Meet Brooke Totman

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Brooke Totman a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Brooke with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?

My parents. They married young, had two children while they were in college—my mother taking final exams with a baby strapped to her back. They just made it work.
It was made very clear to me early on, that no job or task was beneath me if money was an issue and time was available. Because of that, I’ve pretty much done it all to make ends meet as an artist—waited tables, cleaned houses, served espresso, worked summer camps, on a cruise ship. Worked multiple jobs at a time….

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I’m currently focused on the student experience in my acting classes; creating new, exciting curriculum that challenges and inspires those who train with me. I’m also developing an Artists Way course—a 12 week class that guides people through Julia Cameron’s award winning book on tapping into the creator within.

I’m also working on the most ambitious acting project of my career—The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe. A solo show in which I play 13 characters. It opens at the 21ten Theatre on March 14th.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

1. Perseverance

2. Hope

3. Acting skills

It’s common to become disillusioned and lost when you’re on a creative path. You can easily start questioning yourself and whether or not your dream is worth it. It’s important to remember that the journey is a marathon, not a sprint, and that just because it doesn’t happen right away, doesn’t mean it won’t happen! And it’s okay to change course—this is not failure. It means you’re growing, following your intuition and prioritizing your wellbeing. I was a prisoner of 5 year-old Brooke’s dream for years. I beat myself up mercilessly when I thought I was letting her down. I had to let her dream go in order to embrace a new dream that defined success in a totally different way.

Tell us what your ideal client would be like?

The folks I love working with the most are courageous, curious and loving. My students are some of the best people I know—they’re fearless—they put their whole self on stage, every class. This is so vulnerable! It takes courage to open up like that. It also takes a playful spirit and an open mind. I’m very intentional when it comes to creating a safe environment at my studio— actors do their best work when they feel safe and supported. But I can’t take all the credit— the students are the ones who truly make the class culture as supportive as it is. The love and respect they show each other, is just beautiful to watch.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://brooketotman.com
• Instagram: @brooketotmanacting
• Facebook: Brooke Totman Acting Classes
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/me?trk=p_mwlite_profile_self-secondary_nav