Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Morgan Lauff. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Morgan, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Are you happy as a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?
As with any career one chooses, it’s always going to have some negatives. Getting up early, having to stay up late, quick turnaround times, physical demands, traveling, etc. However, the choices made that led me to this point in my life, I truly do not regret. I knew from a very early age that I wanted to be in the entertainment industry in some sort of capacity. I never thought that this career would lead me down to paths that it has so far. My main work is in corporate entertainment, and even though there are times where the demands are great, I often have to stand back and see it from a third party perspective. It is a gentle and healthy reminder to myself that I am actually making a living doing not only what I love to do, but what I have spent so much time learning and studying growing up. To answer plainly- I am happy. More importantly, I am grateful.
Also, I don’t think about what my other career paths could have been like- because I know that’s not my story. I never had a doubt in my mind that this field (with all of its conditions and setbacks at times) was what I needed to be in. This career branches out to SO MANY other career opportunities or “subdivisions”, that anyone who is considering to be in this profession should absolutely keep in mind.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I am a California native- the son of a San Francisco-raised Mom, and a Pittsburgh, PA-raised Dad (go Steelers!). From a very young age, I was exposed to the world of Disney, musicals, blockbuster movies, and the movie-going experience (I was one of the last generations to truly experience a “Drive-In” movie theater). As an only child, the attention from my family (extended or immediate) was hyper-focused on me. My mother was raised in the community theatre scene herself when she was growing up, and parted her outgoing-ness and performing arts philosophies onto me. When I would perform for my family (even if it was standing on the coffee table, reciting Disney songs), I took it seriously and wanted to succeed! That mindset definitely stuck with me for the rest of my life, even going into my career.
I had my first “real” taste of Hollywood when I (rather, my parents took me to) audition for the television show “Kids Say the Darnedest Things”, and out of over 1,000 children, myself and another boy were selected to be featured in one of their episodes. It was wild- I saw the Hollywood sign for the first time on the 101 Freeway, in a limousine, en route to the CBS Studios. Stage freight wasn’t, isn’t and never will be an issue for me- and I exhibited that bravery even as a six year old who had no idea what it was like to be on a television production.
I grew up in the Santa Clarita Valley (a stones throw away from Six Flags Magic Mountain), and truly dipped my feet into the community theatre scene starting in Jr. High school. I made my first professional theatrical debut as Hugo Peabody in Bye Bye Birdie, at the Canyon Theatre Guild in Newhall, CA. I attribute my experiences during that production process as being the true cornerstone of what it meant to be a professional team player as part of an incredibly talented ensemble. I also had an incredible time while being a part of it- meeting and working with veterans from the stage and screen, who spent their “retirement” giving back to the community theaters. That passion and excitement continued when I attended West Ranch High School- an institution well-known for their performing arts and athletics departments. Having played football and performed/studied theatre there, I can say in full confidence that those experiences shaped how I approach and facilitate any circumstance that involves camaraderie in any kind of form.
Our high school theatre department competed in outside theatrical competitions that would allow us to travel to places in Southern California and bring our material (scenes, monologues, technical designs) to said places and compete. One such competition (a high school Shakespeare festival) took place at Chapman University, in Orange, CA. This was during my junior year of high school- at a time where I needed to start thinking of where I wanted to go to college, and what exactly I wanted to study. After the weekend intensive we had at Chapman- meeting the professors, attending workshops, networking with other student actors- I knew without a shadow of a doubt that Chapman was where I needed to be. By good fortune, I was accepted into their distinguished BFA in Theatre Performance program, and graduated in 2015 with departmental honors. During my time as a student at Chapman, I was blessed with unique performing experiences. I worked with the likes of Martin Landau, Annette Benning, Garry Marshall, Steven Tobolowsky, Placido Domingo, Richard Dreyfuss and many more in groundbreaking productions. Chapman was also where I found my love and passion for Shakespeare, thanks to my professor, Thomas F. Bradac (the founding artistic director of Shakespeare Orange County). Under his wing, I was able to understand the simplicity of speaking the text in a way that was universally understood. I had many wonderful and life-changing professors that I was honored to be instructed by at Chapman University, but Bradac was the one who gave me my voice. Thank you, Tom, if you are reading.
