We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Carlene Griffith. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Carlene below.

Carlene, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I believe that moment came at birth. Okay not really, but I did always know I loved performing and wanted to be an actress from a very early age. I could never see myself doing anything other than performing. I mean I tried, but that itch could never be squelched.

I come from a very performance-oriented family. I have cherished memories of my great-grandmother Pearl Davis trying to teach me piano. My grandfather, Dean Davis, played the piano, wrote songs and danced. My grandmother, Jacquline Davis, was a concert violinist and my mother, Lynet Field, was a dancer, actress, singer, and director. She dragged me along with her rehearsals and concerts from the time I was little. And then encouraged me to take dance and music lessons, and to audition for shows as I got older. Everything I am, I owe to their influence in my life.

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?

I started out wanting only to be an actress, but as with most things, one thing led to another. After pursuing an acting career in Los Angeles and earning my Screen Actors Guild eligibility, I started working for the Walt Disney Company. I fell in love with the business side of things. Eventually, I married and chose to become a stay-at-home mom.

With the theater itch always gnawing at me, as opportunities allowed, I performed, directed, and taught acting classes part-time, but it was not enough. In 2010, with my oldest son about to finish his first year of kindergarten, two other little ones underfoot, and a husband who traveled for work, I foresaw a brutally hot, lonely summer trying to fill the days with low-cost activities to keep the kids busy and me sane. After investigating performing arts programs, I realized I could teach right out of my home. So that’s what I did and GRIFFITH PLAYHOUSE was born.

Over time my company has grown into what it is today. GRIFFITH PLAYHOUSE has three purposes: to teach theater skills to children, produce kids’ plays, and publish them so others can perform them. All my plays are kid-approved and appropriate for all audiences. I’ve contracted with my city’s community centers throughout the years, using their space and advertising to run theater classes. I write original short plays for each class to perform at the end-of-session recital. Each production is tailored to participants’ performing skill levels and allows the students to apply what they’ve learned in classes and experience performing in front of a live audience. Once the plays are tried, tested, and approved, I make them available for purchase. I have two volumes of published plays called 10 MINUTE PLAYS FOR KIDS OF ALL AGES. The third is due out soon.

10 MINUTE PLAYS FOR KIDS OF ALL AGES is a best seller on Amazon and sold internationally. It’s been translated into Farsi and one of my plays, TRIP THROUGH TIME, is featured in CJ Fallon’s education publication, MASTER YOUR ENGLISH 6. These plays are used by acting clubs for competitions, theater company kids’ directorial debuts, and school classroom productions.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

There are so many rewarding aspects of my job. One rewarding aspect of my classes is working with the kids and seeing them develop their performing skills. I love watching them go from shy kids at the beginning of each session, to almost talking out of turn at the end, because they can’t help but let out their thoughts. I love that. Knowing they can be themselves and trust the environment enough that they can make mistakes and it’s okay. ‘Just keep going!’ is our theater motto. These skills will help them their entire life and hopefully give them the edge they need to be successful adults.

Another reward for me is how the kids inspire my writing. They’re my sources of inspiration that help me create my plays. I always brainstorm with them to ask their opinions about the plays’ topics and genres and since I tailor each play for the kids they help guide the play’s characters and personalities. The results are so satisfying.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Right now, my goal is to increase my class numbers so I can expand into my own brick-and-mortar playhouse. I’m confident that will come in time. I’m also excited to share that I’m working with a friend to develop some of my plays into mini-musicals, with my first one being produced in December. As for my writing goals, I’m in the middle of submissions with my Mythology-based Young Adult novel and seeking representation, so that I can traditionally publish.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://carlenegriffith.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cmgriffith123/?next=%2F
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carlene.fieldgriffith
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlene-griffith-70514b133/
• Twitter: @authorcgriffith