Lili chats with Elyssa Nicole Trust: actor, playwright, co-host of Positive Creativity podcast, founder of Ahava Theatre Company, and children's book author. They discuss her new book, Daisy Moves to America, the pros and cons of the expectation that actors need to be writers, and all of the amazing things she's shipping!
Elyssa’s website
Elyssa’s instagram: @elyssanicoletrust
Elyssa’s book, Daisy Moves to America
Positive Creativity Podcast
Positive Creativity’s instagram: @positivecreativitypodcast
Lili's episode of Positive Creativity
Ahava Theatre Company
Ahava’s instagram: @ahavatheatre
The Long and the Short of It podcast episode with Seth Godin
Priya Mahendra’s episode of TDQ
Priya Mahendra’s Princess Possibility Project
Mara Jill Herman’s episode of TDQ
TDQ’s Website
Instagram: @thedreadedquestion
Lili’s instagram: @lili_torre
Email: thedreadedquestionpodcast@gmail.com
TDQ Elyssa Nicole Trust
[00:00:00] Lili Torre: Hello, and welcome back to The Dreaded Question podcast. I'm your host, Lili Torre, and today I get to welcome one of the most multi hyphenated multihyphenates I've ever had on this podcast, Elyssa Nicole Trust. Elyssa is an actor, a playwright, co-host of Positive Creativity Podcast, the founder of Ahava Theater Company, and a children's book author with her book, Daisy Moves to America coming out on February 23rd.
I had the pleasure of collaborating with Elyssa back in 2019 when I got to direct readings of two of her brilliant plays at the Dramatists Guild. And last year I had the honor of being a guest on her podcast, Positive Creativity. I'll link that episode in the show notes in case you want to check it out.
In today's episode, we're going to talk about Ahava Theater Company's upcoming educational programming, which is starting in March, and, spoiler alert, I'm teaching a four week course about all things podcasting. If you're interested in joining me for four weeks of podcasting fun, make sure to check out Ahava's website in the [00:01:00] show notes for more information.
And now, here's Elyssa Nicole Trust's answer to The Dreaded Question.
So Elyssa Nicole trust, what are you up to?
Elyssa Nicole Trust: Oh, my goodness. The dreaded question. Well, I'm going to say I'm shipping things in the first quarter of 2021.
Lili Torre: Yes are up to shipping things in the first quarter of 2021. I love that. And I love how you went about saying that because it's so funny to like... I already don't like the way that I'm saying this, but whatever, we'll make it work to incorporate sort of like business-y corporation speak into creative work.
So being like shipping in the first quarter of 2021, rather than like sharing my creative projects with the world at the beginning of this new year of creation and joy, you know what I mean? But I love [00:02:00] it. I love the dichotomy of it because it really like brings it down to brass tacks and black and white.
So like shipping my work in quarter one, love it. Tell us some of the things you're shipping.
Elyssa Nicole Trust: Yeah, I hadn't even thought of it that way.
So my children's book, Daisy Moves to America is coming out on Tuesday, February 23rd. And that had been something I had been working on for a really long time. So that's one thing.
Lili Torre: That's an amazing thing to be shipping. Congratulations. You are. I think you're the second person this season who is authoring a book right now. So incredible. I don't think I'd ever really had anyone on before the season who had written a book and now I have two people. Amazing!
And I would love to hear a little bit more about it before we hop into the other things that you're shipping. What inspired this book? What is it about? Who is it for? Give us the scoop.
Elyssa Nicole Trust: Sure. So I've pretty much been obsessed with children's literature since my first year of [00:03:00] college. I took a children's literature course and the final project for that class was to write a children's book. So I loved that process. And I always knew that at some point in my life, I would write a children's book or more than one children's book.
And then years later I was... so random, I was in Mexico with my friend, Hannah, Hannah Talbot. And she was driving and she said we needed petrol. And I was like petrol? And she said, yeah, we're low. And I was like, Oh, we need gas.
