Today we’d like to introduce you to Ethan Feider
Hi Ethan, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve worked in the performing arts nearly my whole life. I Started out doing shows with Missoula Children’s Theatre when their traveling troupe came to my hometown in kelso, Washington. I was pretty much in love with the craft from then on.
Shout out to one of my elementary school teachers in Castle Rock, Washington for letting my friend and I put on two person plays during class time as well!
I pretty much went on to do community theater in my area all the way up until I graduated highschool. After that I jumped around with regular work but always kept the passion in my heart. I briefly trained in Hollywood at the American Academy Of Dramatic Arts, but after I dropped out due to a little to much indulgence in the party life, I decided to join the military for awhile. I wouldn’t recommend that career path and it was pretty much the worst experience ive ever had on a personal level. When I finally got out I decided to only ever do work that I love for the rest of my life. Ever since I’ve been doing professionall work in the Portland area with several companies and couldn’t be more happy!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I suffer from manic depressive Bi-ploar disorder, and do not take traditional medication for it (I treat it with frequent meditation and exercise) so my life has been a struggle on the emotional end of things for a long time. I am also trans and non-binary so on a social level, I have also struggled for a long time. Ive bounced around in career paths ever since i got out of highschool, trying to find a place where I fit and can support myself. Choosing the life of an artist is never easy, and every day I fight to prove that my existence is valid. But that’s all to say that I’ve found it is far better to be poor and doing projects I love, than be well off and comfortable doing something that drains me of life and passion.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’d consider myself a performance artist and actor through any and all mediums. I pride myself in being able to portray a wide and diverse range of characters across the spectrum of identity and forms of existence. I’ve worked with several independent film makers, acted on several stages with many different companies and have done lots of interesting alternative projects such as immersive, site specific horror theater and modeling. I’m constantly trying to expand my skill set and learn new techniques to bring characters alive and realize the grand vision of whatever project I have going on.
At the moment, some of the most exciting work I do is with immersive and interactive theater companies. I love doing the mental work of improvising with the audience and creating a roleplaying environment where everyone feels a part of the action. It’s what I think audiences really want and maybe even need in this modern age.
Any big plans?
Currently I’m working on a show with the Chapel Theater in Portland called Plate O’ Shrimp, which is a punkrock jukebox parody musical of the old movie Repo Man. I’m playing the lead in it, and it’ll be my first time being the lead of a musical so I’m really focusing on my vocal talent and developing a strong singing voice.
Beyond that, I can’t get to much into the details yet, but I’m also working on a special little project with the Stage Fright Festival in Portland, which takes place on October, check out the social media pages on that one to see what I’m up to there.
Even further beyond that, I’d like to develope relationships with more commercial producers and find a place in a more consistent vein of work. Getting an agent and eventually joining the actors union would be massive leaps in my career and are definitely things I plan on achieving. There is a few other projects I have in the works as well, including a poetry book and a one person show about my life and time in the military. The latter there is being developed in collaboration with myself
and an amazing playwright friend of mine named Jed Sutton.
Contact Info:
Image Credits
Beau Hamilton (photographer):
https://www.instagram.com/beauhd?igsh=MTJya3ZzY3IzbnB5MQ==
Celena Rubin (photographer):
https://www.instagram.com/celenarubinphoto?igsh=NndzNDQ4Mmt3cm8y
A. Stephenson (make-up artist):
https://www.instagram.com/insectomancer?igsh=MWRhM3pvZGN6ajEyNA==