We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Lizzy McCabe. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Lizzy below.

Lizzy, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

I am and will always be the happiest I have ever been when I am in the rehearsal room. The thought of doing anything else does not exist for me. People strive their whole life to find the thing that fills their cup in the way that theatre fills mine. I am so lucky to have found it so soon, to be given so much time to engage with it. Being an artist is a gift in and of itself. To be blessed with the inclination and ability to process existence by creating is so powerful and so beautiful. It’s a privilege and an honor that I will never take for granted.

Pursuing art as a career is so weird. Your next gig is never promised and everything is always in flux, so you often have to overcompensate in order to consistently pay your bills. At any given time I have two to three part time jobs going in addition to running my own business. I often wish I had a traditional 9-5 weekends-off job to give my schedule some stability, but those jobs are seldom as flexible as is necessary in order for me to continue to do theatre.

Making the decision to chase a directing career in a dying medium is not something most would deem as particularly wise. In fact I was always told by my theatre professors in college: “If you can see yourself being happy doing anything else as a career, you should do that, because this path is long and difficult and unrelenting.”

I obviously have not been inclined to take that advice.

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

I am a freelance stage director and theatrical producer based in SoCal. I am also the Founding Artistic Director of The Larking House, a grassroots theatre company dedicated to providing a home for emerging artists. I dabble in other creative ventures here and there as a props designer and via a self produced podcast called “The Ugly Cry Podcast”.

Although I did engage in theatre marginally as a child through school, I didn’t really hit full send until I went to Fullerton College. I had been a jock my whole life, and planned to pursue sports at a collegiate level as well. I went to exactly one practice for their softball team before realizing that I desperately wanted to pursue theatre instead. . The next day I auditioned for the play in the Campus Theater and never looked back.

My journey into the world of Theatre Arts has been slow and steady. It took me 7 years to complete my degree, during which I changed my major at least three times before landing on Stage Directing at CSU Fullerton and graduating with my BA in 2019.

In 2020 the Pandemic threw a giant wrench into my previous professional trajectory as it decimated the live theatre industry for almost two full years. However, I took the downtime to look inward and re-evaluate the way I wanted to build my career. I got together with some of my colleagues and we collectively decided to form a company dedicated to giving young emerging creatives a space to call home. Thus was born the foundation of what would later become The Larking House.

Our company operates differently from other theatre in the area. We produce primarily in an unconventional found space (a 3 car garage) and fund everything out of our own pockets (very “New York” of us to be honest). We have different programs aimed at giving opportunities to emerging writers, directors, actors and designers to hone their craft in a deeply collaborative and artistically challenging environment. We produce a lot of work that centers around queer stories and work to give voices to women and queer artists in the new plays that we produce. Our Playwright’s Intensive is a workshop program for playwrights to have their work read aloud and worked on over the course of a week by like-minded theatre artists.

I think the thing that really sets The Larking House apart is the unbridled passion that our company members exude. Everyone is here volunteering their time to get better, making space for their art because they love it. We are telling stories that are important and necessary and we are building it all with our bare hands. It’s a holistic experience. It’s healing and fulfilling and forces you to grow in ways that you never knew you needed.

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

As far as the larger ways, you can actively vote for legislation that supports arts funding in schools and for candidates that believe in the importance of arts education. Aside from this, there are SO many small ways to support artists these days. Purchase art from independent artists, donate to crowdfunding for indie films, attend community art events and just TALK to people about their journeys and their goals. If finances make it hard to support in these ways you can repost artists work on social media, refer your friends to your favorite tattoo artist, share a song by an up-and-coming musician, volunteer your time for non-profit arts organizations, sign up to take an art class at your local community college, and generally advocate for the pursuit of art as a career path amongst peers. There are SO MANY WAYS to support creatives that are well within the power of the individual.

In the vein of theatre specifically, the most impactful thing you can do is to go and see a show. Take time out of your weekend, buy a ticket at your local community theater and see a live show. If you feel so compelled, donate, but buying tickets to see live theatre keeps the medium alive and thriving.

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

I guess I am still figuring that out. It has shifted so much in the last 5 or so years. I used to want to be on Broadway. That was THE goal. But now, I think I would really just like to be able to have a footing for my company to have a real space. The work that we are doing with these amazing people and the impact that we have the potential to make with more resources is so much more enticing to me than becoming a cog in the machine right now. I am deeply passionate about new work and getting plays produced and would love to have a permanent stable place to do that in my community. Ultimately, I think that my goals are shifting into becoming a better leader for the organization I already have and taking it as far as possible.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.thelarkinghouse.com
• Instagram: @thelarkinghouse / @lizzzarddz
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TLHTheatreco