Today we’d like to introduce you to Mel House
Hi Mel, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
As a student, I heard poet, playwright and professor Amiri Baraka (also known as Leroy Jones) speak about the importance of becoming a producer in our own lives. Mr. Baraka explained that so many people educate their minds and then go out and beg others for work. He insisted that we choose to become the creators and producers of our lives, by taking the unique gifts and skills that our individual life experience has revealed to us and transforming that knowledge into art and businesses that serve others.
Today I am proud to be a multi-hyphenate artist: an actress, filmmaker, writer, educator, comedian, voice coach, marathoner and mom! Growing up, I knew that I wanted to be an actress. But I didn’t have people in my life or examples of how to make that happen. So I sought out learning communities, where I could grow as a person and as an artist. I was fortunate to be accepted into Goucher College, a small liberal arts school where I majored in theatre, which also led me to study abroad in Greece, Australia, and England.
While in England, I was exposed to Applied Drama–a field of study that applies theatrical forms in settings like schools and prisons to educate, heal and inspire. I pursued a Master’s Degree in Applied Drama at the University of Exeter’s School of Drama and wrote my dissertation about the power of art, particularly theatre, as a vehicle for rehabilitating young people who have been incarcerated, or as an alternative to incarceration in the first place. After graduating, I became an educator in Baltimore City Public Schools and created my own theatre company.
At the center of my work, I have always come back to these questions: How do I make a life worth living? What brings me joy? When do I feel the most alive? Who is benefiting from my labor and does that feel meaningful to me? These questions became a guide that helped me make decisions about who to spend time with, where to live and what projects to take on.
In 2005, I moved to New York City to pursue acting full time. I jumped into a professional acting program at the William Esper Studio, under Suzanne and Bill Esper, where I further developed my skills and built community in my new home. Then I began auditioning for everything–theatre, film, TV, industrials, commercials, and voice over. For a few years, I tried to follow what I thought was a traditional path: get an agent, join the unions, and book work. I sometimes lamented not attending one of the prestigious drama schools that seemed to lead people to the types of acting jobs I craved. But then I remembered what Mr. Baraka said, and I decided to stop begging people for work and go create my own!
I produced my first Off-Broadway play in 2009 at Playwrights Horizons in the Peter Jay Sharp Theatre. I found collaborators with a shared vision and we got to work. This gave me the opportunity to play an unexpected role in a comedy on 42nd Street in New York City! Then, I went on to found The Drawing Board–a lab for writers and actors that supports the development of new work. Along the way, I was invited to work on other people’s creative babies in theatre, film and television. These opportunities allowed me to create and expand my artistic community. And it’s true, most opportunities come from the people in your community. If you’re not born into it, you can still build it!
In 2015, I shot my first short documentary in Cape Town, South Africa, working as a director and editor. And then in 2017, I began doing Stand Up Comedy around New York City as a character called HOT ANGRY MOM. This eventually led me to write my own TV pilot and to independently produce it. HOT ANGRY MOM was an official selection at 26 film festivals worldwide, where it was nominated for 50+ awards, and won 22, including Best TV pilot, director, ensemble cast, lead actress and an award for Representation of Women in Film. In 2023, it ranked #2 in the U.S. and #5 in the world in the Web Series World Cup. You can learn more about that journey at www.hotangrymom.com and watch the micro-series on YouTube (where we have garnered 900,000+ views across our channel), watch it with spanish subtitles on https://play.flixxo.com/en/, or rent the half-hour pilot on https://www.entertainmint.com.
Along the way, I continued working as an educator. I have been an adjunct Professor at Goucher College, a guest lecturer at the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University and the Fitzmaurice Institute, as well as a teaching artist for Lincoln Center Theatre, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Theatre for a New Audience, Red Bull Theater and Young Audiences of New York. I am currently a company member of Literature to Life, where we believe that books can transform lives, so we adapt great works of literature into solo shows and tour around the country performing in schools, libraries, community centers, regional theatres and correctional facilities.
