Meet Nicole Romine

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Nicole Romine. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Nicole, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?

It found me!
I truly believe that children tell us what their path is – whether they love building blocks, drawing, music, or animals. Once I watched a little boy, about three, go straight for a keyboard that was lying on the ground. He was fascinated by it and the sounds it made. Piano lessons! He grew up to be a fine musician. Unfortunately, our systems don’t make much room for this sort of discovery or, too often, we don’t pay attention to what a child tells us.
I was a very serious and intense 8 year old when I attended my first ballet class. It was love at first sight, my great escape, and my saving grace. It was my first experience of beauty, and I wanted more than anything to feel, to become that beauty. It gave me something to love beyond reason, it was something that I could pour my whole heart into.
I was around 9 when I did my first production. I was inspired to raise money for a children’s fund I saw an ad for in a magazine. I cast my neighborhood friends, I wrote the script, choreographed, and directed. I cast my little brother as a tree. He liked that role. I went round the neighborhood and sold tickets. I had my mother run the record player and she didn’t expect anyone to show up. We did it in my front yard and about 30 people attended. I still basically do the same thing.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I bring people together—artists, composers, technicians, and creatives of all kinds—to craft original shows.
Each show I create is, for me, a work of art, it has to be. A work of art that speaks to truth, beauty, and the human journey, and is, hopefully, inspiring.

My latest and most ambitious project is Moon, a full-length theatrical production designed for the stage.
Moon is, at heart, a fairytale, a fantasy, but it is also a vision for the whole of humanity and nature. It’s about uncovering our highest potential and stepping boldly into it, transforming dreams into reality.
What if you could become the person you’ve always dreamed of being?
This is the question Moon asks and the dream it seeks to make tangible. Now, more than ever, the arts hold a vital role in our world. We must continue to create, to dream, and to imagine. Through Moon, I weave my passion for dance, music, and global wisdom. It is the truest reflection of my heart—a labor of love that I am immensely proud of.
The music, composed by the brilliant Lilia Yurchuck and Dave Klotz, is breathtaking. The artwork, crafted by gifted artists from across the globe, is so wonderful! Together, we have all made something extraordinary, something I want to share with the world.
My hope is that Moon will awaken a sense of wonder in everyone who experiences it—a renewed appreciation for the miracle of being alive. I want audiences to leave inspired and excited to explore their own possibilities. I want Moon to be an ambassador of light, love, and beauty for all.

I am driven by a need to create work that matters. If even one person walks away with a sense of hope, a sense of their own magic, that will be enough.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

For me, everything comes down to one principle: integrity.
Integrity for me means honoring my word. When I commit to something, I do it—because I know how deeply it matters to follow through. Over the years, I’ve seen so many brilliant, talented people falter, not because they lacked ability, but because they couldn’t, or wouldn’t, follow through. I need to know that I can count on myself. Not following through, not honoring my word, it’s self-destructive and chips away at our inner world more than we realize. And excuses? They’re far too easy to make. I’m so very good at procrastinating! But now, I know when I am doing it and have to laugh at myself. For me, often times in spite of myself, I have to take action and just do it.

Over the years, one of the things I’ve learned is that I need to do the work without worrying about the outcome. In the past, I was driven by results. But Moon, more than anything I have done before, has taught me to let go of what I ‘want’ to happen and focus on the work I ‘can’ do. Realistically, Moon has a one-in-a-million chance of being produced—it would be wonderful if it happened, but maybe that doesn’t matter. What does matter is the work itself, and the impact it’s already had on the people and communities it’s touched. On the lighter side, one of the artists did a rendering of a character I created called the Starfisher. He is the pure dreamer, wearing his sea monster hat, ever fishing for stars in the sea. She asked permission to use him in her anime series!
And then there is the story of the ‘Canticle of the Stars’ a piece composed for Moon by Lilia who lived in Kyiv. She created the entire piece during the pandemic and it took more than six months to complete the 3 minute piece. We brought together some exceptional singers and it is a haunting work. When the war broke out she was forced to flee with her young son. I can’t begin to tell you all that she went through, that is her story to tell, I can only say that she is a young woman who has more courage than anyone I know. More than a year after having left her home and family, she ended up in Germany where she currently lives. People came together from all over to grieve and share and hold each other. ‘Canticle of the Stars’ was chosen to be shown along side a video of the war torn Kyiv. When Lilia wrote me to tell me how the people responded, I wept. That piece was meant for far more than I had imagined.

The theme of this magazine is boldness. Be bold! Don’t let what you don’t know stop you from doing what you want to do. When I wanted to create my first short film, ing, I knew absolutely nothing about film making. So, I found a meeting for film makers, went and introduced myself to the leader beforehand, and explained what I wanted to do. He told me, “After I open the meeting, I will introduce you and you can tell people about your project.”
I’m not a public speaker—dance is my first language—but I stood up in that room and told a group of strangers what I wanted to do. Afterward, one woman came up to me and said, “Let’s make this happen.” Together, we made ‘ing’. That little film went on to win the Grand Prix at the 2007 Asolo International Art Film Festival. I still don’t know anything about film making, but my second short film ‘Mistress of Tears’, one of the characters from Moon, premiered in Paris and won awards all over the world, including three Best Director awards! This was astonishing to me.
The world doesn’t need perfection. It needs boldness, integrity, and people who can get stuff done —even when they don’t have all the answers.

Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?

Finding a Producer—that mythical unicorn capable of tackling the impossible and making it happen.

So far, Moon has been mostly self-funded with some help from a few magical beings. Giving everything I have to Moon makes perfect nonsensical sense. ‘Mistress of Tears’ was created to help promote Moon. It has taken three years to pay off that loan. It may seem foolish to a lot of people, but I don’t regret it for a second. I would do it again. I feel as though Moon is a gift, and my responsibility is to show up for it with my whole heart. No matter what.

And, finding a producer or a production company has been like chasing the Holy Grail. And to make things more challenging, Moon doesn’t fit neatly into any one category, and while I have a strong track record, I am still a relative unknown in the industry. Even under the best of circumstances, it is an incredibly risky venture. A high powered NYC agent told me to “get it on stage” which is wise advice, but even a bare-bones production comes with prohibitive costs. And as I write this, I realize it may sound like an excuse—but it’s a very real challenge I’ve yet to solve.

However, as I’ve mentioned before, I’ve let go of the outcomes. (Though, believe me, there are tears and a lot of claw marks from that letting go!) For now, if and when the financial resources allow, I’ll continue commissioning music, one piece at a time, until the score is complete. I will continue to show up and dream.
Like the Starfisher.

One day, Moon will come into the waking world and she will be luminous.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Alisa Uzunova
Anisa Sinteral-Scott
Rita Leroux
Franzika Oertel
Ed Flores
Giovanni Magana

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