We recently connected with Monika Peña and have shared our conversation below.

Monika, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Are you happy as a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?

Oh, that’s a very complex question– if only we had time for my thesis on it! As someone who does have a “regular” job, I say yes. I am very happy as an artist.

Don’t get me wrong, being a veterinary ophthalmology surgical assistant can be pretty dang cool. It has its ups and downs like any job but having gone through quarantine solely working full-time at the clinic with nothing to audition for, no shows to perform in, only endless hours streaming the craft I was supposed to be crafting was the worst time of my adult life. Without a creative outlet, I was utterly depressed. So when theaters started opening back up and the work started coming back, I decided to live my life doing what fulfills me and gives me purpose no matter how difficult.

I am a storyteller. To be anything less than what I am is a waste of my time. Being a working actor can be trying. It’s thankless in so many ways. I still need my “regular job” because creatives are under-appreciated and not compensated well for their time and skills but, I’m happy as an artist because I’ve seen our work move hearts, bring new perspectives, unite people, and create beauty out of madness.

Monika, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Well, I’m a pretty cool Taurus but more importantly I’m a singer, actor, and dancer based in Southern California. I’ve been performing on some kind of stage since I was 6 years old and started actively pursuing my musical theatre career in 2014.

I’ve explored different acting mediums like voice over, TV and film, but my one true love (sorry, husband) is theater— more specifically, musical theater. Quite honestly, I love theater the most because you’re not removed from the audience. I love sharing stories with people but I really love experiencing the show with them for the first time. We do the same show multiple times a day for weeks but hearing the audience’s responses and reactions to it for the first time gives us new perspective in a scene. You can usually plan where the laughs will come in or a gasp but it’s never quite the same each time so the audience is very much a part of keeping the show alive and fresh and grounded.

It’s a special thing to be able to touch people’s hearts and appeal to their humanity. Whether they leave the theater excited to share the story they experienced or unsure about how they feel about it, I feel I did something important because it made people talk to each other and question and think about experiences that moved them deeply or are maybe out of their comfort zones.

So in a nutshell I guess my mission as a performer is to create meaningful art that connects people and cultivates creative spaces of inclusion, empathy, and growth.

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

It’s simple– support artists. Support our work, where we work and the next generation of artists. A thriving creative ecosystem relies on community support so when you’re consuming and spending on art ask yourself this one question: Will this directly benefit the artist? Instead of buying from retail stores- shop for jewelry, fine art and home decor from a local artist, instead of streaming new music- buy the album, become a season subscriber at your local theater, or donate to an artist fund or youth art program! Help put the profit in the artists pocket, pay them appropriately for their work and resources, and nurture the next generation’s passion and skills in the arts and humanities!

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

“Don’t be a difficult actor,’ is the number one lesson I’ve had to unlearn. Now that’s not entirely untrue, no one likes to work with someone who’s always combative and inflexible, making the experience a bad one. However, you should feel confident enough to make waves when it comes to your needs and especially your safety. As young, eager actors we learn that people pleasing, being a team player and making sure the show does indeed go on at any cost will help us network and give us a leg up for bigger and better experiences. What I’ve learned in my short career is you won’t go too far with that. Be a good human and be collaborative in your work, always, but also stand your ground and advocate for yourself. Ask for what you need, ask for what you’re worthy of, take space, take your time and take time off. You will gain more respect when you respect yourself and you’ll get where you want to go faster than you would playing it safe.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.monikapena.com
• Instagram: @singingvettech

Image Credits
Emily B. Photography, True Image Studio, Allison Lowry, Fred Tracey, Caught in the Moment Photography, Thea McLean,