Today we’d like to introduce you to Elizabeth Nestlerode

Hi Elizabeth, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.

I moved to NYC after getting a BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Miami and for more than a decade I have been building a life as a freelance actor, musician, and teaching artist. For me, that means I do a whole bunch of different things to sustain myself, but they are all in the arts. I’m an actor in the union and I did a 6 month run of an Off-Broadway show called The Other Josh Cohen. I also work quite a bit in regional theatre, often in actor-musician shows where the cast of the show is also the band; shows like Once, Ring of Fire etc.

When I’m not in a show I often work as an educator…and these days often I do both at the same time. That means everything from working as a teaching artist for various organizations including Disney Theatrical Group, Second City, and Broadway Advocacy Coalition to private coaching students in acting, singing, piano, music theory/composition, auditioning, and/or career coaching.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?

There have certainly been struggles along the way. One of the challenges of building a freelance career in the arts is the level of uncertainty you must become accustomed to. I often only know what the next few weeks or months of my employment is so I have to be flexible, adaptable, and practice active faith in myself that if one kind of work is slow during a particular season, I will pick up another kind of work to balance it out.

Luckily, I’ve now been doing this for a long time, so I’ve developed a lot of relationships and resources to find gigs if I need them and I work with organizations that are flexible enough to work with my ever-changing schedule. Often, the hardest part is letting myself rest during the slow times, because the first instinct of freelancer mentality is to always be hustling for the next gig, but the more evolved freelancer I aspire to be is focused on finding a healthier balance of creating work and allowing myself to rest.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?

During the pandemic, I leveled up my private coaching and built two comprehensive courses: N2NYT: New to New York Theatre for emerging professionals and NYT Reboot for established professional actors. The goal of both programs is to re-discover all of the variables and power that actors have, in an industry where we so often feel disempowered, and find our way back to the joy and fulfillment that can exist in the process of pursuing this career with strategy and direction.

I work with actors who are new to the city and are trying to figure out where to begin, and actors who have been around for long enough that they’re ready to level up, but may have noticed they aren’t enjoying the process of pursuing this career anymore. In both scenarios, many actors have developed toxic relationships to the industry, stemming from things they’ve been told in their educational background, or professional experience. It’s those intrusive thoughts that always creep in and make it difficult to do your best work in an audition…you know the ones. I work with people to help eradicate those outdated messages and replace them with tools that will serve them in mindset, strategy, and the business of theatre— things like how to negotiate your own contracts, knowing the difference between an agent and a manager, and how and when to seek representation.

In addition to performing and teaching, I also direct, music direct, and accompany auditions so I’ve spent time on all sides of the audition table and through that variety of experiences I’ve been able to gain a broad perspective on the industry that I get to share with my clients. Some of my favorite work to do is helping other artists create sustainable & healthy careers in the arts.

Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?

If there is someone who inspires you in your orbit, reach out to them. Tell them what you appreciate about them. Everyone loves a compliment. If you’re hoping they might mentor you, you can see if they would be open to that. Tell them what you hope to learn from them, offer to buy them a coffee in exchange for picking their brain about something. Then come prepared. What questions do you want to ask them?

In terms of general networking, I know that term can turn a lot of people off, so I prefer to think of it as community building. For as populated as the city is, the theatre community in NYC is quite small, so to build your community, put yourself in situations where other folks from the industry might be, whether that’s going to a show (and perhaps reaching out to someone after the show to congratulate them on the production), or grabbing a drink in the theater industry’s favorite bar (Hold Fast on restaurant row).

You can also create those community building opportunities for yourself by gathering some of your own friends to sit in a living room and read a play together and inviting everyone to bring a new friend to introduce to the group.

I think actors often get stuck feeling like the only thing they can do to move their careers forward is audition, which can often feel unfulfilling since more often than not you’ll hear a no or hear nothing. In truth, there are so many things actors can do beyond auditioning, and I love helping actors discover what those are!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.elizabethestlerode.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethnestlerode/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elizabeth.nestlerode
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCof-2tqMSBUO5A7zm30SVUQ
• Other: https://elizabethnestlerodecoaching.teachable.com/p/home

Image Credits

Off-Broadway Cast of The Other Josh Cohen Opening Night Photo Credit: Playbill – Tarah Lee
Once @ Casa Manana Photo Credit: (photo holding electric cord): Nicki Behm
Once @ Casa Manana Photo Credit: (photo with Guy (Ian Ferguson) holding a Guitar in the background): Adriana Barker
Honky Tonk Angels @ Capital Repertory Theatre Photo Credit: (Red dress)