We recently connected with Brooke Mccarthy and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Brooke, thanks for joining us today. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?
This is an intriguing question to me because I have worked a couple of regular jobs in Corporate America. In fact, there are times in my life where I’ve joked about living a double life…”auditor by day, actor by night”. It all started in undergrad at Monmouth University in NJ because I couldn’t pick between a theatre or a business major. I ended up graduating with an accounting degree while confusing my classmates because of my intense involvement with the theatre department. I remember being in upper level accounting courses and other students asking me, “Aren’t you a theatre major?”.
After I graduated, I went on to work for JPMorgan Chase & Co. as an Internal Auditor, and I even got my CPA license (Certified Public Accountant)…but no please don’t ask me to do your taxes because I hate doing taxes.
While working a full time day job in Corporate America, I maintained a busy evening schedule often in musical theatre shows and improv or dance classes. I loved it! My corporate coworkers couldn’t understand how I had the energy to work a full day and then go to a four hour rehearsal after work. But it was easy because my passion for theatre energized me.
After a few years, the mundane audit work started wearing on my soul. I’d think to myself…”40 more years of THIS!? I am not meant to be shackled to a desk, stuck in a cubicle!” In retrospect, I was probably mildly depressed due to the lack of passion in my 9 to 5. Even though I was really good at my job, it didn’t feed my soul. That’s when I decided to go to grad school to get my Master of Fine Arts in Acting from the University of Georgia.
Grad school was amazing. It felt like a three year creative immersion, and my soul was so happy! I’m going to fast forward a bit… About a year or two after grad school, I had been touring my one woman show How to be an Ethical Slut across the country and having an amazing time, but spending all my money on traveling. When I wasn’t touring, I was bartending or substitute teaching, and let me tell you…that got old. I was so tired of the late nights or early mornings with such little pay. I was tired of being broke.
So I went back to Corporate America…even though I swore I wouldn’t…and within 6 months I was back in the slumps. I had a stable paycheck, but wow, not enough time to do what I love. I had money. I had benefits. I had a nice apartment. But…I realized those things weren’t worth draining my soul.
Sometimes, I still entertain the thought of having a part time job in Corporate America, but I couldn’t make enough money per hour for me to feel like it was truly worth it. My time, my passion, and my happiness are more valuable. So to sum it up, I’m way happier as an artist!
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Today, I call myself an actor, singer, dancer, teacher, creator, and playwright. Clearly, I like to do many things, but it all started when I was 5 years old. I sang “My Heart Will Go On” from the Titanic in my first grade talent show and fell in love with singing. Then I saw Wicked on Broadway around age 12, and from the moment that Elphaba ascended into the air during “Defying Gravity”, I knew I wanted to do theatre for the rest of my life.
I started doing plays and musicals throughout middle school and high school, both in school and for community theaters. Then I was very involved with my undergraduate theatre department. I kept pursuing theatre as a hobby in my early 20s until I knew that wasn’t enough. That’s when I finally took that big risk of leaving the safety of Corporate America, to pursue theatre full time. I knew that I wanted to teach alongside performing, so obtaining my MFA was the ideal scenario.
During grad school, I taught the undergraduate Introduction to Acting courses which not only gave me a chance to hone my teaching skills, but it taught me even more as an actor. Teaching really enhanced my own understanding of acting. Plus, I learned so much from my students.
Also, I was able to write and develop my first solo show How to be an Ethical Slut as part of my thesis. I am forever grateful for the resources I had during this process, especially the faculty who guided me through creating my first ever full-length show. I never thought I would enjoy writing as much as I enjoy performing, so that was pleasant surprise.
About a year after I graduated from UGA, I started touring How to be an Ethical Slut across the national fringe circuit. It was a dream come true! I was able to perform my own show and sometimes make money from doing it! Plus, I am so honored that I won several awards across the various festivals like Solo Performer of the Year, Best Selling Show in NYC’s Frigid Fest, Best of Fest at Hartford Fringe, Philly Fringie Audience Choice at Philly Fringe, and Spirit of the Fringe at the St. Lou Fringe.
That’s when we get to the minor detour back in Corporate America. During my limited free time, I started writing my next solo show Gaslighting: The Musical! This is still a work in progress! More on that later.
