Clear Your Roadblocks! Advice from a Solo Artist

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.

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"

"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
[e-mail]

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.

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.]