See? It's so random. And then the idea just dawned on me. And I was like, you know, what would be such a cute children's book? If a little girl moves from the UK to the US and there are all these new words to learn, and the kids make fun of her because of her accent. And then she learns that she should celebrate and honor her uniqueness. And then everybody is [00:04:00] friends. And Hannah was like, "That's really random. Okay..."
So that was actually in 2015. So here we are all these years later, I have written the book and the synopsis is that this little girl, Daisy Mae, moves to America with her family for her mom's job, her mom's job, of course, and overwhelmed by the many new words and phrases that are different, she wants to learn to speak just like her American classmates.
So the book is really just following her journey to learn that her uniqueness is something to honor and celebrate, and there are adorable little illustrations. I have an amazing illustrator named Alvin Adhi, and I'm just so excited about it.
And yeah, I mean, this time has really been a time for me to reconnect with that passion because it seemed like my children's book was always on the back burner for all the years.
[00:05:00] Lili Torre: Yes, absolutely. I think probably a lot of people listening can relate to that. And I think that sounds like such a great idea for a book and I love the sort of organic way that it came up and the inspiration that came up for you.
I think that, you know, there's so much to take from a story like that and so much that you can apply it to and, I'm sure in the children's book market, you know, that is an important story. And maybe one that's not told as often, and like I said, I think can relate to a lot of different things that children experience. So I love that. I think that's super cool.
And I love that this time has allowed you to reconnect with an old hobby or passion that came up for you back in college and that you could see it through. That's incredible! Because I know that you are an amazing playwright and that you have written quite a few plays, which is incredible. And I'm curious how your skills as a playwright, sort of fed into your [00:06:00] children's book writing/ authoring skills and where it was kind of different.
Elyssa Nicole Trust: Oh, that is such a great question. So I actually think that a lot of writing and a lot of storytelling is the same.
Earlier this year I actually created an Intro to Children's Book Writing workshop for the JWS community, and now it has sort of expanded and I'm doing an affiliate partnership with a publisher based in Australia, which is so cool.
It's just so cool how those things happen. But when I was creating the class, I was like, Oh... writing a children's book is exactly like writing a play.
Lili Torre: Yeah.
Elyssa Nicole Trust: And, and kind of just any, any storytelling, really. So like you need to have your protagonist and your antagonist and your conflict and your theme, but you don't want the theme to be too heavy handed, that's a huge thing in children's literature, but also in plays.
You know, a lot of people will write their [00:07:00] piece based on the theme or the idea that they want to put out there. But I think that having an ear for dialogue and how characters react to different situations is something that makes me a better writer, no matter what it is that I'm writing, but it's also something that goes into acting.
But yeah, I think that it's the dialogue aspect of writing for children's literature that I may have been missing if I wasn't also a playwright or that might've been a little bit more difficult for me. And one of my big dreams for the book is for it to be a musical one day.
Lili Torre: Yeah, that that'd be so awesome.
Elyssa Nicole Trust: Yeah, so I don't know. It all just sort of goes together.
Lili Torre: Yeah. I mean, it's so often does with, with our creative skills and our non-creative skills. But hearing you talk about it is making me think [00:08:00] that I feel like for someone writing like a novel or a play, anything like longer form, I feel like a really good exercise would actually be to write a children's book version of it.
Because I think if you can explain something that succinctly, but also clearly, then you can expand it from there. But I think the impulse is often to be like too verbose and go on too long about it. And so I feel like that would be a really cool exercise.
Elyssa Nicole Trust: Oh, yeah, definitely a hundred percent. And you know, they say that one of the best ways to learn a language, a new language is to speak to children.
And I think it's the same with children's literature. Like I remember being in a doctor's office, this is so random, but I picked up just because I love children's books, I picked up a children's book and actually it explained something about like blood infusions in a [00:09:00] way that I never really understood when I read it in adult literature, but because it was so succinct and so specific, it was like, Oh, okay. Now I totally understand that thing that I never really fully grasped before.
Lili Torre: That's wild! What a crazy book for kids
That's amazing. I love that so much. And congratulations. This is a huge accomplishment and milestone in your career as a writer, and I'm so excited for you.
Elyssa Nicole Trust: Thank you. Thank you. I'm really excited too.
