“For Love or Money”

Or, maybe, Mitch Feinstein’s solo show “For Love or Money” could be titled, “Can we learn lessons and make changes, or is it too late?” 

Mitch Feinstein has spent a large portion of his life as a successful businessman.  But he always dreamed of being an artist and at 60, he waved goodbye to his career and began his new journey as an actor.  He studied at the Strasberg Institute, eventually becoming a “Strasbergian,” a member of the illustrious Strasburg acting ensemble, The Group Strasberg. He’s worked in film, TV and on stage in some classic roles.

The Pandemic has brought us all face to face with our humanity, one way or another.  For Mitch is gave him an inward focus. The space to allay his economic fears, meditate on his life and find an unexpected source for his solo show “For Love Or Money.”

Mitch’s solo show, “For Love Or Money,” opens for one night only on Friday, June 18.  We were intrigued by Mitch’s winning journey to the stage, so we asked him to tell us a little about it!

Hi Mitch!  Why a solo show and why now?

I sold my business 15 years ago, when I was 62, and decided to take acting lessons to fulfill a lifelong dream.  Over the past 15 years I’ve studied with some wonderful people and performed in a number of theatre shows.  I always wanted to write, and over time I have written some short stories, and some short plays.  When the pandemic started I was cut off from live theatre work, and at the same time the economic downturn of the economy disrupted my carefully planned retirement.  

The forces of needing creative outlet, needing to find a place to put my angst about the pandemic and my economic reality, were joined together when I coincidentally found a daily meditate writing program led by Jessica Lynn Johnson who introduced me to the world of solo theatre.  I just started writing, as a method of exorcising my frustration and anxiety, and the story developed.  Then the opportunity to be able to write and produce my own show arose, and I jumped at the chance to perform.  This exuberance was tempered with the reality that I was revealing a lot of truths about myself and my life and that I had never or rarely shared.

What have you learned about yourself through this creative process?

The greatest lesson comes from the community of creators that I have been privileged to work with, and that giving positive feedback feeds not only the recipient but myself.  Looking for the good in people and their work is righteous behavior.  It has allowed me to be a little less hard on myself, a little more accepting of my flaws, and a little more positive about my abilities.

You came to performing later in life. I believe that “maturity” is an absolute asset. But, what difference does it make to how you tell your story?

It’s funny, but many people have said, and I agree, that the voice in my head still feels like the same voice that was in there when I was 17 years old.  So the internal self does not “mature” so much as accumulate memories and experiences that speak to the internal person.  Being mature means that the catalogue of experiences, and the feeling those experiences generate, creates a huge palette for me the writer to use in creating the story.  Longer life, equals more experiences, which are all memories that shape and reflect feelings.  

Some of the memories are lessons, some of which are glad and happy and some of which are sad and filled with regret. As I experienced the feelings and wrote, my subconscious created connections that I had not consciously seen or recognized before.

Would you encourage everyone to take this path?

Yes, be brave and allow yourself to look at and experience your feelings.  Writing alone is not judgmental, and your subconscious will guide you.  When it is done and read what you have written, very often the result will be pleasant surprise.

What advice do you have to those of us who might be interested in creating a solo show?

Jump in to the pool.  Swim around, have fun, and let yourself be unrestrained and creative. Let the juices flow.

We love the Whitefire. The solo shows on their innovative live Streamfest has really kept us going through this past year.  Led by the hard work from Bryan, Jessica and the rest of the Whitefire team and their heartfelt commitment to theatre and giving a safe space to emerging artists.

Thank you Mitch!  Don’t forget, his show “For Love Or Money” opens for one night only.

When:

Friday, June 18 at 7pm, online only. 

Tickets:

Tickets are $15.99 for the 90-minute show.

https://www.tickettailor.com/events/whitefiretheatre/524187%C2%A0

“For Love Or Money” Synopsis:

The onset of the pandemic forces a successful 76-year-old businessman to examine his choices in life, what he thinks he has achieved, and what he feels he has lost. Why did he so fervently quest for money and security at the expense of his own happiness and the trampling of his artistic soul? Join writer/performer Mitch Feinstein on this autobiographical journey that invites all of us to consider: Can we learn lessons and make changes, or is it too late?