We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jacqueline Novy. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jacqueline below.
Jacqueline, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.
In the spring of 2019 I decided to take a risk and submit myself for a musical theatre workshop at Stella Adler in New York City. At the time I was still a student at Berklee College of Music and while I was doing shows through their theater classes, I felt like I was not receiving the type of training that I wanted to receive. I wasn’t feeling like my creative needs were being met, or that I would be ready after graduation to start auditioning. I loved the experience that I had at Berklee College of Music but in order to test the waters I decided to submit myself for this program. I was accepted! It was honestly a whirlwind experience, being in New York City for two weeks living the dream I originally thought I wanted, and practicing musical theatre. While I was at the program I noticed that my spirits were lifted, I was inspired all the time, and I was able to be challenged in a way that I never thought possible in my current state of mind, let alone my educational experience. The type of program it emulated was a musical theater conservatory, and I realized that might be what I need in order to thrive and be ready for the industry after graduation. So, after those two weeks I decided that I was going to audition for programs in NYC. I auditioned for American Musical and Dramatic Academy later that month, and was accepted into their integrated conservatory. It was a very fast change, and since it was during the pandemic there were ups and downs within the program, and in my personal life; overall I felt the program, especially the second year, made me feel like I had agency in my career for the first time. I was positive that I would be successful in the field that I chose. I graduated in 2022 and now I am living in New York City as a performer. I really learned how to trust my gut when it came to trying new experiences as a creative person, and how to find my own way instead of changing myself to fit a mould. People think that growth has to be linear, but in my experience, change was what I needed to thrive.
Jacqueline, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Hello! My name is Jacqueline Novy and I am a performance artist, storyteller, actress, singer, and creative! I wear other hats as well, including dancer, singer/songwriter, gamer, book reader, and astrology hobbyist. Some of my favorite TV Shows / Movies are: Game of Thrones, The Great, Hacks, Silence of the Lambs, Avatar the Last Airbender, and Ella Enchanted. I love helping other creators and finding different ways to tell stories, so I’ve also been into social media and marketing. The initial reason why I became an actress was to help other people tell stories that can heal this world, and I still identify with that strongly. I truly believe that each perspective is important, and opening up a dialogue is needed to solve the issues present in today’s society. I love to help other people find agency, since I know it is far too common to not find that in our careers. I have been dabbling in user generated content, and I am in an ad that is currently live! I’ve been taking improv classes, which is super fun. Connecting with other creative people and experimenting every week is so different from anything else I’ve experienced as an artist. I grew up doing improv games and community theatre in a church basement, so it is a full circle moment for me. I am also rehearsing for a virtual musical that will premiere in December! My path is not always linear, and there are so many things that I am exploring as an actress now that I am in the field, instead of defaulting to musical theatre. I personally think it’s exciting that I have so many creative outlets that are possible, now that I am working. It can be overwhelming at times, but overall I know I have the power to do amazing things, and I am just at the beginning of my adventure.
Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
I’m not sure I can pick just one thing to emphasize as a creative person, but I will share that I was hesitant to sign up for acting classes after graduating from an institution that was “supposed to” teach me everything that I needed in order to be successful in this industry. I had to unlearn a lot of behavior in order to finally get my grounding on auditioning, because that’s not exactly a science. What works for me is not going to work for everyone. I signed up for some supplementary courses last year – it was the best decision to find structure, community, and continue brushing up on my skills. One thing I will say is that it doesn’t always have to be related to the field that you’re in – I do know that the more that I talk with other creatives, the more I’m confirming that having a life outside of your chosen craft is paramount in order to not burn yourself out. It’s great to love what you do, but that shouldn’t equate to not having boundaries with your work. So sign up for something that interests you!
Side note: Social media is a great resource that people (especially creatives) don’t utilize in my opinion. If you are starting off in a creative industry, trying to make connections, building your own brand and having a platform to show off your skills is very important. For performers and artists especially, there’s a chance for you to have agency here, when we don’t have many opportunities in our chosen field. Also, a great way to find information about auditioning, if you are an actor! Take everything that resonates with you, and consider what doesn’t – question everything (to an extent) and that will bring out a curiosity that helps our art.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
I’ve been professionally creating content for myself and other people for about seven years now, and there’s a TON that I learned along the way. A great jumping off point is finding out who you are on socials, and who your chosen audience is. What are some goals that you want to achieve by creating content? Starting with YOU is the most important. I think a lot of people in the outside world believe that branding and storytelling is a subset (for performers), meaning that we are able to prioritize adapting into whatever box people put us into. But that does not have to be the case, if you don’t like to be the one always changing for others. Here is an example using a typical musical theatre stereotype: Branding yourself as “the ingenue” will only go so far – you can be confident, quirky, and dramatic all at once, but each adjective means a different thing to other people. How can you act out those adjectives, and what does that make you feel? It’s not about “standing out”, it’s about using your specific perspective to play with the characters we embody. The same goes for social media, and even auditioning. Having a motto or a phrase to make sure your content is consistent can also help with creating your social media accounts, website, or when you’re rebranding. Tell your story, don’t be afraid to introduce yourself and share your journey in the way you want to!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Jacquelinenovy.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jacqueline.novy
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jacqueline.Novy
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@jlnovy?si=WjUwpVRm3zAzIqit
- Other: https://www.jacquelinenovy.com/homejacquelinenovy/video-gallery – some additional performance videos/reels not on my YouTube.
Image Credits
Eric Cameron Hart
Kristin Litzenberg – @KayEllePhotos