We recently connected with Covi Loveridge Brannan and have shared our conversation below.
Covi Loveridge , we’re so excited for our community to get to know you and learn from your journey and the wisdom you’ve acquired over time. Let’s kick things off with a discussion on self-confidence and self-esteem. How did you develop yours?
For me, developing good self-esteem and healthy confidence is an ongoing process. From the time I was a kid up until now, there have been so many things that have contributed to my sense of self. I am blessed to have a supportive family that encouraged me to pursue my creative interests from the very start. Their enthusiasm laid a foundation in my life where I felt motivated to jump into my passions without hesitation and challenge myself to be the best I could possibly be. As life grew more complicated, and I was exposed to more of the “real world”, feeling confident grew more challenging. Like everyone, I have my hang ups, areas of self-doubt, and things about myself that I sometimes wish I could change. I would be lying if I said my self-esteem was 10/10 or my confidence was through the roof 100% of the time. I can say, however, that I am most confident when I feel completely and unapologetically myself. So, what helps me feel like myself? Challenging myself artistically. Laughing loudly with friends. Spending time in nature, often alone. Having great sex. Connecting with my spirituality. The key to good self-esteem, if I had to identify it, is intentionally putting yourself in situations where you thrive, where you can grow and be vulnerable. A huge piece of that is who you surround yourself with. I am so proud to have built a community that keeps me grounded and inspired; without them, it would be so much harder to walk through life. I firmly believe that when you build up others, they build you up in return. So, the best thing you can possibly do for your self-esteem is surround yourself with people you love.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
When asked what my job is, I like to say that I work in the performing arts. I wear a number of hats but for the most part, I’m an actor, writer, dramaturg, and creative producer. I am a firm believer that art is an essential tool to spurring social change and supporting local communities.
Right now, I am mainly active in the indie theatre scene in New York, specializing in site-specific projects. I love the way non-traditional venues can elevate storytelling and whisk audiences into another dimension. My latest site-specific piece, CHRISTIE, was adapted from Eugene O’Neill’s famed play “Anna Christie”, and premiered at the Waterfront Museum — a century-old coal barge in Red Hook, BK. I also work as a Creative Development Associate at Rosalind Productions, a production company dedicated to telling women’s stories.
In terms of genre, I’m a bit all over the place; I love performing Shakespeare as much as I love helping playwrights develop new, contemporary plays. I have a deep love for words. I particularly enjoy working with artists who experiment with language and/or approach work from a multi/bilingual perspective.
As a playwright and producer, it’s my goal to craft highly sensorial live-experiences that encourage self-reflection. What I want to say about the world is constantly evolving, but I tend to be drawn to themes of guilt, youth, love, sensuality, and sexuality. Currently, I am working to expand my artistic world-view to one that better encompasses the eco-social experience of life on our planet. That goes to say, I want to make theatre that reminds us that we exist as a part of nature, not separate from it. I feel that this mindset shift is essential in building a more sustainable future for all of us.
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?
1. Be curious about things that don’t come easily to you.
I was the kid who would abandon something immediately if I was not good at it. Looking back, this definitely came from a sense of embarrassment. Why would I put my time and effort into something if, most likely, it would end in failure? Instead of sticking it out, I would loudly proclaim my ineptitude and quit the team (Volleyball, I’m looking at you!)
Then, my sophomore year of high school, I decided to take ballet classes after school to fill my P.E. requirement. I had loved ballet as a kid, but when academics got harder around 4th grade, I stopped taking dance lessons. Any ballerina knows that quitting around this age is a huge mistake because that is right when things kick into gear. So, when I started up again six years later, I was a sixteen year old surrounded by twelve year olds who were, quite literally, leaps and bounds ahead of me.
I watched, mortified, as one by one, the pre-teens in my class got approved for pointe shoes, as I crudely attempted my middle splits in the corner. But this time, I decided to stick it out. I loved the beauty of ballet, I love how it felt to dance, and maybe, I thought, I could last just a little longer. Well, I never got my splits and I remained a pretty mediocre dancer, but eventually I did make it en pointe, and when that day came, the sweet little girls in my class seemed just as happy as I was.
This experience taught me so many things: I was strong enough to keep going, I was capable of improvement, and being the best wasn’t everything. Without this experience, I wouldn’t have had the confidence to try so many other things that have added value and joy to my life.
2. Do things that have nothing to do with your “art”.
As a young artist, you spend so long dreaming of the day your art becomes your profession– when you’re finally “legit”, when you get paid to do what you love! Then, one day, it happens, and it’s nothing like you thought it would be. Suddenly, the fun, aspirational thing that fills up your cup becomes something so exhausting and stressful that you just want to sit on the couch and never think about it again. Don’t get me wrong: I love being a professional artist (whatever that means). I am so lucky to do what I do. But here is a hard truth: when art becomes your “job”, it takes on all of the same pressures as a normal job. And, then, when you spend your free time doing things that are related to this job (for me, this meant seeing shows, reading plays, even watching TV!), suddenly you never have time off. That’s why I think it’s so important for artists to take up hobbies outside of their creative disciplines. My recommendation is try something that feels completely unrelated to your art. Bake bread, take up kick boxing, join a community garden. I guarantee it will be such a mental and physical relief to find something you love that gives you a real break from your professional life.
3. Cultivate a sense of generosity.
When a large part of your professional life is made up of going out for auditions, competing for funding grants, and submitting your work for peer review, it is natural for a feeling of competition to rise to the surface. And while a healthy sense of competition can keep some people motivated, I find that it can build resentment towards the Industry and your peers. To combat this attitude of “every man for himself”, the best thing I can advise is embracing a spirit of generosity. Consider the other artists you come across as your partners in crime. When they succeed, you succeed. Recommend your peers for jobs you aren’t right for, gush about fellow artists to people you think would gel well with them. There really is room for everyone here. Call it good karma, but when someone hears you’ve spoken highly of them, I guarantee, when the next opportunity presents itself, that person will speak highly of you. And, speaking as a producer, there is nothing that paints an artist in a better light than when they speak well of their colleagues.
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?
I am always interested in meeting new people! It is a true pleasure to help people get where they want to be on their journey, whether that is by sharing notes on a script over coffee, working on a creative project together, or connecting them with others in my community.
It’s worth noting that there is no need to be a self-identified “artist” to want to work on the type of theatre I am interested in. If you have a story you feel needs to be told, I am excited to meet you with open ears. In my experience, the best art comes from the most unexpected sources.
The qualities I look for in potential collaborators are passion, empathy, dedication, and curiosity. Bonus points if you are interested in telling stories related to climate resilience and environmental justice.
The best way to get in touch about potential projects is to message me on LinkedIn. I promise I don’t bite!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.coviloveridge.com
- Instagram: @coviloveridge
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/covi-loveridge-brannan-683546192/
Image Credits
Adelaide Brannan, Alexia Haick, Federica Borlenghi, Mitchell Matacia
