Meet Kevin Sievert

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

Hi Kevin, so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?

I think this is a wonderful question. As a black man who grew up in primarily white spaces, I was often and easily singled out. I either “sounded white” or “wasn’t black enough”. I spent a majoirty of my young adult life desperately seeking a niche or a place where I fit in. While I was lovingly brought up by my parents who adopted me when I was a baby, they were white and did not always have the tools or the right thing to say when these problems would arise. So I spent many years diminishing myself to stay just tucked in enough to get by without being harrased or standing out for the wrong reasons. I didn’t really gain any sense of power in my identity until I got in to college. In my voice studio (I studied Vocal performance), I was given African American Spirituals, or musical theatre roles that were primarily written to be performed by black performers, and at first I was offended. “Why are you giving me this music?” I asked. My voice teacher was honest and said “Because only YOU can do them. There is power in that.” It was in that moment that I kind of realized that not only is there power in my blackness, but there is power in my SINGULAR experience as a black person. There are thoughts, perspectives, solutions, and so much more that only I can bring to the world and if I’m not proud enought to do or say them, then there are some things that will never be solved. I continued to take this perspective into my life, my writing, my art, my theatre, my social circles, and honestly it made my voice louder in spaces that need to hear it. You are singular. There is so much power in that.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I am an actor and theatre artist that is primarily based in Wisconsin. I grew up in North East Wisconsin, Manitowoc to be specific. From a young age, I loved being the center of attention. My mother was a music teacher and instilled a love of music in me from a very young age. That love of music and education stayed in me through High School, where I then decided to persue a degree in Choral Education. While in college, my school gained a Vocal Performance and Pedagogy degree, meaning that I was not only able to learn more about how to perform and use my voice in a theatrical setting, but also gain the skills to teach others how to use their voices as well. I switched my degree without a second thought! While I was in school, my last semester was going to be cut short by financial struggles, and on a whim I auditioned for my first professional theatrical jobs. I gained two professional jobs from that first audition, and I have been working professionally since 2017! I have worked in Milwaukee, Chicago, New York, Massachussettes, and even London for a short stint! While I would love to say acting pays all my bills, it does take a ‘hustle; to get things done. In the recent years, I’ve gained credits as a director, choreographer, music director and writer as well as some non-profit work in marketing with a local food pantry called Grow It Forward. Their goal is to provide food with dignity to those who need it in Manitowoc County. My work as a theatre artist and the non-profit world has been the joy of my life, both keeping my head in the coulds and my feet on the ground.

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?

There have been a lot of advice/qualities that have been most impactful on my journy. A lot of them stem from my work in the theatre that made me pause and think.
1. At a certain point, everyone can do what you do. It’s how you act that will make you stand out. This, in a theatrical sense, means that at a certain professional level everone can sing, dance, and act just as good as you. That’s why you’re in the room! But what is going to get you the job is the impression you make as a person. How kind are you? How gracious are you? I think about those things every day in my interactions with people. I think it makes a big difference.
2. For every yes, there’s a thousand nos. This has become increasingly true over the years the more I audition or submit for work. It really did teach me that sometimes rejection needs to be practiced. Even though being told ‘no’ is not always easy to take, it makes a difference when you can learn to take them in stride and work toward what your next ‘yes’ can be.
3. What’s meant for you will not pass you by. I think this one explains itself. I can tell you that for every room you think you are supposed to be in, there is another one that is meant to take you exactly where you need to be at that moment in your life.

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?

It’s so easy to feel overwhelmed these days for any number of reasons. What I do (and my advice) is to give yourself time to process your feelings for as long as you need to. It’s very easy to try to push past your feelings, but more often than not that is not what is needed in the moment. I think it has also made me a more empathetic person by giving myself time to look inward and just process, rather than act out of reaction. Remember – your feelings are yours and they are valid. Don’t dismiss them!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: officialkjs7878
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kevinjamessievert
• Other: Tik Tok: @kevinjamessievert

Image Credits

Mark Frohna Photography
A.E. Photography LLC