Meet Rori Nogee

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

Hi Rori, so happy you were able to devote some time to sharing your thoughts and wisdom with our community. So, we’ve always admired how you have seemingly never let nay-sayers or haters keep you down. Can you talk to us about how to persist despite the negative energy that so often is thrown at folks trying to do something special with their lives?

Show business is notorious for being rife with rejection and negative comments that tear down one’s self-esteem in the most vulnerable of moments.

I can still remember the comments that have stuck with me-

After singing in a college recital, the Music Theory teacher said, “Don’t worry. Your voice will come. You’re so good at everything else.”

When I remarked to a colleague that Belle was a dream role, he said, “Oh, but, you’re a different kind of pretty.”

Or the time a group of male producers came to see my rock musical which I wrote, produced and starred in, (my biggest achievement to date), and instead of saying anything about the show, the following conversation ensued:

“Your bio says you were in Showgirls, the Musical?”
“Yes.”
“Were you topless?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, no wonder I don’t remember your face.”

And so many more.

If I had let these comments run my life, I probably wouldn’t still be a singer. Or a writer. Or sometimes even a leading lady who gets to wear beautiful gowns and have a love interest.

Perhaps what makes me persist is the desire to prove all of the naysayers wrong.

A friend recently gave me some wonderful advice. She said, “It’s okay if you are driven by external motivation just to prove yourself to other people. Keep doing that, and eventually you’ll forget it’s for them, and you’ll just have all of these amazing things and experiences that you’ve done for you.”

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

I am a multi-hyphenate artist. This means that aside from the requisite singing, dancing and acting that comes with being a performing artist, I also play the piano and guitar, write plays, compose music, and produce my own projects. In addition, in order to supplement income in between gigs, I am a licensed tour guide, an escape room Gamemaster, a brand ambassador, and a Teaching Artist.

I especially love being an artist in New York City, because if you have a creative idea, there are so many talented people within arm’s reach who are ready and willing to be a part of your team and help bring your vision to life.

This lifestyle is a choice that requires commitment, compromise and sacrifice. There is zero stability or consistency. You live by the seat of your pants, not knowing when or what that next gig will be. It is a constant adrenaline rush with euphoric highs and devastating lows. For me, it’s the only way. I am rarely bored and endlessly inspired. (Or I’m just a masochist).

I have a couple of exciting projects currently in the works:

Recently, I had a successful run of my original play, “Aftershocks,” at Theater for the New City. It even got advertised on a billboard in Times Square! I am now trying to find a regional theater to continue its journey, and I eventually hope to turn it into a feature film.

I am also working on finishing drafts of two original shows: A new folk rock musical, “The Impatiens,” about a once famous band having a reunion concert after a big falling out 20 years prior, and “Merry-Go-Round,” a play about getting trapped in the cycle of Narcissistic abuse. In order to workshop these or premiere them in festivals, I will be applying for grants and to various playwright residencies.

As an actress, my next project opens this fall! “The Spirits Speakeasy” is an immersive theatrical experience with magicians, mentalists and live music. I play Houdini’s wife, Bess, and will serve as the singer and peacemaker of the evening. Check out TheSpiritsSpeakesy.com for more information.

While Broadway has been the goal for ages, I have come to find fulfillment in making art and collaborating with others on meaningful projects.

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

Here are three very important things I have learned on my artistic journey:

1. Befriend creative people. Say yes to their free table reads and demo recordings. This is how you get involved in projects from the ground up. You never know what might hit. It really is all about who you know and who you want to spend time in rooms with. I have employed many of my friends in various projects from readings to full productions, and I in turn have been employed by colleagues in many of their pieces as well.

2. Important Producer tip- ALWAYS hire a Publicist. No one is going to come to see your show if they don’t know about it. Publicists have marketing tools and strategies as well as access to private industry invite lists. If you are putting up your own project, focus on producing while splurging on someone else to handle the marketing.

3. A good way to help a creative block is to see a lot of live theater. The really good theater will inspire you and make you think, “I wish I could write something like that.” The really bad theater will make you say, “How did THAT get produced? I know I can write something so much better! I SHOULD BE WRITING.” Either way, you will leave inspired!

Bonus advice:

My advice for writers early in their playwriting journeys is that once a draft is finished, have a table read with friends. When you hear your piece out loud, you will know what is working and what is not, and the friends can offer constructive feedback to help kickstart you in the rewriting phase.

My advice for new performers is to make sure you have great online materials. Have demo reels of your best work, even if it’s just you in your living room doing a monologue or a song. Everything today is digital, so you need to be well represented with media links and photos. Casting directors don’t benefit from shadowy cameos of you in fancy network TV shows or washed out by the spotlight in your high school plays. They just need to be able to see and hear you while you do work that best represents you.

Looking back over the past 12 months or so, what do you think has been your biggest area of improvement or growth?

Establishing and enforcing my boundaries is something I’ve been working hard to improve upon, both personally and professionally. I’m learning to say no to offers that don’t pay enough or would be too time consuming, and I’m making a conscious effort to speak up in relationships if something hurts me or feels disrespectful. I’ve always had a hard time knowing my value and asking for what I deserve, (comments from the haters and naysayers surely didn’t help), but it’s important not to let people walk all over you. In order to hold myself accountable, I recently had “Know your worth” tattooed to my forearm. It’s helping. I think. I am forever a work in progress.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sirensdenthemusical.com
• Instagram: @Roareen, @Aftershocks, @Sirensdenmusical

Image Credits

Headshot: Michael Hull Photo

Belle photo: Jaki Silver

Aftershocks promo pic with the 2 actors: Matthew Schechtman

Siren promo pic outdoors: Seth Hale