We were lucky to catch up with Zachariah Stearn recently and have shared our conversation below.
Zachariah, 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?
Confidence is taught through lived experience. I think that people who struggle with developing their self confidence have not had enough opportunity to strengthen it. It is my belief that confidence is built by understanding a process, developing a plan, and executing the intention but that does not mean that it must be successful. I don’t believe success equals confidence. I believe going through a process, understanding what may have gone wrong, or what went well is what truly builds confidence in any arena.
Failure is so important to success because without failure, we can’t improve on our craft, whatever it may be. But at the same time, success is not the only recipe for self esteem and confidence. It’s the process of working towards something that matters most.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
My name is Zachariah Stearn and I have worked professionally in theatre for 15 years as a director, actor, and entertainer. My passion for the performing arts was developed after seeing Cathy Rigby perform as Peter Pan on a VHS tape my mother had bought for me. I fell in love with the idea of performing on stage and storytelling.
Since then, I have dedicated my life to the promotion of the arts and ensuring that theaters are producing high quality productions with a focus on creating an environment where actors and creatives are empowered to explore freely without fear of criticism or rejection. I believe that the space a creative works in is so critically important to producing thought provoking and nuanced performances.
Since 2013 I have taught at the University of Southern Maine’s Theatre Academy which invited high school students of all ages from all across the country to come together and hone their craft in all facets of the arts – design, performance, vision, script analysis and more. One of the greatest joys of my life has been teaching and traveling the country to different places and bringing theatre to communities.
In 2023 my dream came true as I fully developed and incorporated my own theatre company – Dirigo Theatre Company based in Wisconsin. “Dirigo” is Latin for “I Lead” or “I Direct” and our mission statement is focused on leading the way on developing enriching theatrical opportunities for our community, and rooted in the growth and education of its participants.
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?
1. Empathy. – One of the greatest skills that has proven to be the most useful has been empathy. Understanding that my own lived experience is vastly different from others but for all of those differences, there are more similarities. Having empathy for the people around you opens your mind and your perspective to broader worlds and ideas which ultimately serve your passion.
2. Communication – What separates leaders from great leaders is communication. It is important when working with a production team, or any other group of professionals, to communicate articulately, effectively and concisely. Communicating your thoughts, opinions, and feelings to the group you are working with strengthens the bond that is naturally created even if it is only in the workplace. However, communicating with your peers must always be done respectfully. I tell every theatre or potential employer that I work with “I will always be honest and direct with you. You may not like what I am saying, however, I will always be respectful of your process, your opinions and your thoughts when I am communicating with you.”
3. Listen – In tandem with communication, a leader must listen. Listen to the people around you. Listen to their feedback and listen BEFORE you speak. Sometimes that is the hardest thing, but it makes a huge difference.
To anyone who is starting out in their journey, the only advice I would share is remember these three words – Empathy, Communication and Listen. Before responding to an email, or going into a meeting, ask yourself, “is this an opportunity for me to practice one of those three things” if so, be sure to focus on it.
Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
In my life, I have worked with a number of magnificent directors, artistic directors, designers, actors and patrons. I have loved all of my interactions with them. However, Wil Kilroy has been my mentor since college guiding me through the professional world and in my personal life.
Wil is the Head of the Theatre Department at The University of New Mexico located in Las Cruces. His wisdom, patience and generosity has been a steady presence in my life both personally and professionally. I owe my professional career to him.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.zachariahstearn.com OR www.dirigotheatreco.org
- Instagram: @zachariahstearn
