We recently connected with Tracey Bonner and have shared our conversation below.
Tracey , appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?
I am a lover of the Arts and there’s no greater passion than for me to be doing live theatre. As a thespian, I’ve been able to grace Regional Theatre stages all over the country and to be honest that’s where I feel the most edified. Being able to collaborate with fellow actors, directors, and creatives gives me a sense of belonging. It provides me with a community of like minded people from many different backgrounds, ethnicities, and upbringings. The arts open my mind to worlds and stories that I didn’t know exist but at the same time, it gives me an avenue to explore stories that resonate with my cultural connections. Being a theatre actor exposes me to so much more than just being an actor. It expands my way of thinking and being but also challenges me to see the world through a different lens.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
Well, I am a professional actor, teaching artist, and non-profit trailblazer. I hold a B.S in Speech Communication & Theatre from the Tennessee State University and an MFA in Acting from The Theatre School at DePaul University. I’m currently working a production at the acclaimed regional theatre, Arizona Theatre Company. I’m truly excited to be working on the play, Intimate Apparel by Lynn Nottage and directed by one of my directing icons and industry mentors, Oz Scott. This production is near and dear to me because it resonates so closely to my life’s journey to find a true love. It’s some of my most vulnerable work and I am very proud of this particular production.
Along with being a professional actor, I am excited to be working on my non-profit’s, DateYourselfGirl, Inc’s., 10th Annual Diaper Drive. It is an endeavor that I hold near and dear to my heart because this drive provides funding for the mothers living in the Atlanta Missions’s My Sister’s House and Restoration House. The monetary funds are used for diapers, pull ups, wipes, strollers, and car seats. Ten years of providing underserved mothers with their necessities is something that I am proud of and I look forward to continuing to do this and more for years to come.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Discipline, Consistency, and Risk Taking are all skills that have helped me navigate my careers. Being a student athlete helped me to be a more disciplined and consistent adult. The years I spent honing my athletic ability and the amount of training spent to remain physically and mentally fit helped me to stay focused on making and completing my goals. And being competitive helped me to challenge myself to reach for higher heights. Things that seemed unattainable to others were always the things I wanted to conquer. And if someone told me no, that only fueled my desire to achieve that thing.
Here’s some advice:
1). Surround yourself with people who are either a). actively pursuing the thing you are looking to achieve or b). have a proven track record of doing what you wish to pursue. It’s always good to have thought partners and peers who can motivate and challenge you.
2). Take the scenic route. Getting something too quickly or prematurely may not be as long lasting or fulfilling. It’s cliche but the best things do come to those who wait.
3). Resist the comparison game. Some things are not always what they appear to be and you don’t know what others may have had to do to get where they are. Your path is uniquely yours!
Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
My parents have always been in the position to support me and my life’s dreams. However, in my twenties, I got into some financial trouble due to some bad investments and instead of swooping in to save me they took their hands off the wheel. I learned how work through this adverse time in my life, which made me a more wise person. I now take heed to sound advice and take the time to research things that I have little knowledge of. I am not quick to attach myself and money to things that I have not properly vetted.
Image Credits
Yellow Pic & Black Jacket with Arms Crossed Credit: Michael Justice at Hollywood Headshots
