_Them Plays_
Last summer, I’m scrolling through my podcast’s Instagram feed, and I see a post from Innovative Productions regarding auditions for something they were calling “That One Act Thing”. I knew it was for me.
Back in my younger, more religious days I did a fair amount of stuff on stage. It was one of the highlights of my time with Christianity. One of the perks of going to a big Evangelical Church was that they liked using the arts to get people in the door.
It meant I had a home in a place that otherwise, probably would have rejected me.
But I left it.
Left church, left the stage, left acting and working with other people in that way.
Oh, my God… did I ever miss it.
It’s why I remember seeing that Instagram post so clearly, it was like a shift inside of me. A shift that was trying to say, this for you.
In the months since September I have done 2 plays with Innovative Production. I’ve connected with people who’s work and talent I respect and appreciate. I’ve grown in my confidence and something inside my soul has come back to life.
Both of the weekends of the plays, the first in October and the second in February, I had a big dumb grin on my face Friday/Saturday/Sunday and rode those great vibes into the following week.
Since starting my podcast, I have been on my own creative journey. Learning not only how to interact with my creativity but also what I actually want to do. I used to want to be a filmmaker, and losing that left me wandering for quite awhile.
It took me years to find my way back to the stage. That’s a lot of false starts and big ideas that went nowhere.
But I found a part of what I’m supposed to be doing. And while I don’t know what the future holds, I don’t care.
I just want to keep doing it.
- Ryan Leacock
