Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Blake Ellis. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Blake, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today 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.

One of the biggest risks I’ve taken in my career was starting a professional Shakespeare company in my hometown. I remember when the pandemic had upended all our lives, and my wife and I found ourselves in Fresno, CA, wondering what to do next. There was a brief, but very serious consideration that perhaps it was time to find a normal job. But my wife, ever the optimist, encouraged me to keep my chin up and press onward. “Something will turn around. We don’t see it yet, but it’s coming.”

Well, it turns out she was right. After being asked to run a Shakespeare workshop at a local university, wheels started turning, and pieces started falling into place. With the nudging of my friend and co-founder, Brandi Martin, the die was cast and we started building the first professional theatre company in Fresno’s history.

It was terrifying at first, knowing that there would be a natural “impress me” phase for our community, but once we produced our first production, the response was overwhelmingly positive. Now, we’re looking at upcoming seasons with excitement and anticipation, and I couldn’t be prouder that we took this risk.

Blake, 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’ve been a lifelong lover of storytelling. First as an actor, then as a writer, producer, and now as Artistic Director of Chanticleer Shakespeare Co. My path into the theatre was rather unconventional; I didn’t start acting seriously until college. But I’ve always been an avid reader and lover of story, languages, and poetry, particularly the classics.

When I was first introduced to acting, it was such a far-off concept that I was convinced it was an unattainable profession for someone like me. Someone in my geographic location, with my family’s economic standing, was probably not situated to pursue a career in “make believe.” However, my winding road eventually led me to the theatre at Fresno State University, and I was initiated into the most magical world I could have imagined.

Through the years, I’ve had the privilege of performing all over the world, from regional theatres, to off-Broadway, to the Royal Shakespeare Company, even Lucasfilm and Netflix. But now, I’m tackling one of the most challenging and rewarding jobs I’ve ever had as a creative – Artistic Director of a professional Shakespeare theatre.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

The mission of my personal creative journey doesn’t differ wildly from the mission of Chanticleer Shakespeare Co., which is to connect people to themselves and each other through storytelling. Since I was a child, I’ve been fascinated by the magic of story. As an actor, my love affair with escapism has helped in developing (hopefully) nuanced characters and performances. As a writer, the task has been to find creative ways to bring what I believe are powerful themes to audiences. Now, as an Artistic Director, my job is to set a trajectory for the company that serves two major stakeholders: the audience, and the playwright.

All of these pieces in my personal journey point to the same end, which is to unify, inspire, and entertain through storytelling. I don’t feel that I’ll ever be truly satisfied with where I’m at, and I’ll constantly be reaching for new ways to further that journey. And I think that’s a good thing.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

As a young (and immature) artist, my instincts always drew me toward self gratification. I believe it’s a product of my actor training in college, which was primarily rooted in Meisner technique. For a short while, I was what one might consider a “method” actor. Whether on stage or screen, I treated every role as an opportunity to dive so deeply into character that I wouldn’t do anything until something or someone MADE me. It felt realistic. It felt natural. It felt good.

But it was a mistake. I was serving myself in those moments, rather than the playwright, or more importantly, the audience. The job of an actor is to tell the story the playwright has written. But when an actor is self-indulgent, focused on how each moment “feels,” he’s not serving the audience or the playwright. He’s being selfish. And that’s something I needed to unlearn before I could make any major steps forward in my acting.

I learned this almost by divine appointment. I was in the wings of a production many years ago, playing a rather small role in a play. But I found myself rapt by the performances I was watching onstage. From the shadows, I was able to see a seasoned professional hanging on his scene partner’s every word. Every movement and facial expression effected him. He was present, real, nuanced. He was doing everything I THOUGHT I was doing, but better. And he wasn’t “feeling” his way through. He was pushing the story forward, serving the playwright, and delivering an incredible performance for his audience. And I count myself lucky to be a member of said audience, even if I was watching from the wings.

What I learned is that a true actor is not selfish. He doesn’t wait to be moved. He moves because the playwright told him to. And he does so with purpose, intellect, and energy. It’s a lesson I’ll never forget, and since the day it struck me, my work has improved exponentially.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.chanticleershakes.com
• Instagram: @blakeellisactor
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blakedellis

Image Credits

Netflix – UNBELIEVABLE
B&W photo – Billy & Ray – Laguna Playhouse
Richard III – Chanticleer Shakespeare Co.