During the pandemic, I decided to further develop my passion for voicework and completed a certification in Fitzmaurice Voicework–a whole body approach to voicework that taps into the nervous system to inspire greater presence, power and full vocal expression. I am currently applying this work to support formerly incarcerated women and their children access and tell their stories through a grant from the Bronx Arts Council. And I work as a private coach for all kinds of people who wish to access the full power of their voices.
Now, in my mid-40’s, I have a rich life in the arts, beyond what I imagined when I started out. The key for me has been approaching each new endeavor with a beginner’s mind, staying curious, following my fun and being the producer of my own life!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Is there such a thing as a smooth road?!
I wasn’t born into the entertainment industry and didn’t see examples of how to build my dream career growing up. But I have learned that there is no “right” path to get where you want to get. Everything is a learning opportunity. And persistence often pays off!
I grew up in Baltimore City with a single mom, who struggled with mental health challenges. I eventually went into foster care and became a ward of the state. But I believe that if you’re hungry and curious, you will discover opportunities and doorways. You might feel afraid and out of place, but if you have a dream and allow yourself to seek it out, you will likely find the courage to take risks and fail forward.
I became a mother when I was twenty-four and that sometimes made it feel nearly impossible to give the energy that I wanted to my career. But my experience as a mother, fed me as an artist and led to one of the creative endeavors that has brought me so much fulfillment–HOT ANGRY MOM. What can seem like an obstacle, can also be an opportunity to learn more about yourself, develop new skills and lead to unexpected adventures!
I am a queer mom in a multiracial family. I’m a white mom raising a black son. I exist in between boxes. This has sometimes been a challenge, because I often don’t feel like I fit. But it’s also a gift, because I am able to see from many perspectives and build bridges between communities in my art and work. The obstacle is the opportunity! I have found the most success in my work as an artist, when I allow myself to be my most authentic self. When I tried to be who I thought others wanted, I always failed and it wasn’t fun. Although it takes time to discover who you really are and what matters most, and hopefully it’s always evolving, it is a journey worth pursuing!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a multi-hyphenate artist: an actress, filmmaker, writer, educator, comedian, voice coach, marathoner and mom.
Recently, I guest starred on “FBI: Most Wanted” as Leah Wilson, a character inspired by Kathy Bates’ role in Misery, played Heidi in “What the Constitution Means to Me” at Syracuse Stage, and toured internationally in Rome, Cagliari, Belgrade, Dublin, and NYC with “The Baby Monitor.”
As a writer and producer, I created the comedy series HOT ANGRY MOM. Our team of badass mamas has the fierce goal of making the series FREE and ACCESSIBLE to one million moms, so we released it on YouTube–watch it, like it, comment, subscribe and share it with all the mamas and angry women in your life! We are seeking producing partners to create Season 2. And I have begun pitching a pilot inspired by the world of HOT ANGRY MOM that I would like to develop into a television series for a streamer.
As a playwright, I recently completed my first full length play under the mentorship of Obie-Award winning playwright Lucy Thurber. I’ve been applying for grants to develop the project further and intend to produce it Off-Broadway.
As an educator, I teach for Lincoln Center, the Fitzmaurice Institute and tour with Literature to Life. I received a grant from the Bronx Arts Council, which is enabling me to offer Fitzmaurice Vociework and Storytelling workshops, in partnership with Hour Children, Inc., to formerly incarcerated moms and their children. And I’m available for private coaching: https://www.melhouse.com/about-5
My son is 22 years old now and currently in college, studying computer science. I’m teaching him to drive a stick shift in NYC, which is no small feat! And this year I ran the D.C. and San Antonio Rock and Roll Half-Marathons.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.hotangrymom.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hotangrymom/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hotangrymom
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mel-house/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/hotangrymom
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfdz7pBYzqKkLHT4u3yzrb5tFfCdJBjwJ
- Other: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21349980/?ref_=ttfc_fc_tt https://linktr.ee/hotangrymom https://hotangrymom.myshopify.com/ https://www.59e59.org/shows/show-detail/thistles/ https://www.melhouse.com/about-5
Image Credits
Niav Conty, Clarissa de los Reyes, Joshua Strauss, Hot Angry Mom