We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jenna Pastuszek. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jenna below.
Jenna, appreciate you joining us today. Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?
As a creative, it’s considered “normal” to work more than one job. In fact, I think I’d be bored with only one job! I consider myself a “multi-hyphenate” meaning someone who is interested and passionate about multiple things, and I know I am my best self when I am doing all of the things I love to do.
As a performer, I’m currently working on a brand new musical called Elvis: A Musical Revolution at The Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia (America’s oldest regional theatre…they’ve been producing shows since 1809!). I’m playing two of Elvis’ real life love interests, his high school girlfriend, Dixie Locke Emmons, and his wife, Priscilla. I absolutely love the energy of working on a new show- new lines, new scenes, constant changes- it’s thrilling to collaborate to bring a new piece of musical theatre to life.
Offstage, I moonlight as a voice teacher. I am the proud co-founder of Innovative Voice Studio, and alongside my business partner, Tim Russell, I coach professional singers to fulfill their artistic dreams. I teach individual lessons, and we also just began a brand new group online voice class this fall called The VoiceLab which is so much fun!
I also am a voiceover artist, proudly voicing many commercials you hear on Pandora Radio, a business consultant, a writer, and a mom!
I am my best performer when I’m teaching, and I am my best teacher when I am performing, and I am my best mom when I am happily working my smorgasborg of creative projects!
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
Growing up in a small suburban town outside of Philadelphia, PA, I spent most of my afternoons making up songs to serenade the trees in my backyard.It wasn’t until a concerned neighbor came over to ask my mom if she knew that I was doing this and whether or not she had considered putting me into therapy or musical theatre class, that I realized there was a socially acceptable outlet to release my creative passions (…therapy came later). And it came with bright lights, costumes, and an incredible array of talented human beings. Once I found theatre, I never left. It’s home.
In high school, I didn’t believe in myself enough to audition or try to pursue a college degree in performance, so I trained and performed for fun while I studied Elementary Education, French, and History at The University of Virginia. In my final semester, I had a quarter life crisis while reading The BFG to a class of fourth graders.
By stepping away from performing, I was suddenly able to see how much it mattered. I closed the book and decided to embrace my fears , pivot, and pursue a Masters degree at New York University in my lifelong love: musical theatre.
After graduation (where I received an additional advanced degree in vocal pedagogy #overachiever)…I decided to bypass becoming an actor-waiter and combine ALL of my passions (teaching, history, music, performance) to build a private voice studio (built while eating croissants because France). Despite my love for sporting neon purple bow ties while serving (re: eating) mini kosher hot dogs at bar mitzvahs, I hung up my serving uniform and chose the challenging and rewarding path of being an artpreneur.
I am a true teaching artist. Now, when I’m not performing, I pay my bills by working with other performers, which in turn makes me a better performer (and also the luckiest artist on the planet). As a voice teacher, I work with Broadway performers, regional theatre actors, cruise ship dancers, and pre-professional college and high school students in mastermind programs like The BADassery, private voice lessons, group classes, workshops, and in academia, collaborating with colleagues to build and maintain reputable programs like those at USC and MTCA.
During the pandemic, I began stretching my entrepreneurial legs by creating work to introduce myself to the people and places I admire. I dove into the world of self-producing by creating, writing, booking, and starring in two one-woman projects celebrating my favorite American idols: Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand.
Invited to present these concerts at prestigious places like Paper Mill Playhouse, Bucks County Playhouse, The Green Room 42, Vitello’s at 54 Below, and more, I’ve been able to support theatres and other organizations in bringing art to life in COVID-friendly environments.
Whether you’re an artist, an entrepreneur, seeking a career path change, or hiding behind being a perpetual student, I can help you conquer your fears to get out of your own way because I’ve been there. By making friends with my inner critic and choosing risk taking over regret, I now have nothing artistic left to lose.
Time is a wildly valuable resource, so let’s not waste it in “what ifs”. Instead, let’s embrace the present moment. My openhearted, honest, dry vulnerability is one of my biggest storytelling strengths. In whatever arena you work, I cannot wait to show up in service of the stories you want to tell.
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
Brag Better by Meredith Fineman.
This book revolutionized how I felt about sharing my story, myself, and my accomplishments with others. It’s actually generous to let other people know what you’re up to because maybe you can help them! And it’s even more generous to let others know what kind of work you love to do. Seth Godin is a huge inspiration of mine as well, and the strategies in Meredith’s book really helped me identify strategic ways to employ to help “find the others”.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
Yes- I want to help other creatives who want to be parents someday see that you don’t have to be at a certain status or place in your career to “earn” becoming a parent. I want to help them see that just because you have a kid doesn’t mean that you have to hang up your performing shoes if you don’t want to- it’s a balancing act, but you can make it work!
For so long, I thought that I didn’t deserve to be a parent until I had made my Broadway debut and/or got out of the “developmental talent” pool. The combination of the pandemic and my loudly ticking biological clock made me realize that I didn’t have time to waste if I did in fact want to be a mom. Now that I am one, I can say wholeheartedly that I am even more driven to pursue my passions because I know I want my son to do the same with his. When I daydream about my Broadway debut now, I picture my son sitting front row, clapping, and saying proudly, “That’s my mama.” And THAT’S a dream worth chasing!
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.jennapastuszek.com
- Instagram: @thejennap
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennapastuszek/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdL4NxfkjmQNKWQptLpe4ZQ
- Other: http://www.innovativevoicestudio.com
Image Credits
Stephanie Cowan Leah Huebner Mark Garvin Shani Hadjian JStan Productions