We recently connected with Hannah Marie Lloyd and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Hannah Marie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I was very fortunate growing up that my family loved musicals and the performing arts. I saw my first musical, The Lion King at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre at 18 months old, and my little imagination was illuminated by all the sights and sounds. As a young child, my mother and grandmother would sing to me daily, I danced in The Nutcracker as a toddler, learned to play the piano in elementary school, and found myself gravitating toward performing. At the time I wasn’t intentionally planning on “being an actress” when I grew up; however, each after-school activity that I wanted to be part of whether it was Cheerleading or the latest school musical pointed me toward it. The real shift started my freshman year of high school, when I saw Wicked for the very first time! Although I had attended many national tour shows that came to town in years past, this was the first experience where I became mentally aware of the idea that “I wanted to do this!” I had begun thinking about what college would look like and possible degree and career choices that would be the most fulfilling for me, and while many possible paths were intriguing to me, nothing compared to the idea of getting to perform for a living! My family could tell quickly too that the beginnings of a fire burning in me had been sparked and it was time for us to get down to business and seek out all the best training and mentorship needed to begin navigating a world of professional theatre. Looking back now, post-grad and on my very first National Tour, it’s so obvious that truly it was always in my heart to be a performer. But even more so, it’s been a joyful realization that whether I knew it or not, God had put me on my perfect path that would always lead me right where I am today.

Hannah Marie , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Hi! My name is Hannah Marie Lloyd and I am an actress pursuing a career as a multi-hyphenate performer. Growing up in the Los Angeles area, I loved knowing I was just miles away from the hub of the Entertainment Industry and always felt a pull toward the arts. You could always find me playing the piano, singing with my hairbrush, or gathering my brother and cousins together to put on our very best at-home show for the family. Alumni of the USC School of Dramatic Arts, I am now on my first National Tour in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer the Musical and thoroughly enjoying life on the road. However, I could not be where I am now without 3 very important things…
1). Determination: the firmness of purpose and resoluteness. Dreams coming true does not happen overnight. I can easily say this has been a 10-year grind of forward thinking and stick-to-it-ness believing in myself. Being a performer is mentally and physically challening, plus the training required to be the best in your field. Stay the course, the hard work pays off.
2) Perseverance: Doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success. One of the best things college taught me was to “not be afraid to fail.” Fail BIG, fail exquisitely! It is so much better to try and learn something than to not try at all. As a performer, I am constantly re-evaluating and seeking new or more efficient ways I can do something. Also, just being willing to make a choice and realize it wasn’t the right one. Trying builds informed experiences which is far more valuable than being right the first time.
3). Goal Oriented: Being focused on achieving a specific objective. You can have all the dreams and big ideas in the world, and yet they are nothing without actionable goals and steps leading to accomplishing the big picture! Each week, I set artistic goals for what I want/need to be working on whether it’s a scene for an acting class, sides for an upcoming audition, or clips to put together a new demo reel. Each month, I set actionable goals for my career and journal what was accomplished and what can be put forward to a new month. Each year, I look back on EVERYTHING GOOD THAT I ACCOMPLISHED! The wins no matter how big or small must be celebrated to keep up mental stamina and passion. Anything that wasn’t accomplished, yet, can simply be put forward for the next year with a new strategy for success.
THIS, is how a career in the performing arts comes to life. It’s how I started working in the industry straight out of college with a full portfolio website. How I became self-sufficient with the mind of a business woman and started my own freelance voice-over production taking on large scale clients from my home. And how my own self-submission as a non-union actor and showing up in an audition room prepared for the job booked me my first touring musical! It’s anyting but a perfect journey, just one filled with forward thinking about doing the next right thing.

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

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is seeing the impact your art has on your audience. Right now on tour, I’m especially reminded of that each time I hear kids in the audience gasp the first time Rudolph flies through the air. It’s an amazing feeling knowing that for most of these kids, this could be the first time they’re experiencing theatre! I love the feeling of an immediate response from a live audience enjoying their experience, or the satisfaction of a finished film put together with love and attention to characters being watched for the first time. That’s a feeling that I hope never changes. I think it’s also something that keeps me humble and less focused on the occasional glitz and glamor.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

I think one of the best things society can do is continue to expose kids to the performing arts all throughout early development. I’m a firm believer that exposure to public speaking, high critical thinking, and organizational skills learned through participating in performance opportunities makes for a well rounded person no matter what career choice they desire to pursue later in life! It’s also an excellent choice for an after school or summer activity that promotes movement and learning how to work as a team. Being a good performer doesn’t mean you have to choose it as a career, but fosters the mindset of a proactive thinker eager to learn new skills and accomplish new challenges.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.hmlportfolio.com
• Instagram: hmlbway_27
• Other: TikTok: hannahmarie_lloyd27
  Fiverr: https://www.fiverr.com/s/0b62zNq

Image Credits

Professional Images curtesy of ES Photography LA