Lili Torre: Okay. Before we went down the children's book rabbit hole, you were sharing with us, all the things that you are shipping in Q1.
Elyssa Nicole Trust: Yes. Okay. So this isn't really something I'm, I'm shipping, but there's going to be a Zoom production of one of my plays next week at Planet Connections. And I'm so excited about it. And this is the most hands off I've been in any sort [00:10:00] of production of one of my plays, just because really I've been busy with the book.
So I'm just really excited to kind of go and enjoy it and have that experience. And I'm still pursuing whatever acting and voiceover work I can, as much as I can. It's it's not a lot right now, obviously, but still doing that. And of course, launching the educational programming for Ahava Theater Company is pretty much the other big, big project that has been on my mind for a really long time that I am finally shipping in the first quarter of 2021.
Lili Torre: That's a lot of things. There's so much I want to discuss... I don't even know where to begin, but I think I'm going to just quickly touch on the Zoom reading of your play, because I have been thinking actually a lot about... so as we're recording [00:11:00] this, the episode of The Long and the Short Of It podcast with Seth Godin recently came out and if you haven't heard it yet, listeners, I'm going to link it in the show notes. It's a great episode. Definitely go check it out.
And in that episode, spoiler alert, if you haven't heard it, Seth talks about that one of the best ways to be an actor is to be a writer and to write your own work. And I inherently feel a lot of resistance when I hear that. There is a part of me that is like... that finds it deeply unfair everything that is expected of actors.
And now on top of everything, we also have to be extraordinarily talented playwrights. And it just, I don't know, I feel a lot of resistance, but then I think if people like you, who you are a writer and it is something that you do, and it seems to be something that you enjoy. And so I guess that's what I'm interested to know about first is like, if you feel any resistance about that and how that works for [00:12:00] you.
And I'm also curious what the experience is like for you once you've written something and then you're in it as an actor. And so your role kind of shifts. And then also now what it's like being the writer of a play that you're not involved in, and so you kind of have let go of the reins.
Elyssa Nicole Trust: Yeah. Yeah. Thank you for asking that. I have to say, even as a playwright, I had a lot of resistance around that too. I, so for me, writing is as big... is a very big part of my artistry. And I'm a playwright because I love to write plays and not because I'm an actor that wants to be in plays.
And so I think therein lies the problem is that there are some people that, where they would really just be writing as a vehicle for their acting, and there is nothing wrong with that at all. I'm sure that that's how a lot of people end up realizing that they love to write, and how many, many amazing scripts are born.
[00:13:00] But I do feel like the same way that you do, that it's like a lot to ask. We already have to have so many like now we're like what, quadruple threats? And you know, I, I don't love the term threat either. But yeah, I mean, so to touch on that a little bit...
Basically, like I wrote my web series years ago and acted in it. And then was sort of like, Oh, well I guess if I don't like the roles that are being written, then I could just write them for myself. And that felt very empowering. But the part that I don't love as much is having to get my work out into the world. I'm not as interested in self-producing.
So yeah, I guess it just becomes like, I don't know. I don't know if I'm answering this well at all, but I guess let me start with my first play. [00:14:00] So my first play, Observance, is about a non-religious Jewish person who studies abroad in Israel and then becomes religious while she's living there. And that was just a concept, an idea.
It's the concept is called Ba'alat Teshuvah, or Ba'al Teshuvah a non... non-religious Jewish person who becomes religious. And that was something that I thought about all the time and it was always on my mind, I always wanted to talk about it, I always wanted to learn about it. And I did so much research and spoke to so many people. And so when I wrote the play and it was being done for the first time, I was like, Oh, well, I want to have that experience.
Like this, this thing is so close to my heart that I want to play that role. If somebody else wrote a play about, Ba'al Teshuvah, I'd be like, Oh my God, I have to be in this. But actually I found it really hard to juggle at the stage that we were at, which was a developmental [00:15:00] stage. It had its first production at Fringe, New York City.
