We recently connected with Grace Shen and have shared our conversation below.

Grace, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

The most meaningful project I worked on was the play “Two Rooms” by Lee Blessing. I had been working full time in an accounting firm for a number of years. I was about to turn 50 and the ache of wanting to act again had been tugging at my heart. Thus I was compelled to produce and act in Two Rooms. It was a story that was introduced to me in acting class years ago and just stuck with me. It was the harrowing story of a woman (Lainie Wells) fighting for the freedom of her husband being held hostage in Beirut by Arab terrorists that I was drawn to and wanted to tell. Written in 1988, the two rooms represented a windowless cubicle in Beirut where Lainie’s husband was being held captive and a room in their home in the U.S. which Lainie has stripped of furniture so that, symbolically, she can share in his ordeal. In the pursuit of freeing her husband, Lainie deals with an ambitious reporter and a detached State Department representative.

I did everything: Gathered the team (director, set designer, lighting designer, sound engineer, stage manager), cast the actors, collected props, created marketing materials, secured a venue, as well as financed the production and play the lead role all while working a full time job.

Every performance of the run, I was nervous and had to practically throw myself on stage. In the end, I grew so much and was very proud of what my team and I created. It was very rewarding. It was the year I quite my job and re-committed to my acting career.

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

I was born in Hong Kong, immigrated to Vancouver, B.C. at the age of 5 and now make my home in Los Angeles, CA. My dream has always been to be an actor but growing up there weren’t any role models. I didn’t see myself represented on TV and culturally it was frowned upon to pursue acting as a career. It didn’t occur to me that I could possibly make a career out of acting, too far out of reach. I was quite shy so that didn’t make it any easier. It came to a point in my life where I could not hold back anymore. I had to try my hand at acting or else I would regret it years later. You know, the “what if” thing. At the age of 26, I auditioned for “The King and I” and I was cast. I had the best time and knew this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I did a few plays, commercials and TV and independent films. After a couple of years, I decided that I wanted to get some formal training and was fortunate to study at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles. After graduation, I was cast as Liat in “South Pacific” and continued to work in theatre, commercials and film/TV.

I am proud that I found the courage to take the leap of faith and pursue my dream of acting. The entertainment industry can be intimidating, maddening and exhilarating, there are ups and downs, and tons of rejection. You have to develop a thick skin, keep growing as a person and artist and believe in yourself. The key is to really know yourself, do the inner work so you can be strong and release anything that doesn’t serve your higher self. A journey that took me some time to figure out. We all have unique gifts and talents, cultivate them and build confidence; and then, LET IT SHINE because the world needs it.

What sets me apart from others is that I have a youthful exuberance to my age and a quiet, calm confidence with an inclusive progressive world view. This is the essence that underlies my roles as well as my outlook towards life.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

I always strive to start with my unique self, being truthful and open to possibilities in the moment. My family has a motto “Be happy and do your best” (a Shen thing), living life through joy and service.

My mission whether it is as a person, in my roles or the stories I tell is to inspire people to be the best that they can be.

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

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist or creative is that you have the ability create change. To open people’s eyes and hearts to diverse thinking, cultures, and perspectives other than your own, through this you realize that we are more the same than different.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.graceshen.com
• Instagram: @graceshen54
• Other: Angel City Talent (323) 656-5489
  BAC Talent (908) 907-1904

Image Credits

Jess Grant, Seiko Mar, Joanna Degeneres