We recently connected with Lisagaye Tomlinson and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Lisagaye thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I made this important life decision in 5th grade. We used to periodically have a drama teacher come to class to teach us some acting basics. One day, our regular teacher announced our class would be putting on a play. She went over the characters and said there would be a voting process that would determine which student would play each part. When I heard the breakdown for the lead role, Miss Wanda, a witch, I knew I wanted to be her. As children, we passed the time bouncing between real and make-believe worlds. We simply eased into the made-up ones where we reinvented ourselves, personified our stuffed animals, and created realities that proved anything was possible. Having the opportunity to be a witch for about one hour was something I could not pass up. I didn’t consider myself particularly popular in my school or my class and I was still a newish immigrant, having arrived from Jamaica a handful of years before. When our regular teacher asked for those interested in playing the role of Miss Wanda to raise their hands, two little hands shot up. One was mine and the other was the daughter of our drama teacher. I immediately felt defeated. I quickly put my hand down, but my hat was already in the ring. You can’t compete with the drama teacher’s daughter. Our teacher asked the class to raise their hands if they wanted to vote for my classmate to play Miss Wanda. What seemed like a lot of hands went up. I took a quick look around and turned to stare at my desk. The teacher then asked the class to raise their hands if they wanted to vote for me as Miss Wanda. I didn’t see anything happen in that moment, but I heard the sudden chafing of sleeves against shirt sides as all the arms went up. I eventually looked up to see all the little hands waving and rooting for me. I got the part and my mother even loaned me her black, witchy dress with the uneven hem on the day of the performance. I felt like the luckiest girl in the world and I knew this was what I wanted to do.

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

I began my acting career in South Florida, where I grew up, but it almost didn’t happen. In Florida, a lot of people still have landlines because some hurricanes often result in a widespread loss of power. Having a landline with a non-electric phone means people can still communicate. I started to see the same woman’s name on the caller ID of my house phone two to three times per month over a period of several months. Her name on my caller ID meant she was calling from the registered landline for her home address. The calls came in mainly while I was away at work and I had no idea who the woman was or why she kept calling.

One day my house phone rang, and I saw her number on the caller ID. I answered the call and was surprised to hear a man on the other line. He introduced himself as Peter Giuliano, a housing developer who had heard my music in a record store in West Palm Beach. He went on to tell me how he asked the store clerk for information on the band and singer. About a year earlier, I’d recorded music with a local band called the Human Beings and our bass player, Greg, went around to area record stores asking if they’d carry and play our music. Peter went on to tell me that he’d written and wanted to produce a rock opera, and that he was interested in having me play one of the lead roles. Had I not answered the phone, I may have never had my introduction into South Florida community theatre. I knew I wanted to be an actor, but Hollywood may as well have been Mars: it existed, but I had no idea how to get there. Since work begets work, theatre led to more theatre, which eventually led to a television show and a few independent films.

I made the decision to move to L.A. in 2012 because that’s where the action was. Success as an actor in the business of film and television is largely predicated on one’s ability to differentiate oneself from others who are after the exact same goal. I know I’m different because what you see is not always what you get. While people are using ChatGPT, I’m upholding centuries-old traditions and etiquette. I’m the one who is always working on different dialects and writing to a variety of known and unknown creatives in our industry, applauding their work. I’m definitely not going to be the one who does what everyone else auditioning is doing. I can’t tell you for how long people have tried to put me in a box based on my skin colour or the way I spoke. The communities in which I grew up may have been the culprits, but I thank them. They conditioned me to train for my work as an actor at a very early age, way before any director ever called “action.” I want people to know I’m the little girl from Darliston, Jamaica, who flew on an “iron bird” to America and made something of herself.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

I have no doubt that some people think actors are gluttons for punishment, staying in a highly frustrating and often disappointing business environment with variable pay and no promise of benefits. Many actors like me have go through a daily, weekly, or monthly process of proving our worth and abilities repeatedly through the audition process. Non-actors may only have to prove their worth and qualifications occasionally, when they switch jobs or careers. Ours certainly can be a difficult industry to navigate but for me, it’s not about having a thick skin to endure the rigor. I look at the audition process not as a series of failures but a series of opportunities. You may get the chance to read one line of dialogue for a casting director who has not yet seen you. You may have the chance to audition as a grieving mother and can power that read with emotions you’ve been building up for another reason. Why would anyone ever pursue a goal that caused them constant frustration? It makes no sense to me. We have to change our paradigm as actors and embrace the non-wins as part of the normal business cycle.

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

I think the best thing state and county governments can do to support the arts is to increase funding for and introduce arts programs in underserved schools. In L.A., it seems live theatre is not as popular as it is in New York. In New York, everyone goes to the theatre. In L.A. people flock to see plays and musicals at well-known theatres because they know there will be great production value and known performers or directors. There are plenty of smaller theatres here in L.A. that have stellar performances and the rights to acclaimed or previously untold stories, but they don’t get the glory these larger houses do. Support local theatre and you may discover something wonderful.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @lisagayetomlinson
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisagayetomlinson/
• Twitter: @LisagayePT

Image Credits
Jonny Marlow, Calvin Miles, Faye Viviana