Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jackie Romankow. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Jackie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with 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?
I am definitely happy as an artist, though I find it easy to slip into the mindset of “if I had a regular job, I’d be happier.” I recently went home to visit my parents and found myself in the house I grew up in. There, I thought all about my old classmates and how many of them are now successfully working corporate jobs with long hours and big paychecks. There was a moment where I thought I maybe wanted to be “normal” or “regular” like those old peers… and then I had to catch myself. I remembered that I never felt like I fit in with those peers in the first place, and I lived as my best self when I was doing something artistic – like being part of the school theatre program or singing in the choir. And it’s the same thing now. I am living creatively, following my bliss, and even though it looks different than what many other people do, the joy that comes with my lifestyle doesn’t go away. In fact, after my visit back home, I sank back into my crazy life – adapting to different schedules every day, seeing shows with friends, teaching folks to embrace their voices, transforming into crazy characters while diving into new projects, having the complete opposite of a 9-to-5 – and I reconnected with my gratitude for my life as a creative.
It’s easy to feel safe with a “normal” job. It’s easy to do the same thing every day, know exactly how much money you’re going to earn that week, and have a consistent schedule. It’s not that easy to freelance as a teaching artist, to go on auditions where you subject yourself to rejection, and to work crazy hours to pursue your passion. BUT I would not want to live any other way. One of the reasons why I love acting is because it allows me to feel everything unabashedly. From my training and work as an actor, I discovered that one of my ultimate goals is to live life to its fullest, and living creatively, though it can be scary and lack security, lets me live to the edge of my existence. I thrive when I can live with full feeling, and working as an actor, singing, and teaching others creates that fullness in me. For those magnificent reasons, I don’t think I would be happy with a “normal” job. I am incredibly fulfilled living as a creative artist, and isn’t that what life is all about?
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I consider myself a multi-hyphenate to the Nth degree. I am an actor, singer, and voice/speech/dialect coach, and I hold these all equally close to my heart. Basically, I combined all of the things I absolutely love and turned them into a career! My ultimate goal is (and has always been) to connect with people. Acting was the first way I was able to do that, then singing, and from those experiences, I have brought voice and speech coaching into the fold.
Since moving to New York, I’ve been in a number of projects that I’m proud of – Shakespeare plays, new musicals, short films, indie feature films, play readings, cabarets! I’ve even worked with Netflix and played the character “Eleven” in the immersive Stranger Things Experience debut in NYC. All this to say, as a performing artist, I’ve taken the “hustle” of this business very seriously. As a result, I’ve made some incredible connections, met some brilliantly talented people, and made some pretty cool art. As we all know, though, making a bunch of art is not always the most… shall we say lucrative? While in between gigs, I found myself itching to be busy, to learn, and (honestly) to make money.
My incredibly supportive (yet pragmatic) parents’ voices came to mind when I was searching for a way not just to survive, but to thrive. I wanted to find a way to support myself financially while still loving my job and having the freedom to pursue acting. So, I began teaching theatre to young kids. And I now freelance as a singing and dialect coach, and work at an incredible company called New York Speech Coaching as a speech coach.
I have always felt very strongly about the voice – it is the most vulnerable part of the body, not easy to hide, always honest and indicative of our inner lives – and I now get to work with people and their voices every day. As a private singing coach I get to work with theatre people, with musicians, and with everyday folks! Watching them light up as they hit a note with ease or sing a song as if it were written for them is like watching fireworks from up close. As a dialect coach, I’ve worked on a number of projects that tell stories that I’m honored to be a part of. It’s almost like acting, but I get to aid the cast in finding their characters’ voices. I am able to discover much more of how the story comes together as a whole in this way. And as a speech coach, I am lucky enough to get to work with folks from all over the professional world, not just theatre, and encourage them to find their own voices. This kind of coaching often ranges from anything between public speaking, to accent/dialect acquisition, and to general comfort in speaking confidently. This can be a really vulnerable exploratory process, and it truly makes my heart soar to see people be both committed to their growth and brave enough to share it with me.
My approach to voice, speech, and dialect coaching is always with enthusiasm and compassion. My client wants to grow and learn? Hell yeah! Might they need a helping hand, kind critique, or patience when being confronted with new information? Absolutely! As a self-appointed forever student, seeing others apply themselves to learning something new is so inspiring. When a client or student learns something new about their voice, they learn something new about themselves, and that connection is thrilling. I am always an advocate for someone trying out voice or speech coaching (especially if they’ve always loved singing, if they want to feel prepared for an audition, or if they want to feel more confident at work or in social situations). There is always more to discover about our voices, and I’m thrilled when I get to help someone along that journey.
Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?
Something that I wish more “non-creatives” understood about my career and journey is that no matter how hard it gets, I love it. I would not choose any other lifestyle or professional pursuit. Often when I tell people I’m an actor, I get pitying looks, questions along the lines of, “have you ‘made it’ yet?” or sideways glances and queries about my finances. The truth is, this career is definitely a “hustle,” but I would rather work hard at a career that I love than a job that I don’t. Actually, by following my creative joy (going to college for acting – a degree that notably does not lead to a secure job after school), I discovered my second love of the voice. By taking classes that helped satisfy my urge to act and play and sing, I met mentors and teachers that I now think about when making career decisions. Contrary to what the powers-that-be may want us to think, people can succeed at doing more than one thing, and though it may make my calendar look like a game of tetris, I find so much joy and fulfillment in instructing folks on their speaking and singing, in dialect coaching different projects, and in auditioning and acting! I am a highly personal person, and to me, success means connecting with others and engaging in my creativity. I think that many “non-creatives” see success as one thing (and I may be wrong! Hopefully I am wrong in that assumption!), but I’ve learned over the years that how I define success is really the only thing that matters. If I can make enough money to live, while feeling creatively and personally fulfilled (even if that means freelancing and teaching and putting myself up for rejection more often than not), then I am successful. Ever since I adopted that mindset, I’ve been able to be grateful as opposed to frustrated, and that is the best gift I could give myself. I encourage everyone else to give themselves that gift as well.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
Yes!! I recently connected with one of my voice and speech mentors from my time at Boston University and she recommended this brilliant book to me – Permission to Speak by Samara Bay. Really, the whole title is Permission to Speak: How to Change What Power Sounds Like, Starting with You, and it is a public speaking book that is rooted in feminist ideology (but it really is a great book for everyone to read). Instead of approaching public speaking from a strictly technical point of view, the author digs deep into why different folks might have difficulty speaking publicly and reckons with those uncomfortable reasons. I found myself drawn to the book and saying to myself “that’s exactly how I feel!” when reading some anecdotes she included. As someone who does not hold the privilege of being in a male body (but also as someone who does hold the privilege of being in a white, cis body), this book helped me evaluate my own struggles of taking up space, speaking like I am worth being listened to, and believing in my vocal authority. Not only did it open my eyes to what I myself have struggled with, it helped me recognize what might be holding other people back and gave me ideas on how to approach these issues. As someone who coaches other peoples’ singing and speaking, it’s important to me that I don’t just teach by saying “do this, do that,” but rather, by delving into why one exercise or another might be difficult, and offering other, more creative ways to approach the problem. I believe there are so many ways to approach one issue, and when dealing with the voice and sense of self, each client cannot be taught just one way. Samara Bay’s book helped establish this personal philosophy and shone light areas of darkness in my coaching that I believe (and hope) are helping my clients speak and sing with the voices they want!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jackieromankow.com
- Instagram: jckrmnkw
Image Credits
Lili Davis
Rey Tang
Michael Kushner
Prolovevisuals