Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Cynthia Zitter. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Cynthia, thanks for joining us today. Can you take us back in time to the first dollar you earned as a creative – how did it happen? What’s the story?

I’ve wanted to be an actor pretty much my whole life! At age 3, I played the Virgin Mary in the daycare Christmas pageant, and ever since then I’ve never waivered from my path. The only issue was that I lived in a very small farm community in Ohio, many miles away from even a community theatre where I could hone my skills. Therefore, as I got old enough to have a job, I looked all over for something I could do that was in the creative space. As soon as I got my driver’s license and was able to travel, I found my first creative job. A small resort in Indiana called Bearcreek Farms hired professional actors and musicians to come do original musical reviews in their little theatre, and they were in need of someone to assist with the tech work. I started out helping the “tech guy” with his myriad responsibilities, and eventually took on the task myself, giving him some nights off! This included setup for the show, as well as execution of EVERY SINGLE CUE. There was a light board, background music, sound mixing board, sound effects board, and a spotlight. For anyone who has ever worked on a musical review, you know how many cues happen in these fast-paced shows, and how quickly one has to move with any one of these responsibilities. I’m still so proud that I was able to pick up all of these skills and perform them in a professional setting.

This opportunity that I had was such a phenomenal way to experience what it’s like from the technicians’ perspective of a theatrical performance, and I am so grateful that I got to learn these skills. Had I been in a more metropolitan area, I most likely would have stuck to my love of performance, forgoing any forays into the behind-the-scenes world. Having a full, well-rounded understanding of what goes into a show is invaluable, and most definitely helps me to be a better artist on stage and on screen. Besides being pushed into this world by lack of paid on-stage opportunities, in what other world would I have been able to get such a chance with no prior experience? At the time, I thought my circumstances were holding me back from what I wanted to do, however, they ended up providing me with an incredible opening to enrich my life and my work.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am an actress, musician, and career coach based in Los Angeles! I have been seen in such shows as General Hospital, 9-1-1, and Hulu’s Reprisal, among others, and I play the flute in my band, Occasionally Humans.

From a very early age, I’ve loved performance, and most prominently, loved to sing and act. There has never been a time in my memory that I’ve wanted to do anything else! My whole life has been spent in pursuit of making my living doing what I love. At this point, I’ve gotten to do just that! With a lot of hard work and dedication, I have achieved my dream of being on some prominent TV shows, and I continue to strive for more.

Recently, I realized that I have the ability to help actors who are new to the industry achieve their goals, as well. A lot of artists out there are just like I was when I started out: They are hungry for opportunities, ready to work, but do not have any available mentors to help guide them to success. For me, I had to experience a lot of trial and error to figure out what steps I truly needed to take to arrive where I am today. A lot of people try to take advantage of the passion of actors who are new to Los Angeles, and there are a lot of scams out there. It took me years to find my way, and I made plenty of mistakes. These musings led me to the conception of my business, CK Actor Concierge! It’s basically a full mentorship for actors starting their LA journey. As a working actor, I can help these actors take appropriate steps forward and avoid scams. In my 90-Day Foundation program, clients have one-on-one strategy sessions and coachings, as well as full access to me for any questions they have in real time. It is my hope that I can help fast-forward the progress of these LA newbies and set them up to be able to navigate the industry solo when we conclude our work!

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

First of all, SAG-AFTRA has SO many resources for actors, and I’m so grateful that I’ve gotten to utilize them to my professional benefit. I do believe that they also have resources for pre-union actors, so I would highly recommend doing some searching online to see how they can help you on your acting journey! Also, I recommend actors to look up the SAG Foundation. They have fantastic workshops and Casting Director classes for free. This is truly so helpful, and it also helps to build community with all of the other actors and industry professionals that you meet while attending these programs.

Another resource that I love is WeAudition. This website is GOLD for any self-tape or rehearsal needs you have. You can find readers for any budget that are available right when you need them. Highly recommend.

Finally, I do wish that someone had done a service like I’ve created with CK Concierge when I started out. I think having a trusted mentor to help you navigate your way through the industry when you’re just getting started is so beneficial to keep you from wasting time and money on things that you really don’t need, as well as pointing you in the direction of all the things that are vital to your success. I am so excited to provide the service that I would have loved to have when I first came here.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

I know a lot of outsiders DO understand how hard artists have to work to achieve their dreams, but to some, it may seem like we are flighty or lazy, or that we just get to hang around all day being creative and having fun. The beautiful part of being an artist is that we do get to do what we love… if we work incredibly hard to get that opportunity. Artists in Los Angeles and other major cities have to pay the same exorbitant rent and living costs of any other professional in those cities, and we often are not immediately able to do so strictly with our art. Therefore, pretty much every artist I know has to do one or more other jobs on top of all the work we do to be successful with our art. One has to be incredibly driven to come home from an 8-hour work day and start to do the work necessary to move forward with one’s chosen career. If someone has achieved success as an actor, you can bet that they spent a TON of time honing their craft, perfecting their materials, networking, and chasing down representation – not to mention preparing for hundreds of auditions that they didn’t book. This had to be done at the same time as making enough money to survive in an expensive city that you need to live in if you want to be near the opportunities in your field. All of this to say – we are creative, AND we are hard workers! We work extra hard to reach our dreams and fulfill what we believe is our calling.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ckactorconcierge.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cynthiazitter/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=cynthia%20zitter
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthia-zitter-29706b6/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/CynthiaZitter
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI935-0zq5id6MRUBtMFmqQ

Image Credits
Gio Randazzo, Dustin McWethy