Meet Karen Cecilia

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

Hi Karen, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
That’s a great question. I consider this; when artists think of resilience, it’s framed as the idea of the pursuit of our art in the face of rejection that’s expected as part of our career. I think this concept needs reframing.

You have to commit to the work involved in your craft/passion first. While you are in the process of crafting your work and learning from peers and mentors, you’ll develop a sense of identity in your own work; your “voice” so to speak. So, when you submit work and a rejection comes your way, you can honestly say to yourself, “That wasn’t the right fit for my project” and continue on in pursuit of your passion. If you are always working on your craft/passion, opportunities will continually present themselves.

If I particularly value an opportunity that I applied for and a rejection comes my way that affects me a lot, I ask myself the sizable questions, “What are my options? Quit? Or continue on?” I think we can all agree that quitting what we love doing is never a good option. So…continue on.

Playwright Samuel Beckett said famously, “I can’t go on, I’ll go on.”

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I always begin at the idea of asking myself, what story am I trying to tell? And what is the best way to tell it?

I think in terms of story, structure, overall narrative and themes regardless of what form of art or business it takes. Even when producing, these are the elements that are imbedded in me.

It excites me when collaborating with other like-minded creatives or entrepreneurs. When we all have the same goals in mind, it becomes energising to work on a project. Finding the right people to work with is just as important as the work itself.

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?
Mentorship. Reach out to previous teachers, people you admire in your field, or join an organization that will help you build community. This is an important step in the development of your journey. Asking for advise, learning how your profession operates, and having someone to bounce ideas off of, will be one of the most valuable aspects of your development.

Attend all genres of performance. If you’re going to be in any area of live performance; musician, performer, writer, stage tech designer, etc., I believe seeing shows of all genres, in all types of venues will benefit you in developing of sense of understanding about the whole industry. From there, you will be able to navigate your way around it better.

Just get to it! Nothing helps you more on your journey as just simply starting your journey. Just start. Even small steps every day will add up. After some time you can look back and you will realize how far you’ve come by haven taken those small steps.

Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
This is an essential book, well-know but worth repeating, for everyone to help you with your relationship to resistance. I helped me when I was early in my career. Now, I pass it along to my students. It gives you nuggets of wisdom that are relatable to any person in pursuit of type any venture.
The War of Art by Steven Pressfield

Contact Info:

• Website: www.karencecilia.com
• Instagram: karen.cecilia6
• Other: Instagram @thecalltheatre.brooklyn