And I was really struggling. Like I would be on stage and I need to be present in a scene and would be like, Oh, I kind of want to change that line later. So you know, I think that I got better as time went on. And then another one of my plays... both of these, which by the way, you directed so beautifully in readings at the Dramatists Guild music hall.
My play, I Am My Beloved's, I was like, you know what? I'm going to take a step back and I'm going to play a really small role. And I want to really just enjoy this as a writer and be able to listen as a writer. And it was when I did that, that I was so nervous about all of it. Like I was nervous about the acting, I was nervous about the play, how it was going to be perceived. I knew that we were having this little talk back after I was nervous that when people were going to ask me, and so the problem was that I couldn't really focus on any of it. And [00:16:00] I just decided that in the developmental stages of my work, I don't want to act in it.
And then when it becomes a production, if that is even an option for me, then that's something that I, that I would be interested in, in visiting. Because yeah, on the one hand, like I feel so empowered about being able to write women that I identify with that are complex and have agency over their lives.
And just, I don't know. I think that that's really exciting, but, but for me, it, it is a lot to juggle. and so back in, I guess, October or November somebody from Planet Connections theater festivity, where I had one of my plays a couple of years ago, reached out to ask if I had any 10 minute plays.
And I was like, no, I don't know how people write those. Um, I was like, but I do couple new full length plays and I would be honored for you to do them over Zoom. So so I [00:17:00] applied and she loved it. And so that play, R.A.T. Remote Access Trojan is having its presentation on Tuesday, January 26th. So I know this episode will come out after for that...
I was like, no, I want to see what other people do with these characters. And also there wasn't really a character in it that I was super right for, to be honest.
Lili Torre: You brought up actually really good points. Like something I hadn't thought of as sort of an issue in the idea of being a actor who writes their own work is like, then you're limited to only writing things that you can see yourself in which isn't necessarily a bad thing. But it just feels oddly sort of limiting in a weird way.
And I should also disclaim, I love Seth Godin and I think that he is brilliant and I'm sure there are many degrees to which he is correct and whatever, but I still felt resistance and I wanted to unpack it with someone who knows what they're talking about. So thank you for indulging the question, and I'm glad that you felt some [00:18:00] resistance too, as someone who does that.
And I also want to say that as someone who directed two of your shows that you wrote that you were also in, I thought you navigated that really beautifully, and I can see how and why it would be a struggle, but I thought you did a phenomenal job.
And I also felt like I had to navigate that and kind of say like, Hey, can I speak to Elyssa, the actor right now? And like, can I speak to the playwright right now? Like it was, you know, waters to navigate to make sure that I wasn't stepping on toes. And, you know, you always made me feel like I had the freedom to, to give whatever feedback I wanted. So I really appreciated that. And I, can see a lot of ways in which that could have been difficult.
And yeah, it's, it's also really important to acknowledge that, like that is asking a lot of one person though, to set those boundaries for themselves and to be able to fully show up in both of those roles as playwright and as actor.
And, you know, I, I don't think that that's really [00:19:00] something that people fully understand when they say, Oh, just create your own work, write your own work. Like that's, that's the key to success.
Elyssa Nicole Trust: Yeah, definitely. So, first of all, I just want to thank you so much. Working with you as a playwright and as an actor is such a gift, but honestly, as a writer, I mean, you were like a dream director because you're so insightful. And you pulled things out of these pieces that I knew so intimately that I hadn't even thought about, but were totally true. It was so cool.
Yeah. And also, I also love Seth Godin I'm and I, I think he's brilliant, but yeah, I think it it's a lot to ask people to be, to be both. And then like, if I want to act in things that aren't just things that I write, it also feels a little limiting.
Lili Torre: Yeah, definitely. And I think that, you know, if the meat behind that question is [00:20:00] create your own opportunities, I think there are more ways to do that than writing your own work. You know, I think of people like Priya Mahendra, who I think of as being a great example of someone who finds ways to create opportunities for herself without writing her own work, because it's just not something that really interests her.
And I think that there are important distinctions that if playwriting doesn't interest you, then find other ways to create your own opportunities and not wait for the gatekeepers to say yes, but I definitely feel the resistance to the idea that being an actor means you also have to be a phenomenal playwright.
