Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Becca Stabile . We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Becca , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.
I was nine when I was in my first school play. I was cast as Molly in “Annie.” I was so committed to my role that I would stay in character, even at home. I started to create my own characters as well. I would practice them in my room all by myself and then I would practice my Oscar acceptance speech! When I was 12, I wrote a soap opera and a teen drama for tv and I would get my friends to play the characters with me. One day, I send a letter (with many copies and in bright-colored envelopes) to Rosie O’Donnell asking her to produce my teen drama and offering her a role in it! A man who worked for her responded in a letter saying that Rosie could not help me at this time. I was sad, but I didn’t give up on playing and creating characters.
Becca , 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?
I am what is called an “actor/ creator,” meaning that I create my own characters and write my own scripts, mostly for the stage, in my case, but also for film. I went to a school called “Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theater,” in Northern California, where I learned styles such as mask work, clown, partner acrobatics, and dance theater. My classmates and I created our own shows, working as an ensemble. This was right up my alley because I had already been creating my own material as well as teaching children to create their own material, as a theater teacher. The formal training helped me to continue this type of work in New York City, where I live, and where I have been writing and performing on my own and as a part of ensembles. I have also been a part of projects where we brought this work into small communities in NYC and also out of state to help communities to create their own shows. For the past few years, I’ve been doing a solo act in Variety Shows in the city, as a character named Bobby McMan. He teaches men to treat women with respect, but he always misses the mark. I am about to perform in my first hour-long solo show as this character.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
When I moved to Brooklyn fifteen years ago, I needed a job to support myself as an artist. I soon met a family, through a friend, who needed a babysitter for their 6-month-old and 3-year-old. They hired me and I ended up being their babysitter for 14 years! As the children grew older, they became some of my favorite collaborators. We often used our time together practicing classic clown bits, creating circuses, and making short, silent movies on my phone. While I had other jobs and gigs over the years teaching and facilitating theater, and performing, babysitting these two amazing kids was my consistent way of supporting myself and I loved it.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
I struggle with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from childhood trauma. There have been times when I wasn’t able to get into a creative headspace because I was in survival mode. It is painful for me to not be able to do my creative work, and it’s actually a sign that I’m well when I can get into it. Over the past year, I have made it a priority to work on my solo show with my character, Bobby McMan. I have been able to make space for working on the show and it lifts my spirits. It is also a cathartic experience for me, and hopefully for the audience as well, as the show is a comedic social commentary about what women tend to deal with.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @becstabile and @bobby_mcman
- Facebook: Becca Stabile
