[NoHo Arts District, CA] – This month’s Soaring Solo blog: “Touring Tips from a Dynamic Duo.”
As an international solo theatre industry professional, I have the pleasure of consistently meeting so many inspiring people all over the globe, and I always love picking the brain of the brilliant people I meet.
Recently, I was fortunate to cross paths with a Jack of many theatre trades, Mike Marinaccio, who is also a board member of the Orlando Fringe Festival. If you don’t know much about the Orlando Fringe Festival, thank goodness you are reading this blog! It is an amazing theatre event that many of my clients in the Soaring Solo Community have performed their solo shows in.
Since 1992, Orlando Fringe has provided a space and opportunity for artists to emerge and showcase their talents and craft. The Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival is the longest-running Fringe in the United States, and it strives to be unjuried, uncensored, accessible for artists and audiences alike, with 100% of ticket sales given back to the artists.
Michael’s strong affiliation with this flourishing festival is just the beginning of his theatrical accomplishments. He also works alongside his extraordinarily talented wife Tymisha Harris as the co-creator, director and producer of Josephine, a burlesque cabaret dream play that combines cabaret, theatre and dance to tell the story of the iconic Josephine Baker, the first African-American international superstar and one of the most remarkable figures of the 20th century. As Michael opened up about this important piece of solo theatre and shared what a Solo Star his partner is, it was clear this was a very special collaboration.
Being that I am an advisory board member of the LA Women’s Theatre Festival, an organization that champions women who are illuminating historic and powerful women’s stories, the content of this solo show immediately piqued my interest.
Together, this powerhouse pair has toured the festival market extensively and has garnered many accolades.
Hearing about their story, I was so inspired by their accomplishments, adventures and the wealth of knowledge they have obtained from touring the world as theatre artists. I knew they would have invaluable pearls of wisdom to share with the NoHo Arts and Soaring Solo Studios community, and generously, they agreed to drop some knowledge.
So, without further ado, let’s dive into my interview with this creative couple!
JESSICA: Thank you both so much for joining me today to take this deep dive into touring festivals with a solo show. Can you please start out by telling the Noho Arts readers a little bit more about yourselves and your involvement in the solo theatre genre.
TYMISHA: I am a dancer, singer, actor, costume designer and choreographer. My first professional job was as the assistant choreographer for N’Sync. Since then I have been in films, Broadway touring shows, and hundreds of productions. It wasn’t until Mike and I started dating in 2015 when we decided to create a solo show for me. That show was “Josephine,” and I have primarily been a solo artist ever since.
MIKE: I am a theatre producer, creator and artist who has over 30 years of professional experience in making original work. I spent nearly a decade of that time as the festival producer of the Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival. During that time, I saw hundreds of solo performances, and learned what made successful solo show, and what pitfalls solo Artists fell into in creating and performing solo work. That prepared me to create Josephine with Tymisha, which has been one of the greatest successes of both of our careers.
JESSICA: I love it. You two are truly living the dream. How beautiful is it that you love one another and love what you do. Pretty inspiring stuff! Now, I would love for you to share with my readers about the various places and festivals you have toured over the years. Please offer any insights that you have gained as touring artists.
TYMISHA: Oh gosh, where do we begin? We have taken Josephine all over the world!
We started in California at the San Diego Fringe. Since we are from Florida, we wanted to take it somewhere that no one knew us, so we could get honest, unfiltered feedback. At that Fest, we won Best Production and Outstanding Solo Performance.
MIKE: Since then, we have been across the US and Canadian Fringe circuit, to the Edinburgh Fringe, the Adelaide Fringe in Australia, played the show off-Broadway, and toured performing arts centers and universities across North America.
TYMISHA: And we learned that touring a solo show is a lot easier (but still hard) when you have a partner with you. I don’t think I could do this alone! I have a lot of respect for performers that do, though.
JESSICA: Wow! That is a lot of touring and congrats on those outstanding achievements. Considering all of that, what tips do you have for solo theater artists from the wisdom you’ve gained from all the experience you’ve had in this genre and touring the world?
MIKE: I would say first, have something to say. What is your story and why should an audience pay you to hear or see it? Then, come up with a good marketing hook. A title, image and elevator pitch that make people want to see your show. Finally, make it entertaining! Just because telling this story is cathartic for you, that doesn’t necessarily mean an audience will be interested. Don’t forget the reason we go on stage, the audience.
JESSICA: Awesome advice. What else would you like to share with the Noho Arts and Soaring Solo community for those that are at the beginning of their journey or have been touring for many years or have aspirations to tour with their current show?
TYMISHA: If you’re just starting out, see lots of shows! Go to a festival with lots of solo work. See what shows are selling well and find out why. And talk to Artists who have been doing this for a while and have been successful. That wisdom is priceless.
MIKE: I would say to any artist, new or veteran, who wants to tour a new show, plan your first couple of years wisely. Start with small festivals where you have a better chance of standing out, getting reviewed and winning awards. Allow your show to be in workshop form for at least the first year. Find out what works and what doesn’t and edit accordingly. Then, once the show is ready go to larger festivals and perhaps some booking conferences. From there, if you’ve been successful, you can start booking professional gigs in theaters/schools/PACs where you can make more money and won’t have to do everything yourself.
JESSICA: Thank you so much Tymisha and Mike! I know you are on the road right now, so my readers and I really appreciate you slowing down for a moment to give us these priceless tips. You are both such an inspiration.
And as for you solo artists reading this incredible interview, I hope you have received all of this rich information and that it assists you on your own trajectory. Please continue to persist along on your solo journey. It may not be easy, but it is so worth it!
Jessica Lynn Johnson
Founder & CEO of Soaring Solo LLC
SoaringSoloArtist@gmail.com
Enjoy these Solo Theatre Resources to further guide you on your solo journey!
Tune in and support the Soaring Solo Community as we share our stories from stage!
Award-winning director and developer Jessica Lynn Johnson hosts a slew of powerful solo show script readings and full staged productions addressing various impactful and inspiring topics.
This enticing lineup can be found by CLICKING HERE FOR MORE INFO.
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 & 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.