Upon graduating from Chapman in 2015, I hit the ground sprinting in Los Angeles. I became involved with the Group Repertory Theatre in Burbank, where we premiered “That Lovin’ Feelin'”- a musical dedicated to the life and career of the Righteous Brothers, playing Bill Medley. While that was happening, I was cast in my first “theme park” gig- being a part of the opening team of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios, Hollywood. The process was surreal, and working in a close capacity with some of the most amazing and talented dancers and stunt performers in Hollywood gave me a wonderful pleasure to network and befriend them- some of them I am very close with to this day (I even officiated the wedding of a couple of them)! During my tenure in LA as well, I was involved with a few film projects that can be seen currently on Amazon Prime. In the years that followed, I was a part of another opening team- this time, at the Disneyland Resort, as part of the workshop and opening team for The Guardians of the Galaxy Awesome Dance-Off show at Disney’s California Adventure. Working closely with Walt Disney Imagineering was a literal dream come true, and being able to bounce new and creative show ideas with them was an absolute pleasure. The theme park circuit did not stop there, and once again I was cast in another inaugural performance of the Christmas spectacular, Home for the Holidays, at Knott’s Berry Farm.
The pandemic slowed quite a lot of things down, especially in the entertainment industry. It was exceptionally difficult to be on furlough as an entertainer, where places such as the Disneyland Resort were closed for more than a year. Luckily, I was still enrolled in my Master’s Degree Program (in Arts and Cultural Management- University of Denver) and was itching to utilize my knowledge of building a non profit organization of my own during the downtime that was the pandemic. Through social networking, reaching out to mutual friends, and simply because I enjoy the franchise, I decided to create my own cosplay group dedicated to the fandom of Indiana Jones. At first, it was a group of Indiana Jones enthusiasts that lived in the state of California. Aptly named “California Jones”- the group was created in dedication to the passion and fandom of the Indiana Jones franchise. With things slowly reopening at the time of its founding in 2021, we held our first “meetup” in Fullerton, CA. Since then, over a half-dozens meetups have taken place, the membership has become a global involvement (almost 2,000 members on Facebook), and a select few of us were even invited to the Hollywood premiere of Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny, in June 2023. The group is a little over two and a half years old at the time of this interview, and it is only growing. You can currently find California Jones on Facebook, or Instagram (@californiajones81)!
I turned 30 last year, and am entering this new decade with new adventures. Currently, I am on the road with the puppet show “Bluey’s Big Play”, based on the popular Disney +/BBC series. It is the North American Tour, where we will be traveling to the United States and Canada through the fall of 2024. Being that this is a physical show that involves extensive puppetry and choreography, I can say in all honesty that it is never too late to learn a new skill in your career. This process has been incredible, and being that this is also my first tour, I am experiencing a plethora of new circumstances. What a better way to see the country than to travel in tour, perform, and get paid for it! In all seriousness, this has been an incredible learning experience that has taken me out of a “complacent” career moment I was previously exhibiting. I am a part of an incredibly talented ensemble of puppeteers, dancers and character actors who are all in the same boat, experiencing this lifestyle for the first time as well.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
Don’t be afraid to experience something that may be outside of your comfort zone. As an artist, we are always exposed to instances that may give us a visceral response that isn’t always necessarily positive. When you, the audience, are going to pay for an experience, you definitely want to get your money’s worth. That is absolutely understandable. However, you must understand that, when going to see either a theatrical production, an art exhibition, a concert, or anything related to the performing arts, there are certain instances where you will be taken aback by some of the content. The content is by no means intended to make people upset- rather, it is there to generate a healthy dialogue of what sort of commentary is the artist trying to express with their piece? As an actor, my goal in telling whatever story I have been directed to tell is to create critical thinking for the audience. If one audience member is leaving the theatre with a different perspective about a subject than they did going in, then I have effectively done my job.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
God is in charge of my journey. He is using me to cast out the plan He has for me. My goal is to always turn to Him and honor what His plan is. For a very long time, I have struggled with my faith and what my purpose was (especially in this industry), and I had no idea if what I was doing meant anything to anyone, including myself. Turning to God for answers has been a gift and a relief, in the sense that I am able to let go as much as I can and let God take care of the rest. In that same vein though, I have to trust that God will give me the strength and courage to persevere in this career. I do believe that my talents and what I am able to give back to the industry is part of God’s intention, and I have surrounded myself with encouraging people who remind me of that as often as they can.
My goal has always been to be successful in this industry. However, that definition of “successful” has shifted quite a bit over the years. I have spoken with so many individuals who have given me their own viewpoint on success. As I get older, I am learning that success should never be measured by money, or how much you have bought with the money you have earned. My definition of success, simply put, is the happiness you can achieve while you are able do make a living doing what you love. No job, no career, no life will be perfect. Happiness will come and go- things will make me happy for the time being, and time/experience/maturity passes, which will evolve the outlook once more. That is something no one should be afraid of happening.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.morgan-lauff.com
- Instagram: @morganlauffalot
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mlauff
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/morgandlauff
- Other: California Jones Instagram: @californiajones81
Image Credits
Credit: Morgan Lauff