Elyssa Nicole Trust: A hundred percent. I completely agree.
Lili Torre: But I still love you, Seth Godin. Not that you're listening to this podcast, but like, I love you.
Elyssa Nicole Trust: Right. You totally should.
Lili Torre: So thank you so much for helping me unpack that. I think that was really amazing insight and I am just bursting at the seams to discuss the amazing things going on with Ahava theater company. Tell us.
[00:21:00] Elyssa Nicole Trust: So Ahava Theater Company is a new New York City-based theater company that aims to bring great Jewish plays to life. We look to tell stories about Jewish culture, history and philosophy that spark conversation, break barriers and challenge the status quo. We are a community of artists that is dedicated to representing all sects of Judaism in a positive light.
So we have a monthly reading series that is coming back and that is just reading a play that embodies our mission . Prior to COVID it was, we would just read in the Dramatists Guild music hall or in my living room and just read a Jewish play and chat about it.
And so that is coming back and will be headed up by my good friend and podcast cohost, Lauren Schaffel. And we are also going to be launching our educational programming, which I'm so excited for. And also I have to credit you, Lili.
So when we were doing the readings of [00:22:00] Observance and I Am My Beloved's at the Dramatists Guild. And I had mentioned to you that I was looking for a partner for Ahava. You said, do you know Mara Jill Herman? And I said, no, I don't. And you know, I, I listened to her episode of TDQ and we got to know each other through Statera Arts, which is a mentorship program that I just completed in the summer. And Mara and I are building out the educational programming together. So you were a hundred percent right. That she would be the perfect person for Ahava. She's amazing. So,
Lili Torre: That thrills me.
Elyssa Nicole Trust: But yeah, I mean, I just, I was a teaching artist for a while and I taught Hebrew school and I just really think that it's important to have continued Jewish theatrical experiences for children, and I really want to empower, educate, and inspire theater artists to tell Jewish stories.
And I know that all sounds super general, but those are just [00:23:00] like the, my kind of like the why I'm doing it or we're doing it. And so it's going to be, you know, we're still developing it at this time when I'm speaking to you, but some of the ideas are you know, dance classes, cooking classes, where you would learn how to create traditional Jewish foods , monologues, music , singing , history of Jewish theater, playwriting.
And the goal is to have classes that are mostly geared towards children and some that are specifically Jewish themed. But then I also want to do other stuff that you can just get anywhere, but sort of do an under the Ahava name. Like for our inaugural month, we're going to have a podcasting class taught by you which I definitely want to talk more about.
And I just forgot to say the most important thing a play-making class where children will like learn music and get to create their own 10 minutes Zoom plays surrounding a holiday. So we're launching in March. So that will be Purim. [00:24:00] And then April is Passover and Mara will be leading that up.
And I also forgot another really important thing. We're also, we're going to be doing a children's book reading series where every week we read a Jewish themed children's book to a bunch of kids.
Lili Torre: That's so cool!
Elyssa Nicole Trust: Thank you. Yeah. So I'm really excited about it. And yeah, I wanted to make sure that every month we have like a couple of offerings that are for artists and that are not necessarily Jewish themed.
So when I was thinking about it, I made a list of like, what we could possibly offer, what do people need? What do people want? And I just thought that a podcasting class would be so perfect because you know, people are always asking how to start a podcast and there's so much information out there, but sometimes you just want, like concrete steps, and you just want to take something and have it just...
I don't know. I sort of feel like I could have used a four week class before [00:25:00] I launched my podcast, Positive Creativity. And obviously I thought of you first as the perfect person. And when I brought it up to Mara, she loved the idea. So we're really, really excited about that.
And I think it'll be a really cool opportunity for people to ship their podcast ideas.
Lili Torre: Yes! I am so excited about this, obviously. I think it's going to be so much fun. And I think it's such a great idea, especially in this time where a lot of people are finding the time and courage and passion to start a podcast.
