The Gift of Sharing Your Story

The Gift of Sharing Your Story. Five examples of the incalculable value your creative expression provides others.

The end of 2021 Soaring Solo blog is “The Gift of Sharing Your Story.”

“Art is a form of love. Art is the ultimate gift. Art heals life.” -Robert Genn

As we celebrate this holiday season with the spirit of giving all around us, it makes me think of the invaluable gift that we give to our audiences and to ourselves when we generously share our solo stories from stage.

The trouble is, many solo artists have never taken the time to truly identify what the unique gift of their one-person play is, and therefore they do not believe that their solo show is a creative contribution worth making.

Consequently, when it comes time to commit their story to the page and then rehearse to prepare for the stage, these solo artists do not have a powerful “why” to bring their performance to fruition. Instead, they tend to get held up in various forms of self-sabotage such as listening to the voice of the “Inner Critic,” basking in self doubt, indulging in procrastination and being paralyzed by perfectionism. This keeps them from seeing how valuable their artistic expression actually is and they refrain from paying it forward.

They fall into this trap because their approach to the creative process is all about them and not about the audience. While I fervently believe that it is so important to create and perform for our own self-care, this self-focused motivation will not be enough to get us over the finish line and onto the stage.

With all of this in mind, how do you determine the gifts within your solo show in order to find lasting inspiration and motivation when the inevitable challenges of being a solo artist arise?

In today’s blog we are going to explore some of the benefits that your solo show may offer to your audience – The Gift of Sharing Your Story.

Below are just a few examples of the incalculable value your creative expression provides others.

1) Edutainment 

When you can educate and entertain your audience at the same time, that is a huge gift to bestow upon them. They have an opportunity to learn about the world around them and become more well-rounded human beings because of your intelligence and point of view.

2) Escapism

With all of the stress brought about by the pandemic, and all of the stressors in life in general, sometimes just providing your audience with a funny or entertaining place to escape can take them out of their current circumstance long enough to experience some peace and joy.

3) Inspiration

We all need something to give our lives purpose and the motivation to take action in order to feel purposeful. Art that elevates activism, allyship and any other call to action can illuminate and inspire ways to be proactive and find purpose.

4) Encouragement

Your audience may be in a dark night of the soul. They might be at the end of their rope and feeling isolated and alone. They may be grappling with an issue that feels hopeless with no solutions ahead. Your story could provide them with the encouragement that they need to not feel so alone and to have hope in a better tomorrow.

5) Healing

When a solo artist vulnerably shares their scars and traumas with their audience, it allows the audience to see themselves and their own wounds within the story. This communion between artist and audience provides an energy of healing that is truly sacred, transformative, and often just as valuable as any good therapy session.

I could easily go on and on with ways in which your solo show might be of service to your audience, but I will now turn the inquiry over to you. 

Take some time to consider your own story and all of the assets you bring to the table as a solo artist. Allow yourself to identify and honor your unique gifts. Once you can name the various gifts you bring to this genre, write it down, place it somewhere accessible so that you can read it back anytime you need to remind yourself WHY you are going on the solo journey in the first place. I believe in you and the contribution that only you can make with your solo art.

Hopefully, today’s blog gave you some confidence in the many unique gifts that you as a solo artist possess. Never doubt your ability to contribute in real and lasting ways by speaking your truth.

Keep going on your solo journey. It may not be easy, but it is so worth it!

Jessica Lynn Johnson
Soaring Solo Blog
Founder and CEO of Soaring Solo LLC
SoaringSoloArtist@gmail.com
www.SoaringSoloStudios.com

Enjoy these Solo Theatre Resources to further guide you on your solo journey!

The Gift of Sharing Your Story. Five examples of the incalculable value your creative expression provides others.

Tune in and support the Soaring Solo Community as we participate in the REVEALED Virtual Reading Series this winter!

Award-winning director and developer, Jessica Lynn Johnson, hosts a slew of powerful solo show script readings addressing various impactful and inspiring topics.

This enticing lineup can be found by CLICKING HERE FOR MORE INFO.

FREEWRITE FRIDAY Flyer
FREEWRITE FRIDAY

Start writing your own solo show one Freewrite at a time with “FREEWrite Friday”!

Join BEST NATIONAL SOLO ARTIST WINNER Jessica Lynn Johnson for FREEWrite Friday!

Utilizing thought-provoking writing prompts, Jessica will lead you in writing exercises that are sure to assist you in the development of your solo show.

A one-person play is not typically written in one fell swoop. Rather, the Soaring Solo Methodology teaches that the creation of solo art is much like that of creating a mosaic…one beautiful piece at a time.

All that is required to attend this inspiring event is a willingness to explore, having a pen, paper, or some other means of capturing your thoughts, the ability to access Zoom, and signing up on this page as your official RSVP.

We look forward to having you join the Soaring Solo Community in this event because your story matters!

CLICK HERE TO RSVP and obtain the Zoom link and password.

Attend the Soaring Solo FREE One-Person Play Development class ONLINE!

No matter where you are in the creation of your solo show, idea phase, curiosity phase, full draft written, touring the festival and college market, BEST NATIONAL SOLO ARTIST and founder of Soaring Solo, Jessica Lynn Johnson, will meet you where you are at and take you to the next level! All that is required to attend is a willingness to explore, a pen, and some paper. No previous writing or performance experience necessary, and no need to have written anything to bring to class. Each week Jessica will guide you in exercises to help generate and stage NEW material! So come and meet other creatives in a supportive space for expression and exploration! The class is ongoing and so you may pop in and out as you please as long as you RSVP by clicking here for this FREE ONE PERSON PLAY CLASS.

Schedule an Online Coaching Consultation with Jessica Lynn Johnson to discuss the possibilities for your solo show!

Jessica brings her 15+ years of solo theatre expertise to work privately with solo artists from all over the world on an as needed basis.

A 1 on 1 Consultation is for you if…

-You are curious about creating a solo show, but you need writing prompts to help you generate material.

– You are tossing around ideas for your solo show, but you need some accountability and encouragement to commit those ideas to the page.

-You have already written some material, but you need expert feedback on editing, story structure and play formatting.

-You have a great first draft, but need guidance on how to utilize multimedia and solo theatre technique in order to make your show a dynamic piece of solo theatre.

-You already premiered your solo show and now you want some tips on how to tour colleges and festivals, and garner accolades and great reviews!

-You have heard great things about Jessica’s work and you’re curious about hiring her as a director and developer for your solo show, but first you want to feel her out and see if she is the right fit for you and your project.

Wherever you may find yourself on your solo journey, Jessica will help you overcome whatever immediate obstacle stands between you and your solo success.  

If you resonate with many of the things on this list, then take the next step by emailing SoaringSoloArtist@gmail.com for more information.