We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Denzel Belin a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Denzel thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I knew I wanted to pursue theater as a profession when I decided to major in it in college. I made a pact with myself that I was going to try and hustle (within reason) to see if I could make it as someone who does theater at a professional level and consistently. It is the weird pressure that comes from breaking your mother’s heart by not pursuing a law degree but also making her heart glow by having the chance to pursue something that I was passionate about.

I knew I wasn’t ready to be a full time artist when I realize that I was falling out of love with my art due to the immense pressure to make sure I could pay my bills with it. I wasn’t in a place where I was making consistent income with my art and therefore I was taking any project coming my way and staying in artistic relationships that were not healthy for me,

I knew I felt comfortable with myself as an artistic professional when I felt I was successfully managing my personal life and my work life and both of them were fulfilling me. I am in a place currently where I am super proud of my art and super happy with my current day-to-day.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a Black, bisexual multidisciplinary theater artist with strong experience in directing, writing, sketch comedy, and improv. I am a long-time cast member at The Brave New Workshop Comedy Theater, where I have written and performed for over 15 shows. I found my voice as a theater artist through my experiences with high school theater, earning my Theater degree with distinction from St. Olaf College, classes and workshop from various comedy theaters, and a lot of on-the-job experience.

I enjoy working in a variety of different presentations, from traditional theater to crisis intervention training and I have a special love for new work development. My strong passion mixed with experience and creativity make me a valuable member of any team and as a leader, I strike a strong balance in being able to make decisions and productively listening to everyone that is a part of the project.

Recently, I directed a production of Othello: The Remix for Minneapolis Musical Theater and this project, from beginning to end showcased my strengths as an artist. I navigated the entire process nimbly with strong attention to detail, flexibility, and created a supportive and invigorating room for other creatives and myself to thrive in.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

Perfection!

I definitely fall into the category of Gifted and Talented kid now adult and for the longest, the goal was 100% always. A+ was expected and anything less was more about what you missed versus what you succeeded in. One of my initial cracks in this mindset was when I took French in college. I was, and still am, bad at French. I had to take a language, and I really wanted to spend my final semester of French as a interim semester (so shorter) and in Morocco (how cool). I struggled with the idea that if I wasn’t amazing, then did I deserve it? I then realized that by changing my frame of thinking to being proud of what I did learn and not get hyper focused on what I didn’t learn made learning the victory. Oh, and I did make it to Morocco.

In my life, it kept being reinforced that the more I celebrated my wins without being negative about the things I didn’t created a healthier mindset in pursuing new things and more liberty to be creative and try.

So, I no longer strive for perfection. I strive for joy in my work and joy in my life.
And I love it.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

I’ve run into a lot of conflict with friends outside of the performing world understand my schedule and how odd it can be. I love hanging with my friends, going on dates, and in general doing things, but often I don’t have general open availability. At anytime, I could be in rehearsal, writing a project, or answering questions for an interview, and those things take time and can be done at all kinds of hours.

I know this seems trivial, but I personally am shocked how many people make brunch plans when they wake up that day. Usually, I wake up and check my calendar for what I have going on.

And sometimes, that does mean a slow day with no real conflicts.

So then I am available for a last minute brunch.

So, please, invite your busy creative friends to brunch.
But also understand if we ask to schedule something a month out.

We do love you – we just have deadlines.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://denzelbelin.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/from_washington/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fromwashington
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/denzel-belin-92a864258/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/from_washington

Image Credits
Dena Denny Ryan Coit