Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Julie Rowe. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Julie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

I feel some of the most meaningful projects I’ve been able to be a part of have been with students. One project that stands out is a playwriting residency I did at a middle school in St. Petersburg, Florida. I had a terrific host teacher, Holly Atkins, and amazing support from the school’s administration as well. Our students created three ten-minute plays in writing teams throughout the school year: a radio play, a play inspired by a Shakespeare piece and one inspired by events from the historic neighborhood their school was in. It was wonderful to watch the students learn to collaborate, effectively communicate, listen and compromise. Their pieces were funny, moving, smart and authentically them. Two of the plays were passed to the school drama club to perform, the other was read by professional actors in a staged reading event for family and friends. I was in residency at that school for several years and it was truly a joy. The students clearly learned that their voices and ideas matter, and that they can be agents of change through creativity. I’m so grateful I had the opportunity to be a part of it.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a Southeast Idaho based Actor Musician, and I tell stories that create connection, build community and make change. I have worked with Grammy-Award winners, Tony Award-nominees and Network Series Creators during my 34+year performance career across the United States and abroad.

I grew up on a 5th generation Idaho family farm, 4-miles from a one-stoplight town, and write folk/country songs on guitar, banjo and mandolin. My first album of original songs, “No Mud, No Flower”, released in 2024 and is available on all streaming platforms along with the award-winning music video, “Spud Harvest Tip”. My acting credits include plays, musicals, films, commercials and cabarets in styles ranging from Shakespeare to original works and dramas to actor musician pieces. I hold a B.A. in Theatre Arts from Idaho State University where I received the Professional Achievement Award from the College of Arts and Sciences. I am also the recipient of a Distinguished Alumni Award from my alumni American Falls High School, a Tampa Bay United Way Volunteer of the Year Award, a Pinellas County Individual Artist Grant recipient, an Idaho Commission on the Arts Individual Artist Grant recipient and a member of Actors’ Equity Association and SAG-AFTRA. In addition to my performance career, I have worked in Arts Administration as a Director, Educator, Fund Raiser, Grant Writer, and Producer and have served on Boards of Non-Profit Organizations.

I started taking piano lessons when I was six, music has always been a part of my life, and I thought I would pursue it as a career. But, when I enrolled in college, I took an acting class on a whim and found a room full of people just like me. The theatre became my new world focus, and I jumped into the industry as soon as I graduated. Along the way I moved to several different markets and eventually landed in Arts Administration while I continued to act.

It took me some time to get back to my musician self. I had continued to work as a singer and occasional instrumentalist, but it wasn’t a high priority. Then I was cast in my first actor musician piece where the actors are also the band. I knew just enough banjo to get cast in the show, but the theatre company was in Nashville, and I had to play it for real in Music City, USA. So, I got a banjo teacher quick! He was terrific and opened my eyes to the world of bluegrass. Seeing those pickers live was an incredible inspiration. Those farm looking folks wearing bib overalls were rockstars and they looked like people from my hometown. That really sparked my musician fire, and I was on my way to bringing that part of myself back into focus. Sometime later I was cast in another actor musician piece that was all about Woody Guthrie and his music. Another spark of inspiration, this time in the folk music scene.

Then the pandemic came along, and a big door of change opened its door. I was laid off from my Florida Arts Administration job, the theatre industry was not an option for a while, so I packed up and moved back to Idaho. That was not in the long-range plan, but the only constant is change and back home it was. Settling into my new place I thought, I should turn one of these basement bedrooms into a recording studio. So, I did and named it Route 1 Room. Then I decided to write some songs. Then I decided to release an album and suddenly I felt authentically connected to myself as an Actor and a Musician. I audition and create in my home studio, all while being present for my elders, what a gift. I also continue to teach offering private acting and music lessons both in-person and online. I feel very fortunate to live a creative life as a storyteller.

What makes my artistry unique is who I am and where I come from. Storytelling is my passion; it has been a constant throughout my life. Growing up on the farm, story was everywhere. My sister, cousin, and I made up a series of radio plays and recorded them on cassettes. Dad told wild silly fables, sang boisterous songs, and quietly shared gentle stories of a bubbling brook when I wasn’t feeling well. These stories are a lasting part of my personal history. There are stories in every person, waiting to be heard. I watch, listen, observe, consider, digest, ponder and put pen to paper.

I chose this artform because it resonates so strongly within me. It’s immediate, personal, promotes conversation and creates impactful memories. I start my work by finding myself in the text. Where am I here? What do I bring to the story that is uniquely me? The process of creating characters and story is deeply personal. It requires looking within, shining a light on dark corners, reflecting on history, relationships, and emotional life. By doing so my work is relatable to audiences, it creates connection, and emotional awareness. And potentially, a shift of mindset.

One of my great joys as an artist is being a constant student of life; always in research and learning new things. Storytelling requires clarity and specificity. The smallest detail can make a profound impact. Taking time to unearth those moments results in a story unique to my personal voice. I draw upon my life experience to create my art. Inspiration comes from who and what I see, events I witness, and others that have been shared. I am strongly influenced by family history, the sensibilities of my childhood home and its no-nonsense approach with a heart of gold hiding beneath.

Other influences include Folk music (Woody Guthrie, John Hartford, John Prine, Connie Converse, Rosalie Sorrel) Country music (Junior Brown, Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash) Bluegrass music (The Carter Family, Flatt and Scruggs) and theatrical trailblazing women who create their own path. I continue to strive for acting roles that celebrate strong, courageous women in the second half of their life, and plan to continue building my musical songbook with stories of authenticity, connection, and reflection.

When I create a story, I feel I am making a difference, which supports one of my core values, service. Stories are a part of our collective existence. By contributing to it, I am a ripple in the waves of change. Art affects lives, that is a responsibility, which I take to heart. Continuing to share my art in front of audiences will not only help me grow artistically but hopefully make a difference in one audience member’s life at a time. That is to be truly of service.

The older I get, the richer my life experience, which greatly informs my storytelling. My life’s ebb and flow will always correlate with my art. Each new event informs the other and will continue to do so for as long as I create.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

The wonderful, and scary thing about a life in the arts is that you are always having to make a pivot. Contracts end leaving you out of work. A cast member gets sick, and an understudy gets put in with two hours of rehearsal. Seasons are posted and you’re too this or too that for the season, so you need to find work somewhere else. The only constant is change. So being able to pivot is not only necessary, but a normal part of the life path. It took me some time to embrace that, going with the flow and not hitting the panic button. I guess that was a gift the pandemic pause gave me, uncertainty is a part of the path. So, find things for the in between times. What is something I can do each day to keep my creative self-moving forward, even if it’s just a walk around the block to listen to the breeze. One step at a time, day by day.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I took a terrific course through the Idaho Commission on the Arts called the My Artrepreneur Program (MAP), which is a professional development program for artists to improve business practices. Having worked in Arts Administration I had done this kind of work before, but it was focused on an organization and not on Julie Rowe, Inc. One of the first tools we completed was creating the mission statement.

My mission is: tell stories that create connection, build community and make change.

This is my touchstone for everything I do as an Actor, Musician and an Educator.

I think everyone needs a mission statement. It gives us something to guide our choices and decisions, and its fluid, it can change as we change.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://julierowe.com
• Instagram: @JulieRoweArtist
• Facebook: @JulieRoweArtist
• Youtube: @JulieRoweArtist
• Other: Spotify: Julie Rowe Artist

Image Credits

Alicia Donelan
Patty Nieman
Abigail Rowe
Emily Sandifer