Why Truth, POV and Risk are Vital in Storytelling

I open an email from the creative director of a local theatre. In it, she’s asking me if I’d be willing to step in as the replacement lead in a two-person play… that opens in 10 days!

I take a look at the play and a couple of things immediately catch my attention. First, it includes Shakespeare. I’ve never done Shakespeare before. Second, it involves singing in multiple genres. The genres part? Cool. The singing? I don’t sing. And I would only have a few days to memorize this entire play and prepare to sing it in front of a live audience over multiple performances.

So of course I respond, “Yes, I’ll do it!” And… at the same time, I think to myself, This is either going to go incredibly well or be a disaster. But either way, I’ll have a story to tell one day.

It’s one of those “Yes, and” moments of life, and my special guest Drew Boudreau knows all about it. In this episode, he and I explore the idea of character and different approaches to acting, a valuable lesson to learn from both Mike Trout’s MLB career and a high school director’s stunt, and more.

Are you curious to know:

What’s the difference between character work in Improv vs. other storytelling performance art forms? What’s one area of story and performance where adults can learn from musical theatre students? And how does showing up as your truest self make for the best life story you can give yourself?

Then enjoy as Drew graces the show with mic drop moments, humor, and great stories gleaned from his experience as an actor, educator, and absolute pro at Improv performance.

• What essential element makes it easy to tell a great story
• Why the artistry and creativity of storytelling are so vital in business
• Why the risk of failure is necessary for success in storytelling and life

Based in New York City, Drew Boudreau is an actor, writer, teacher, and comedian. He has spent time at The Second City in Chicago, 3-D Theatricals in Southern California, Off-Broadway, and in national tours and Moth story slams.

A theatre kid since birth, Drew has also worked as a performer and production manager for the Walt Disney Company on land and sea. Along with his acting work, he helps students and parents through the auditioning process for theatre colleges through his company, College Audition Pros, and is a self-described obsessive baseball fan and fish dad.