it was a six-month process of developing that show.
and that's about...um... the LGBTQIA community.
and also...um... healthy spirituality.
So, that's what that show explores.
Oh yes. I wanted to know how you
made the switch from a performer to being a teacher / coach?
Cause you solely do that right now, right?
I guess that started with David Magidoff.
I think he's the first person that pops into my mind.
David was very passionate about creating free improv
and community through the arts.
um...and so, he approached me and asked if I would do
my solo show...uh...class. Under the umbrella of Monkey Butler.
and I...he asked me like six times.
And I said no [laughing]. I said no over and over and over again.
Not because I wasn't in cahoots with his mission, but
because I didn't have faith in myself as a teacher.
I was like I... I'm a performer and I can teach
for like a day. But I'm not a teacher.
Like I don't teach. So that finally I was just like
ok, yes, if you'll leave me alone. I'll do it. You know.
And then when I, when I did my first twelve-week course,
we set it up for twelve-weeks of free classes.
I just fell in love. I fell in love with, with teaching
and with the student's stories. And...um...and there's something
so magical about creating community like that through the arts
that is free. So that money is never a hindrance.
Because everybody has a story worthy of telling no matter
what their monetary situation is. Um...so, I came alive in that process.
I was wondering if you could just share with us like one or
(well as many as you want) but, [Laugh.]
Five million.
Five million obstacles that [Yes.] you had to overcome?
in answer to, like obstacles. Well, I'm my own obstacle
when I have limited thinking or negative thinking
or I'm trying to control...um... the way that it should play out.
So, for me it's a daily practice of... of waking up and, and giving my
day to God and surrendering. And just being like, I'm a vessle.
And show me what to focus on today. And if that's submitting to acting jobs,
great. If that's, you know, doing principle work on acting job, great.
If it's teaching, great. You know, and just...um...
staying open to that kind of divine leading.
I'm very woo-woo. [Laughing.]
If you haven't picked up on that already. Um...I am, I'm very spiritual and woo-woo
and I don't pretend not to be. [Laughing.]
It's too, too who I am. So...yeah.
Share with us, what is the biggest thing you've learned
as a solo artist and teacher?
So, I, you know, I've said this to my, my students that
with solo theatre, I think, it's very unique in the sense that
you have to show up for yourself in a way that you don't have too
in any other genre. You know if you're in a
a, a play that has a huge cast, you're gonna show up because
you have, you know, ten other people relying on you.
And a director, and all the tech people and, like, you know,
a whole production relying on you. And for solo theatre,
you have to show up for yourself everyday. You have to show up
and make you make sure you wrote that script and you're
rehearsing your lines, and you're working on your characters,
and you're doing the research, and you believe in your story
enough to get on stage. Or you don't believe it in it,
but you're gonna do it anyway. [Laughing.] Whatever it is.
And so, for me, that's been the biggest lesson,
is just showing up for myself and saying you're worthy of this.
[Laughing.] Just say, you know,
"Fake it 'till you make it." Believe that.
You know, and get up on the stage and share.
Are there any other ways um...in addition to when
we wake up in the morning, like telling ourselves that,
that we can show up for ourselves?
uhhum...I don't even want to see the tapes of my first performances
of "Oblivious." It was probably so horrible,
but whatever! You know, I got up and I did it!
and so that's an accomplishment in, in itself, and I didn't do that
I wouldn't have gotten to... to do my show now.
Or any of the other different accolades that came my way,
because I had to mess up. I had to fail. I had to, you know,
work my way through it. So, I think, just having grace
for ourselves. That it's a journey.
It's a process. We can change and grow along the way.
It does not have to be perfect. In fact, it's never going to be perfect.
What is perfect? Right?
um...so, just to allow ourselves that grace. To be like, just play!
Well, I love how you brought up the idea of surrendering to like
something new. Even if it's not what we expected.
Yes.
Because, I feel like that has been my journey this year.
about, you know, taking those leaps of faith when our inner knowing
told us to do something. and a lot of times it is scary stuff
and it doesn't make sense and the best things in my life have come
from that space of listening to my intuition.
Even when it was scary, even when it didn't make sense,
when it led me into the unknown.
What advice would you give to um...any artist out there
who are watching, or who will watch later on the YouTube show
um...if, that are thinking about starting or writing a solo show...
uhhmm...
What would you say?
Well, first thing, if you're, you know in Los Angeles, come to my class!
It's free. So, you can e-mail me at soaringsoloartist@gmail.com
or jessicalynnjohnson.com and sign up to be on my mailing, my mailing list.
um...and just come to class. It's free.
um...if that's not, you know, feasible for you, I do Skype sessions as well.
But, I think the important thing, whoever you work with
is just starting. Just start. Somewhere.
I think that's the biggest obstacle for so many people is they
just never start. They conceptualize ideas about what
their shows going to be about. and they talk about it alot or
they write something and shove it in a drawer, and it's...
Just start and, and let it reveal itself.
Anything else you would add to anyone watching that has like this
germ of an idea?
Yeah. um...well this is a little bit of a
different angle. I just sent out this email the other day
about how we're all snowflakes. A little bit cheesy, but, you know,
I'm, I'm pretty sappy if you get to know me.
[Laughing.]
um...but, but it's true, you know, like we, when you have this idea
of blaze your own trail or go a different direction,
trust that because you are, you're as intricate and unique
as a snowflake. And yet you are part of a beautiful winter
wonderland of snow. You know, we're, we're all
unified, but we're all unique. And so, I think, again, yeah,
trust your intuition and those uh...that trailblazing idea that comes up.
uhhmm. Follow it.
It's leading you to...
to your path. To your highest path.
To the next thing. Oh. But why, that?
Why is that the hardest thing to do?
Right? [Laughing.]
Well, greatness isn't easy.
I know, right? [Laughing.]
So, I just wanted to give a special shout out to Jessica for coming on.
Taking time out her busy day to share with us. um...
And thank you to you for having me!
I was so, like, nerdy, excited about this...I was like aww...
and then the flowers on the wall match the flowers on my dress,
I was like it's meant to be!
Yes!
Bye! Bye!
[Music.]