Hello! I’m Lizzy
An Artist from Boulder, Colorado.
My journey as a performer started when I was a wee tot, in the Foothill Elementary School’s Talent Show. While other 5-year-olds were playing their impassioned renditions of hot cross buns on the piano, I decided to go in a different direction – or rather– my mom did. She encouraged me to perform “what I do at home,” and so I did!
There I was, 3 feet tall, adorned in a cowgirl outfit, waiting for the teacher to give me the cue to walk onstage. I don’t remember being nervous, even though I was a shy girl. Instead, what I remember is bouncing around the stage and lip syncing to my favorite song, “Thank God I’m A Country Boy” by John Denver. The audience clapped and bounced to the beat, as did my oversized cowboy hat, precariously tethered to my head by the strained chinstrap.
The reception to my little ditty was magnanimous. Cheers all around, my grandparents giving me hugs, other adults going out of their way to tell me how much they enjoyed it.
And there it was, solidified permanently in my soul, that I must be a performer.
This talent show led to my very first leading role, the hen, in Mrs. Smith’s first grade class’s production of “The Little Red Hen,” performed in the school gym. For the final performance, I was almost off-book!
My mom put me in piano and voice lessons, along with my older sister, Emma, and we grew up showcasing our talents every few months in recitals. My favorite memories are of all the times driving up the to teachers mountain homes, listening to Broadway Soundtracks on CDs.
Emma and I auditioned for everything, Community Theatre, School Theater, and everything in between. We battled other girls for the good parts, and accepted defeat when we were just too short for the role. We relished in our victory when we finally did land that great part! In these early days, I played “Mrs. Mayor” in Suessical the Musical, “Molly” in Annie, “Annie” in Annie, “Hodel” in Fiddler on the Roof, and perhaps my most prestigious role, “Narrator #2” in Beauty and the Beast.
As I grew, there was no doubt in my mind what I would major in for college. Theater! Comedy! Drama! I worked extra hard to land the lead roles in my local community, including “Roxie” in Chicago and “Mrs. Lovett” in Sweeney Todd. By the time College Auditions rolled around, I wanted to get into a top program so badly, I was a big bundle of stress. I relied on my mom to book flights and get me to the scary audition rooms.
I applied to 10 top theatre programs in the country. It would only take one right? My audition for the University of Southern California’s Drama School went something like this: I waited in a room with many other young hopefuls and their moms. The boys were dressed in Polos and their first pair of shiny shoes, and the girls wore navy dresses with tan heels – the hippest outfit at the time for the female actress. I waited my turn, as the room slowly emptied, and watch the interviewers at their forbidding tables. That was the format: interview first, audition second. I just remember seeing the bored faces at the tables and thought, C’mon were entertainers here! We should excite these bored proctors! So that became my mission: to get the woman interviewing me to laugh. Finally, my name was called. I went up to the small, foldable table, and charmed the hell out of this lady with a badge. While making some silly gesture, I nearly pulled the tablecloth off! I was a silly gal. Then, I went into the audition room, did my best, and went home.
The NO’s started to pour in, from Emerson, Boston Conservatory, Elon, CCM, the list goes on. I truly thought I would have to go to my safety school. At the end of March, I fully expected to go to a regular liberal arts program. I was driving home from school when I got a text from my Dad saying, “When will you be home?” This was odd, I thought, as my Dad aways arrived home from work much later than me. I responded, “Driving home now!” And didn’t give it a second thought.
I walked through the front door, and my Dad stood frozen, eagerly awaiting my arrival. Odd again, I thought. He said, “I didn’t mean to open it.” I looked to my left, and on the counter, there it was: A very thick red envelope. This was it. This was my acceptance to USC. This was my ticket to the professional world of theater.
I did it.
College proved way more difficult than I thought it would be. I had a tough time finding a group of friends and finding my groove within the drama school, so I explored. I joined the ski club, yes you read that right, a ski club in Los Angeles. I was accepted into music school as a minor, and learned all about Jazz Music. I took three semesters of Japanese, 私は日本語が上手に話せません, and even wrote my own one-act musical! I still did theater shows, and was cast as “Mary” in _The Secret Garden_, under the direction of Kelly Ward.
By the time of Spring 2020, I was a senior soon to graduate, and I was ready to launch my professional career…You know where this story is headed, right?
I won’t bore you with the details of my Pandemic experience, but let’s just say I eventually left Los Angeles and moved to New York City.
I’ve been living in Harlem these past 2.5 years, and it has been a wild ride. I faked my way into a Rock Climbing Coach position, (It wasn’t that hard, I’m from Colorado after all). I’ve taken acting, singing, playwriting and stand up comedy classes in the city. I’ve acted in small shows, staged readings, and even have had my written 10-minute plays performed! During this time, I developed a love for songwriting, and am currently learning how to produce music. Logic Pro and I have a strained relationship at the moment.
So now you’re all caught up! My mission is to pursue an acting and songwriting career, and additionally share my artistic process along the way. I want to help others overcome their resistance to a creative life. I hope that my story and experience will clarify the path for other young hopefuls to pursue this terrifying yet noble craft.
乾杯 + Best Wishes,
-Lizzy
If you are an artist or creative, please click on my “Artist’s Journey Blog: Substack” linked below, and join my blog community of others like us. We are all in this together, and I am here to help.
Contact me at lizzyryland@gmail.com