I have sort of a unpopular opinion that the world always needs more podcasts. A lot of people will say like, Oh, there's over 750,000 podcasts out there like, why should I start one? And I just really believe that it's such an incredibly unique medium, and that everyone should have a intentional, [00:26:00] personal, unique podcast of their own.
And I also think that so many of the skills that come with podcasting are incredible skills to have, so that even if someone took a four week podcasting class and then was like, I don't think I want to start a podcast. I really still don't think it would be a waste of their time. I think some of the technological skills that people learn, the interview skills, the listening skills, there are so many valuable skills that go into podcasting, and I think it would be valuable even without a podcast.
Elyssa Nicole Trust: Yes, I completely agree with you.
Lili Torre: Yeah, I'm very excited about it. I think the other programming that you're offering, all of it sounds amazing. I love that earlier. You were like 10 minute plays. I don't know how people do those. And then you're like, we're doing 10 minute plays with these kids about holidays.
Elyssa Nicole Trust: Well, Mara's going to do that, but also it's, it's more like, You know, creative [00:27:00] play making for, for kids.
Lili Torre: I love that I, again, like going back to the idea of people creating their own work, like I've, I love the idea of letting kids... you know, so often theater programs are helping kids put up pre-existing shows, but I love the idea of letting kids lend a hand into the creation process. And you know, if that's going to be the future of acting is that actors need to be playwrights as well, then, like, this is a great start.
Elyssa Nicole Trust: Right. And actually, when I think about the whole idea for educational programming through Ahava Theater, I actually think about you and this podcast, because you sometimes have said that The Dreaded Question is for college Lili, and I feel like Ahava Theater's educational programming is for little Elyssa.
Lili Torre: Yeah,
Elyssa Nicole Trust: Everything that we're offering, everything, you know, and we're not going to offer it all at once. Like, I, I don't think we're going to be able to offer everything I said, [00:28:00] starting in March, just not possible right now as a young theater company. But I think that little me would have loved a class like that, where you get to just learn about the holidays and learn music and create your own, play about it and meet other people.
And and yeah, and just have as a child, I had positive Jewish experiences and positive theatrical experiences, but never both in one.
Lili Torre: Yeah. That's so cool. And I think also, the potential for those stories to be shared with a broader audience as well is really exciting because, you know, I think about growing up in South Carolina, there were like, I think literally two Jewish people that I knew in my school growing up and we did not have Jewish holidays off.
I didn't really know much of anything about any Jewish holidays except a very like peripheral understanding of Hanukkah. And so I, you know, I think back [00:29:00] now about how alienating that must have been for the few Jewish children in my school and how, you know, misunderstood, they must have felt and how hard it must've been for them to take days off of school for Jewish holidays and not have anyone understand where they were and to have to come back and feel like they were catching up and missing things.
So I feel like it would have been so helpful if, if all of us had a better understanding of what those holidays were about.
Elyssa Nicole Trust: Yeah. Yeah. Thank you for saying that. I do think... I want to say that with everything we do with Ahava, we're welcoming people from all walks of life. And that goes for any class we're teaching any reading, we're having any, you know, whenever we eventually start doing real theater. But, but I do think it's really important for children and for everybody to have a community where they feel like they belong.
And and then to get those stories out into the world You know, there has been increasing antisemitism in our country in recent [00:30:00] years. And Ahava theater is sort of, I, I just think that the more that we can do to remind the country and the world about, you know, Judaism and Jewish people , the better, and have a theater is sort of my tiny contribution to help fight for a more peaceful existence for Jews.
Lili Torre: Yes. I love that. That's such a beautiful why and such a beautiful mission. And I'm, I love the way that you're going about it in a very you way. And I very much support the idea of creating something for your, your child self. I think that as I've said, many times on this podcast, that that will help your work resonate with as many people as possible because it's inherently human and relatable because it's based on a human experience, which just happens to be your own.
Elyssa Nicole Trust: Thank you.
Lili Torre: Yeah. Okay. So we talked about shipping a million things. We talked about creating your own work and we haven't really touched on yet another thing that you have [00:31:00] created and are also in the process of shipping, which is your podcast, Positive Creativity Podcast. Tell us all about it.
