Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Melanie Lee. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Melanie , appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.
it fills me up to see actors fulfill their goals. as a director working with actors it bring such joy when they find, discover and allow themselves to be vulnerable.
I started working as a Directora De Elenco in Panama for professional theater and realized not only do I love directing, but I also love working with Dirrectors to make their vision come to life through the body, mind and performance coaching with their actors.
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?
well, I started acting at a very young age in theater -as most do- and it was my second home to nurture me and welcome me with open arms.
I was a dancer in Chicago and did a lot of improv and worked in comedy clubs to prepare me for my transition to Los Angeles in 2002.
once in LA I Loved auditioning and was doing well while balancing work at the Cat and Fiddle where I met my future husband (as is the blessing/ superstition of working at the Cat)
We moved to Panama for his Agency and fell in love with the people and theater there. I not only got married and had out first child, but refound my calling as a Director and Performance Coach.
since we’ve moved back to the states I’ve been directing and my partner Brooklyn Sample and I started a Comedy/Inspirational podcast called Moms Art Too for all humans to re ingnite that fire in them after starting a family or even just feelingon a rut….
Have you ever had to pivot?
oh goodness. once we moved to Panama I had to reunderstand everything. slowing down, manana attitude and also really listening.
I was a work work work kond of girl. no breaks, no reading books cuz if I’m not booking it’s cuz I’m not working hard enough.
taking that step back from the US state of mind helped me so so much.
I feel way more connected to my actors, other artists and myself frankly.
once you slow down you start listening way more.
and listening is the core. to your art, to your scene, to your relationships. and especially to your body.
when your immersed jarringly into a culture you have to go slow and listen.
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
I’ll tell ya what. working with animals has helped me so so much. training jaguars, caring to Tapirs and Sloths, releasing squirrels into a family after they are old enough… you MUST put yourself second. you have to be hyper aware of wheta the needs of the animal is.
it’s amazing – then taking that to the stage as an actor or director. really knowing the room. people’s energies, needs and insecurities.
and making them as comfortable as possible. is just like crate taining a jaguar or being an animals enrichment coach. 
Contact Info:
- Facebook: melaniegilpinlee
- Twitter: @melbatoastlee
- Youtube: @momsarttoo
- Other: Instagram @melaniegilpinlee https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/moms-art-too/id1603324817