Then within 7 months of corporate life, I got a call from a dear friend and colleague about a job at Virginia Tech. I quickly left my corporate job to begin teaching as a Post-MFA in the theatre department at Virginia Tech. That was one of the best years of my life! I continued honing my teaching skills while working in so many aspects of the theatre. I wrote new scenes for and co-directed an original play called This is not a Scam! a play about elder abuse scams. I performed in it as well and we toured it locally to senior living facilities which was very rewarding. I was the voice and speech coach for two productions and more. I was also nominated and became a finalist for an award for teaching excellence which was very humbling for my first year at Virginia Tech. It was a busy year to say the least.
Now, I’m currently in Charlotte, NC where I live with my wonderful fiancé. I’m in the middle of rehearsing School of Rock at the Children’s Theatre of Charlotte and getting ready to start teaching acting classes at Matthews Playhouse and the Comedy Arts Theater of Charlotte.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
During my third and final year of grad school, I wrote my solo show How to be an Ethical Slut. I started dating someone who initially seemed to be a great match for me. He was very supportive of my artistic endeavors by praising me and even bringing flowers on closing night of my show. Over time, he started turning those things around on me. He became frustrated with my lifestyle as an artist, he started retracting his support for my show, and in sum, it turned out he was an emotionally abusive person. He weaponized his mental health, so in order to be a supportive partner and keep the peace, I put my show and my acting endeavors on hold. I became a shell of myself. It was very confusing because the relationship started off so well but quickly devolved.
Fortunately, I was able to leave that relationship and reclaim my independence, my strength, and my artistry. I closed a very dark chapter of my life. Thankfully, I have a great support system of family and friends who helped me through that time. While it was traumatic, I decided to be vocal about my experiences to help others who may be going through similar scenarios. That’s what led me to start writing and developing my second solo show Gaslighting: The Musical!
Since I have started developing that show and posting on social media about it, so many people have reached out to me with similar stories about toxic relationships, emotional abuse, domestic violence, narcissistic personality disorder, and the confusing effects of gaslighting. This is the power of theatre and storytelling. Sharing experiences and being reminded that we are not alone.
I even got a tattoo of sparkles on my wrist to remind me to “never let anyone dull my sparkle” as a testimony to my resilience.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
Connecting with people! Theatre is a beautiful platform that allows us to share stories about all types of people that we wouldn’t normally experience in our everyday lives. This type of exposure really allows people to see just how similar and human we all are. I believe people often feel lonely in this world, but theatre finds ways to bring us together through shared stories. We find other people we can connect with whose lives are touched or who’s own stories resonate with what we’re doing.
Besides performing, a lot of the work I do as an acting teacher is often with teens and young adults. I have the privilege of helping my students blossom as humans both on stage and out in the world. Especially in college, students are very reserved and afraid to do anything super silly or just be themselves. They hide behind their phones or computer screens, but inside they are all craving connection. In my acting classroom, I am able to provide a safe space for my students to playfully explore the human experience.
For example, I have seen even the most shy and quiet students gain so much more confidence in their everyday life by taking my class. They are like little flowers that start to open up within a few weeks and by the end they are in full bloom! Meanwhile, I help guide them towards sunlight and provide the water.
That’s what’s beautiful about creative arts. It’s about feeling comfortable to creatively and proudly express yourself as you are. It’s also about getting comfortable with the uncomfortable, and sometimes, even basic human connection can be scary. In my class, I make this very approachable and fun. Plus, the theatre community is often a beautiful collection of welcoming misfits, and that’s also what I love about it.
Theatre in general—and my classroom model—fosters a judgment free zone fueled with curiosity and experiential opportunities which truly allow people to open up. Plus as a teacher and actor, I understand that we must know and love ourselves first, before we can truly embody other characters on stage. I take pride in helping my students discover and love themselves too.
The most rewarding aspect of being an artist are the people I meet, the stories we share, the students I learn from, and the authentic human connection.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.brookemccarthy.com/
- Instagram: @howtobeanethicalslut
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bmproductionsLLC/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brookemccarthy/
- Other: www.howtobeanethicalslut.com
@gaslightingthemusical
Image Credits
Michael Rosas Photography
A Brew & You by Charisma