Elyssa Nicole Trust: Yes. So Positive Creativity is a podcast where my cohost, Lauren Schaffel, and I speak with actors, writers, directors, and other artists about what they're working on, what's inspiring them and how they stay positive in the entertainment industry. And we are finishing up season two right now, and we will start recording season three later this winter. And we've recorded I think 27... yeah 27 episodes at this point in the past year. And I... it's been such a joy and such a pleasure, and I love all of our guests so much.
You were on it, of course, and you are so close to my heart. And yeah, it's been incredible. [00:32:00] I have gotten so much joy out of starting this podcast and I've learned so much and I'm very energized to continue.
Lili Torre: Yes. I mean, what a great way to feel about something that you're working on. And I'd love to know more about where the idea for Positive Creativity came from.
Elyssa Nicole Trust: Sure. So I had really just been really into learning about writers. And whenever I would see a play or something, I would think like, I have to learn where the writer got that idea, or I need to learn more about them. And I would try to look for podcast interviews with them and try to read any interviews that they had. And so I just became very curious about writers.
At the same time, a couple of other things were going on for me. So one thing was that I had realized that I really had no network and no community. I didn't study theater in college, I studied [00:33:00] journalism. And I often felt like, I didn't know a lot of people in the industry. I felt like I started late or later than other people. And I just wanted to know more people.
So that was something that had been on my mind a lot. And then also it was a very frustrating time in my career. I had felt like, I'm sure all artists can relate to this, but a couple of things that would have been really exciting ended up falling through. And the agent that I was working with, you know, we had sort of a dysfunctional relationship, which is totally on me too. But I was really frustrated with that.
And I was starting to get down, and I thought like, how do people stay positive and keep going in this business that's so disheartening? And so I just wanted to learn about writers and learn about how they stay positive and learn about how they keep going with all the rejection and all [00:34:00] of the difficulty in this business. And then I thought that a podcast would be a really great platform to do that on, because first of all, I had started to get into voiceover and I just needed an excuse to use my mic as much as possible, so there was that.
But also, you know, podcasting is very, very inexpensive to create and it's free to consume. So I thought that a podcast would kind of take care of all of those things. It would allow me to expand my network because I would be reaching out to people telling them how much I liked their work and then asking them to chat with me. And then And then I could ask how they stay positive and what's inspiring them and learn a little bit more about them and what inspired their work.
And I sort of knew that because I have a lot of different projects and I'm working on a lot of things that I wanted some accountability, so I wanted a co-host situation, and I asked my friend Lauren Schaffel because she's so positive and just so lovely. And [00:35:00] we definitely see ... we share the same values and see the business in the same way. And I felt like she would be the perfect person to be my co-host. And I knew that she was also looking for a project.
And so then when we sort of started planning , I think she's an incredible writer, actually. She's a beautiful writer, but she doesn't really identify herself as a writer or a playwright. So she was interested in speaking with other types of artists: actors, directors, casting directors, and so we were like, okay, great, so it'll be even broader, that's even better.
And I'm so glad that she did that because we've spoken to so many incredible artists and not all of them are writers, and I'm really glad that we don't have that limiting aspect to our podcast right now, even though I still think that's a great idea for a podcast.
But we start every episode asking people what's currently inspiring them. And that has been such a great question, because I end up being inspired by what's inspiring all our [00:36:00] guests.
And honestly, the podcast became even more relevant in the pandemic because it became even harder to be an artist and it became even harder to stay positive. The world is awful and getting to just hear about what people are doing and how they're getting through it has been really, really helpful. And I'm just, I'm really proud of it. I think I've learned so much and we made some mistakes at the beginning in season one that we sort of corrected in season two, and now we're talking about our season three and I'm just, so I'm just so happy with it.
Lili Torre: That's wonderful. I mean, it's, it's so great to feel that way. And I think that's what can be so unique about something like podcasting, when it comes to creating your own work, is that, you know, writing a play or a web series or whatever it is that you're writing is amazing. And it's more permanent or finite in the sense that, you know, once it's written, [00:37:00] it's completed and that is what is out in the world.
