We recently connected with Morgan Middleton and have shared our conversation below.

Morgan, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

The most meaningful project I have worked on is the one that started it all and gave me, for lack of better terms, “permission” to create outside my wheelhouse (opera) and produce full works based on my ideas.

I conceptualized my project, a one-woman musical entitled “Remember When”, the first year of my master’s degree program and executed it the second and final year. The show was the culmination of my previous performances for senior citizens and a little bit of self-therapy after the passing of my first grandparent. In this show, I wove together a bunch of old, popular songs as the framework to a story about a young woman who, while clearing her recently-deceased grandmother’s home, not only re-acquaints herself with her grandmother, but finds the push she needs to grow in confidence and live life to the fullest. I based the musical on research that shows a strong link between memory triggers in Alzheimer’s patients and them listening to music from their early adult years. The show also served as a fundraiser for a local Alzheimer’s research organization.

At the time, I had never written or produced anything for public viewing, but somehow I pulled off a 2 -½ hour one-woman show. It was truly a one-woman show in that I wrote the story and script, hired musical talent, and served as director, stage manager, marketer, grant writer, and performer. I ended up being awarded two grants to fund the production. This was in addition to a full academic semester, recitals, and a part-time job. It was truly a labor of love and although I was exhausted, I pushed through, driven by passion, the prospect of creating something tangible, particularly for the benefit of others, and the fear of failing.

Morgan, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Morgan Middleton and I am a multi-disciplinary artist and the founder and creative director of Morganacity, a Chicago-based arts production company. I loved playing the violin and singing since childhood and eventually went on to get degrees in vocal performance from the University of Southern California and New England Conservatory. I have performed as a mezzo soprano on the stages of Santa Fe Opera, Chicago Opera Theater, and Lyric Opera of Chicago. It was just before the pandemic hit that I was starting on a new journey that evolved into numerous creative works. In 2020, I was named a fellow with Turn the Spotlight, an organization that provides mentorship to emerging arts leaders. With encouragement from my mentor, the fabulous mezzo soprano Jamie Barton, I developed the concept for a series of short films based on classical music and aimed at connecting with underrepresented people in that genre. In subsequent years and into the present, I expanded my writing into television scripts and literature and recently published my first graphic novel, Asteria: The Legend of the Fallen Star. I also wrote and produced my first short film, Erlkönig, which will be released after it completes the festival circuit.

In the early pandemic years, story concepts were flowing profusely from my mind; it was like there was no shut-off valve. It’s what I woke up to and fell asleep doing. I decided to make a pivot in my professional career and establish my arts production company, Morganacity, in which to house my creative works.

My goal with every work is to put into the world things I would like to see now or would have wanted to see when I was growing up. What makes my work rewarding is the opportunity to create artistry that highlights underrepresented people in unstereotypical ways and situations. I love to mix genres and art forms, add people to social conversations they have historically been excluded from, and tell stories that cross boundaries to reflect the human condition. I’ve always held myself to high standards, and I hold that same standard for my stories. I want them to be unique in perspective, and strong on storyline and character development. As a Black woman, I don’t only want to forge a path of representation, I want to create art that will motivate, inspire, and help change the landscape of the way Black women and men and other minorities are portrayed in the media. I am committed in my belief that media representation will not change unless we have the imagination to present unique stories of emotional depth and the courage to reject subscribing to stereotypical presentations that limit the imagination. I have a trusted circle of advisors that help me hold myself accountable to that vision.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

It’s hard to say just one thing. I think there is a little bit of, “can I pull this off?” and, “can I stretch myself creatively?”. However, I think the main thing driving my creative journey is my desire to meet my characters as living, breathing characters on the small or big screen. I have fallen in love with my concepts and characters, and feel the need to do everything I can to get them out into the world. They are full of depth, emotion, power, sensitivity, and of course, humor. Every day, I think about what I can do or what hurdles I must overcome on the way to bringing them to life. I think that for any artist, transferring what’s in your mind to something tangible is the most fulfilling feeling there is. But that feeling’s heightened even more when other people get your vision. It’s not necessary for completeness, but it is the cherry on top.

Have you ever had to pivot?

There was a point during the pandemic when I needed to figure out where my artistic passions lay and what path I wanted to pursue. If I chose opera, I had to go all in and rekindle my excitement. If I chose writing, I had to weigh how I was going to pay for my creative endeavors. I was looking at the operatic landscape and had to figure out if my love for the art form — its benefits and sacrifices — was as passionate as my love of creating stories (which would eventually turn into The Stories of Us series). Writing eventually won my heart, but the path was not without difficulty. I was pitching my concept during 2019/2020 and though opera house managers across the country were interested, the pandemic quickly dried up funding sources everywhere. Not only were there no more budgets for outside projects, many opera houses were cutting budgets and productions, or in fear of closing. As this threatened what I considered to be my next big thing, I realized I was going to have to make another pivot in order to get funding. While I applied for film grants, I found employment outside of singing that provided me a little income for my goals and a stable enough working schedule to enable me to take as many screenwriting and film production workshops, seminars and classes along with every opera workshop, chorus, and understudy role I could fit around my work schedule. I now have a new job that pays more and actually encourages creativity, which frees my mind to pursue my passions for artistic creativity after hours. By 2023, I produced both my film and my graphic novel.

Throughout this pivot and all that has transpired since, I would be remiss in leaving out my great fortune of having family, friends, and mentors to support me at every turn. Whether it was providing help funding the first short, being a part of my circle of champions, responding to my page-long emails sent in the wee hours of the morning, and answering questions about the industry, they were always there to listen and help. So if I had any advice to offer other artists, I would suggest they organize a circle of supporters who will advise, encourage, and speak the truth with them on their creative journey.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.morganacity.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morganacity_/ And https://www.instagram.com/morgan_middleton_/
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@morganacity1523?feature=shared