We were lucky to catch up with Isabel Criado recently and have shared our conversation below.
Isabel, so great to have you with us today. There are so many topics we want to ask you about, but perhaps the one we can start with is burnout. How have you overcome or avoided burnout?
Sometimes, as an artist, I feel like burnout is always waiting for me, just around the corner. It’s something I’ve very much had to battle with. I think the fix for both are the same, no matter where you are on the burnout train.
Personally, whether I’m in the midst of it, or I see its head poking out, I know that what I need is to disconnect from work, and focus my energy on something else I love. I had a professor once that told me if I wasn’t living only for my art, filling my days with things to study and further my career, that I wasn’t putting my all into it, and would never make it. I heavily disagree with him.
Everything I do is for my art, but not everything I do should be my art. For, what is art but the experiences I’ve had outside of it? God knows, I would not be the actress I am today if I had only focused on my training. So much of theatre is about human nature. I have to be human. And I think burnout is the excess of my art. It’s like a a plant in darkness. It needs some light!
When I feel burnout around the corner, I shut my computer, and I turn on my PS4. That’s what I do. Or I watch some reality TV show with a friend. Or I call my sister and anything and everything. You can probably find what works for you, but please, breathe through it. You will love your art again. It is in you.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
My name is Isabel Criado and I’m a Spanish/Peruvian actress and stage manager in New York City who wants to tell diverse stories that voice the experiences of multicultural immigrants.
A graduate of The New School’s School of Drama (BFA, with Honors), I have developed a rich body of work spanning directing, stage managing, and performing across both classical and contemporary productions.
As a director, I have led projects including The Winter’s Tale at The Flea Theatre for The Circle Festival as well as You, Mimi & Me at NY Theatre Festival. As AD, I have collaborated with acclaimed director Federica Borlenghi on productions like At the Barricades (MITU380) and Until Dark (Out of the Box Theatrics).
As a stage manager, I have worked on a diverse range of productions including Blood Orange by Abigail Duclow (A.R.T. Gural Theatre), Alexandria by Markley Bortz (Dixon Place), Extra01dinary Aliens! by Carolina Dô (JACKS), The Edge of Nature by Josh Fox (La MaMa Experimental Theatre), and Clown Bar 2 by Adam Szymkowicz (Parkside Lounge).
As a performer, most recent credits include Anthony Y Cleopatra’s Cleopatra for Elsewhere Shakespeare (Art Barrio Space), Midsummer Night’s Dream’s Hermia (Under St. Marks) and Viola in Prague Shakespeare Company’s production of Twelfth Night. I also produced and starred in NY Theatre Festival’s winner of Best Production and Best Director, Archive of My Own by Annabel McConnachie.
Most recent, my One Act “Puke & Rally” will be presented at the second REacting One Act Festival in late November, with me as a lead! For more info follow me on Instagram @isabelcriadob
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?
Communication, communication, communication. I’m not even going to pick three. I’m picking ONE.
It’s so significant to being an artist and a good human. AND so, so hard. At least when one is also dealing with social anxiety. I tend to believe people would prefer to not hear from me, as I have a a tendency to be annoying. This is straight up a lie my brain is telling me, most of the time. Because of it, I have a challenging time asking for help, replying to work texts and emails, or even just saying “hi, I miss you”. But I try my best to do it. And hopefully no one hates me for it (my brain also tells me this lie a lot, a lot).
My advice on improving in it is, do it, Do it scared. Do it crying. Do it with bad english, and my a heavy heart, and do it wrong. Always do it wrong. People will always prefer a terrible text than no text at all. I’ve learned that the hard way. Be overly-communicative. BE annoying. You can’t please everyone. But you can be known as the person who goes above and beyond.
Like I said before, I’m still working on it. Work on it with me.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
Yes! I love working with people who are passionate about storytelling and live performance. I’m open to collaborating as an actress or stage manager on theatre, film, or new work projects. If you’re building something and need someone who brings both artistry and organization to the table, let’s talk!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: isabelcriadob
Image Credits
https://www.ramathillaiphotography.com
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