But a podcast while that's true for the individual episodes, the seasons and the stories that you're telling can evolve and change. And like you said, you felt like you, you had made some mistakes in season one, so you were able to sort of pivot or course correct in season two. And now you can kind of explore what you're going to do in season three. And I think that sort of living, breathing element of a podcast is what's so fun and unique and special about it.
And that, one of the benefits of having a podcast that I don't think people talk about as often that you brought up is it's a wonderful opportunity for connection. It feels amazing to reach out to someone that inspires you and whose story you want to share and ask them to be on your podcast.
And most of the time, people are really flattered and really honored to be asked to be on a podcast. So I think that's such a great point that it's a wonderful vehicle for [00:38:00] connection. And if that's something that anyone listening right now is looking for, I definitely think a guest style podcast can be a great way to achieve that.
Elyssa Nicole Trust: Definitely. Yeah. And even the people who have said, actually I'm not doing podcast interviews right now, or no, I'm not interested or I'm not available right now, people really appreciate when you express gratitude and tell them that your work means something to them.
So that's been really special. And I do just want to mention, because our name is Positive Creativity Podcast, that we're not really here to be promoting toxic positivity in these really challenging times. I definitely think, especially with season two, it became sort of more like "Real Talk" Creativity Podcast.
But you know, we always try to keep it positive a little bit, in alignment with, with our mission. But, but yeah, I just want to mention that. Cause I feel like sometimes people are like, Oh, I'm not feeling very positive in this moment, and that's sort of not the point.
[00:39:00] Lili Torre: Yes, but I think... I appreciate you bringing that up and I think that's very real, especially in these times, a lot of people are talking about toxic positivity, and I think it's a very real thing. And I feel like inherently by having a podcast called Positive Creativity, there's sort of an inherent acknowledgement that sometimes it's not all positive.
That, you know, there are dark times, there are difficult times and it's not always easy to be an artist or to be a creator. And so, not that you have to purely focus on the positive, but that it's important to remind ourselves that there are reasons that we do this. There is positivity in creation, and while the, the hard parts, the, the political industry BS and all of those things can really weigh us down and get to us, inherently there are reasons that we became artists [00:40:00] that are positive and beautiful, and that sometimes we just need reminders of.
Elyssa Nicole Trust: Definitely. Thank you so much for that reframe. I really appreciate that. And yeah, like of course you go into it because you love it, but then once it becomes your job, it can become really hard.
Lili Torre: Yeah, definitely. I mean, I, yeah, I think the work that you and Lauren are doing with positive creativity podcast is really important. Like you said, especially now when it's not a given that there's joy in creation and when it can be hard to see the, the light in being a creative person. So I just love everything that you're working on.
I'm so excited for you. I think that clearly 2021 is off to an incredible start of sharing so many of your brilliant ideas and so much of your brilliant work with the world. And I'm just so grateful that you took some time to chat with me about it today.
Elyssa Nicole Trust: Thank you. Thank you so much. [00:41:00] I so appreciate this. It's been such a pleasure. I love TDQ and I've heard every single episode, so it's really cool to be a guest. And of course we loved having you on Positive Creativity, and yeah, and I'm really excited for you to teach a podcasting class through Ahava. I think it's going to be totally brilliant.
Lili Torre: I'm excited too! Thank you so much.
I truly don't know how Elyssa does so much and makes it all look so easy. It's truly a gift, and I admire her so much for it.
I'm linking Daisy Moves to America in the show notes. I'll definitely be pre-ordering it for my niece and nephews. If you want to join me for Ahava's four week podcasting course, or to participate in any of the other classes Elyssa mentioned, make sure to check out the link to Ahava's website in the show notes.
And if you're interested in getting involved with Ahava Theater Company, make sure to reach out to Elyssa as they're actively seeking collaborators for their leadership team as they build out this amazing new theater company.
I hope that you enjoyed [00:42:00] today's episode as much as I did. And I hope that you'll share this episode with someone who's undertaking any of the numerous things that Elyssa is up to.
Thank you so much for listening. I'm Lili Torre and this has been The Dreaded Question.